Agenda item

The Corporate Director of Resources introduced the item.

The following main points were noted in the discussion:

·        The Government had announced new measures to minimise the impact of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in education settings on 31 August 2023.  RAAC was mainly used in flat roofs but also some floor and wall construction in the UK from the mid-1950s to mid-1990s. RAAC was used in a range of building types, both public and private sector, but believed to be more common in schools, hospitals and public buildings.

·        The safety of everyone using council buildings was of utmost importance. The Council had taken a proactive approach to ensuring safety across its estate, reviewing all the information held on the council’s buildings, including council housing, to identify RAAC and prioritise inspections where required.

·        The issues associated with RAAC in schools had been known about for some time and the council had already been working closely with schools to identify whether RAAC may be present. All Islington schools opened as planned at the start of term.

·        The Department for Education (DfE) initially only required schools built between the 1950s and 1990s to be inspected however the council considered this to be insufficient, particularly for older Victorian schools with modern extensions, and had taken a broader approach to RAAC inspection. The DfE had subsequently updated its guidance to this effect.

·        Five Islington Schools had initially been identified as requiring further inspection. Three surveys were booked for 19^th September 2023, one school was awaiting a re-visit from a DfE surveyor, however a contractor had confirmed that no RAAC was identified on a previous inspection, and one school had since confirmed that no buildings had been built during the relevant timescales.

·        The council had sought external assurance from surveyors to evaluate the risks to schools.

·        One school in the borough was known to have RAAC present in its buildings. The area had been closed off and classrooms relocated while further assessment and works were carried out. The council had been working closely with the school to support them through the process.

·        The council was assessing if its social housing blocks had RAAC present through surveys and was working closely with industry specialists. This work was progressing well and to date no instances of RAAC had been detected. Tall buildings were being prioritised, and lower blocks would be inspected afterwards.  There was a general view emerging in the social housing industry that the use of RAAC had not been widespread in residential buildings.

·        In relation to the corporate estate, the council had been undertaking a rolling programme of stock condition surveys over the past two years. The surveyors appointed had since been asked to inspect for RAAC in those buildings not yet inspected. For those with complete inspections, Property Services were reviewing the age and construction of the building to consider if a follow-up survey was required.   

·        The Committee noted the importance of communications with residents. A Frequently Asked Questions page had been published on the website and the Housing Team would be developing detailed communications plans to reassure residents over the coming weeks.

·        As a precaution, details of any RAAC identified was being shared with the London Fire Brigade to assist with any operational response.

·        An officer working group had been established to consider RAAC matters and related safety issues. Officers would continue to monitor the situation and engage with relevant partner agencies around safety issues.

·        The Committee noted the work around RAAC and requested a further update to the next meeting.

RESOLVED:

That the update be noted.