AN independent inquiry into Edinburgh’s PFI school closures will start after the summer holidays, it was confirmed yesterday.
All schools in the city built during the PFI scheme in 2001 to 2004 were closed last month after construction defects were found in the walls of the buildings – one wall collapsed at Oxgangs Primary School, sparking off the closures.
Councillors on the corporate policy and strategy committee discussed a report which provided a detailed summary of the schools issues and gave information about ongoing surveys and remedial works being carried out by the Edinburgh Schools Partnership, who managed the Public Private Programme which built and maintain the affected schools.
The report recommended that an independent senior figure be appointed to chair the inquiry. The chair has yet to be appointed, but The National understands that the council is seeking a senior legal figure with experience of building matters.
The inquiry is expected to cover all aspects of the closures although the specific terms of reference will be discussed with political group leaders later this week and agreed with the chair prior to starting.
During the meeting, council chief executive Andrew Kerr said: “In all this process, safety has been the number one principle. We had no choice but to shut these schools because of safety reasons.”
Pointing out that his party’s earlier calls for a probe had been rejected, Scottish Greens councillor Steve Burgess said: “There has been procrastination around making a decision to call an inquiry.
“There seemed to be some great nervousness about calling for an inquiry, and we had the backdrop of the Scottish Parliament election which may have something to do with that, but it could all have been avoided if at the last meeting of this committee we had just agreed to call an inquiry.”
After the meeting, council leader Andrew Burns said: “It is important that we have an independent chair for this inquiry; one who commands respect within the construction industry. The terms of reference will be thorough and we want the report to get to the heart of this issue and see what lessons can be learnt, not just here in Edinburgh, but across Scotland.
“When the issue came to light, our first priority was safety of pupils and staff, the second was getting pupils back into education, the third is getting the schools reopened and it is not until this has happened that the inquiry will begin. Naturally, we want the report to come back as quickly as possible and I would expect it to be complete in a matter of months. We want and deserve answers as to how this has happened – as do parents across the city."
Burns thanked parents for their patience and understanding during the closures.
He said: “Feedback is that the current exam arrangements are working well and I’m pleased to say we are still on schedule to have three schools reopening next week, five in June and the remaining nine by the middle of August for the start of the new term."
Eight schools are set to reopen in the coming weeks with Oxgangs Primary, St Peter’s and Braidburn to reopen next on Tuesday, meaning over 4,000 pupils will be back to school before the end of the summer term.
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