Workers must urgently remove asbestos from schools Schools
A Guardian investigation into underinvestment in public buildings clearly shows its harmful impact (Revealed: 1.5 million children in England studying in unfit school buildings, December 27). Therefore, it is encouraging that the government spokesperson stated that “immediate action will be taken to address the deteriorating situation.”
However, UK building condition surveys and asbestos regulations do not include a measure of the risk of employees and children developing incurable mesothelioma cancer from long-term exposure to asbestos in buildings such as schools.
The UK now has it Highest incidence of mesothelioma In the world, evidence indicates that hundreds of thousands of children and staff may die from it in the future due to their exposure to asbestos in their previous schools. My investigation into this matter, What is the real danger from asbestos in schools?It was published last year by the National Education Union.
The government must take immediate action to develop asbestos regulations and funding to identify and address all schools containing unsafe levels of asbestos, as necessary. Our children deserve no less.
Dr. Jill Reed
Former technical advisor to the Joint Union Asbestos Committee
Twenty years ago, I was responsible for preparing both the School Organization Plan and Asset Management Plan for a Local Education Authority (LEA) of approximately 10 secondary schools, 60 primary schools, special schools and nurseries. I have calculated that (at 2004 prices) £10 million per year should be allocated to the planned replacement of school stock over a 60-year period, £4.5 million to capital planned maintenance, £3 million to curriculum development requiring change and modernization, and £2.5 million £ for unforeseen things caused by government initiatives – health and safety legislation, reinforced aerated concrete removal, asbestos, disabled access – the list goes on.
This would stabilize the situation in schools, but only after a one-off expenditure of around £12 million to catch up with the backlog.
Since the 1970s, the annual government borrowing limit for investment in schools in my LEA has never exceeded £2 million. Deterioration was inevitable. One-time approvals for new schools have only scratched the surface. Insufficient Private Finance Initiative funds have left the LEA with an annual shortfall of £5 million to pay to franchisees.
Late recognition of the problem is welcome. Perhaps now is the time to resolve the strange rules of public sector borrowing requirements.
Ed Campbell
Morpeth, Northumberland
I am skeptical about concerns raised regarding scarcity of building records (Safety checks ordered amid concerns over thousands of post-war school buildings in England, 29 December). For example, the Clasp (Local Authority Association Special Scheme) system used across the UK is well documented in the Department for Education’s Building Bulletin Guides.
The steel and wood structure likely remains intact in many of the Clasp buildings still in use. This does not mean that detailed surveys of system-based school sites are not necessary at this time, but they should be conducted in the light of available information.
Colin Porteous
Emeritus Professor of Architectural Science, Glasgow College of Art