John Coles, an architect and procurement expert, will lead the investigation into serious construction problems that shut 17 schools across Edinburgh…
Earlier this year, a number of schools across Edinburgh were closed amid concerns regarding the structural safety of the buildings.
The Edinburgh Schools Partnership (ESP) built the schools during the first round of a public-private partnership (PPP) in 2005. The deal formed part of a £360m private finance agreement, which saw 13 schools built in a joint venture between Miller Construction and Amey, and the second phase by Miller, which was taken over by Galliford Try in 2014.
However, in April it was brought to the attention of the local authority that there were structural problems at two primary schools: Oxgangs and St Peter’s. From this, a total of 17 schools in the partnership were also found to have issues.
Now, leading the investigation into the closure of the schools is architect John Coles. For the past 30 years Coles has worked in the public sector, improving “the quality, design, procurement, and construction of new buildings”.
It is expected the enquiry will start in the autumn and will examine why the council entered into the contract, the impact the financing arrangement had on the construction process, and the agreements in place between ESP and the city council.
Further insight will be given into what role the City of Edinburgh Council played in assuring the quality of the builds, after it emerged the projects had been self-certified.
Additionally, Coles will examine whether maintenance and management of the buildings since they were built should have highlighted the defects sooner.
The city council will also come under scrutiny, as the investigation will look into how the authority handled the closure of the schools in January 2016.
Council chief executive Andrew Kerr said: “I am pleased to have brought on board an expert of John’s calibre to head this independent inquiry as he commands respect in both construction and procurement fields.
“His track record speaks for itself and I am sure parents and everyone else who has been affected by the issues over the past five months will take comfort from the extensive knowledge and experience that John brings to the role.
“The clear and thorough terms of reference set out exactly what we are aiming to achieve through this inquiry.
“We want to find out what went wrong with these schools and are determined to see what lessons can be learned, not just here in Edinburgh but across Scotland and the UK.”
