WATCH: Call for ScotGov action over Wick Campus safety concerns
MFR investigation into Wick Campus sparks call for FM's help.
Last updated 2nd Feb 2018
Holyrood is being urged to step in to review the safety of the controversial new Wick Campus.
A former parent council chair is writing to the First Minister after an MFR investigation uncovered scaffolding - left under a stairwell, hidden with plasterboard.
Morrison Construction claims the scaffolding was not supporting the stairwell but rather just left there.
It's the same contractor behind the new Noss Primary in the area which had to be closed temporarily after the ceiling collapsed following a burst water pipe. It was caused by a build up of scalding hot water. Luckily pupils were on a break outside at the time of the incident.
Last week Highland Council broke through the plasterboard to confirm our investigation's findings, and ordered the scaffolding be removed.
It's after MFR News approached a senior member of the local authority's administration and handed over photographic evidence.
Highland Council insisted that it has no concerns about the scaffolding which it says has been removed.
But former parent council chair Professor Iain Baikie is warning that there's only one chance to get the school right before it's open to the kids. He told MFR News: "The Highland Council arranged for monitoring of this project in July, so if that monitoring was done properly, why has there been scaffolding disguised under a stairwell? It's not appropriate.
"Parents and everybody locally have lost faith that this project has been managed properly.
"If we have a problem up here - our hospital is downgraded, we're two-and-a-half-hours on the road to Inverness, there's a lack of ambulances - so if there was a major incident, it would be compounded by a remoteness."
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On Friday Highland Council announced that the Campus has now been handed over by Hub North Scotland to the authority.
A spokesperson said: "The building is not as yet operational, and there are a number of outstanding works to be completed.
"The post-handover period will see commissioning, snagging and other work take place, prior to the council commencing decant into the new buildings and confirming the building as operationally ready.
"The council continues to work towards the decant dates previously advised to stakeholders.
"A stakeholder group meeting on 31 January is proposed to provide further update."