BY Daniel Harkins | April 15 | 
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Catholic primaries hit by capital PPP flaw
Close to 1000 Catholic primary children were left in limbo this week after Edinburgh City Council closed their schools due to concerns around the safety of the buildings.
St Peter’s, St Joseph’s and St David’s primaries were amongst 17 primary and secondary schools in the local authority area closed after concerns were raised over the integrity of building work.
Hundreds of bricks were blown of an external wall at Oxgangs Primary in the capital city in January during high winds. Wider inspections revealed similar flaws in three other schools including St Peter’s Primary (above). The schools were temporarily closed and expected to reopen after the Easter break, however, last week all 17 schools in the city built or refurbished under the same contract were closed after further defects were discovered.
Between them, the three Catholic primaries have a school roll of 946. Edinburgh council has said its hopes to have alternative arrangements made for pupils by Tuesday April 19. St Peter’s pupils will continue with contingency arrangements put in place after the school closed prior to the Easter break.
Mgr Francis Kerr, parish priest at St Peter’s Church near St Peter’s Primary, said parents were trying to cope with the disorder as best as they could.
Michael McGrath, director of the Scottish Catholic Education Service, said the ‘temporary closure of 17 schools in Edinburgh will have caused considerable anxiety and inconvenience for parents.’
“However, it is vital that safety checks are carried out and any necessary remedial work is undertaken quickly so that schools can resume normal work,” Mr McGrath said.
The 17 affected schools were all built or refurbished under a £360 million deal completed in 2005. The schools were constructed under a partnership between the council and a private finance consortium—Edinburgh Schools Partnership—which including Miller Construction. The same company worked on schools in Glasgow, Fife and Inverclyde, and all councils in Scotland are now carrying out surveys of school buildings. Miller Construction was bought by Galliford Try in 2014.
—This story ran in full in the April 15 edition print of the SCO, available in parishes.
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