There has been significant media coverage in recent weeks in relation to the use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) in buildings.
On September 4, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language issued a written statement on this matter.
It can be confirmed that Rhondda Cynon Taf has no reported instances of RAAC in our schools.
Officers are now undertaking further studies, which are currently underway in-line with Welsh Government’s advice on this matter.
The Council will continue to work with Welsh Government to ensure due diligence is undertaken to keep our school buildings safe and well maintained.
Wales has largely taken a different approach to England in relation school building maintenance and investment. While school building programmes in England have been vastly scaled back, both the 21st Century Schools Programme and the Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme in Wales have resulted in significant capital funding for schools, with RCT Council benefiting from hundreds of millions of pounds of investment with new and improved school buildings.
Based on previous surveys, school facilities in RCT largely fall in to three different categories which do not meet the criteria for buildings typically containing RAAC, namely:
The Council will continue to prioritise pupil and staff safety in undertaking further survey works urgently.
