NEU North West urge government to do more to fix RAAC schools
It's been six months since the first schools were found to have been built with the concrete
The National Education Union in the North West is calling on the government to allocate more money to repair schools affected by RAAC.
Today marks six months since the first schools were identified to have been built with reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC).
It affects 234 schools across the country, including Dixons Broadgreen Academy in Liverpool.
Senior Regional Officer for the NEU in the North West, Nadeem Siddiqui, hopes the upcoming spring budget will see the government find funding to speed up the repairs.
Mr Siddiqui said:
"This is the Government's opportunity to demonstrate categorically that they are going to put the money in to address not only the RAAC crisis adequately, and it needs to be new money that also addresses all the issues that are caused through a lack of investment in education.
"You need a fundamental, whole-scale rebuilding programme"
"You need a fundamental, whole-scale rebuilding programme with the money that is put in to get on with that as fast as possible. That is what is required.
"Sadly because that isn't what has happened we have the situation that we have in the first place in terms of the standard of school buildings, but then on top of that we have the RAAC crisis.
"The reality is when this problem was identified, the Chancellor of the Exchequer actually promised to spend whatever it takes to sort the problem.
"And yet a short time after we had the autumn statement where there was no new money that was promised and no new money that was put in."
In a statement, the government said:
"The Department’s RAAC Identification programme is now complete as 100% of schools and colleges with blocks built in the target era have responded to the questionnaire.
"All schools or colleges that advised us they suspect they might have RAAC have had a survey to confirm if RAAC is present.
"A small number of schools and colleges are carrying out additional checks for further assurance in some spaces. The Department is working with responsible bodies to support them to complete these additional checks as quickly as possible.
"We are committed to removing RAAC within schools in a timely manner and are working with responsible bodies to work as quickly as possible.
"Each case is different and will require different levels of work however in some cases work is already underway and will be completed in coming months."