Latest news with #RAAC


Daily Record
12 hours ago
- General
- Daily Record
Public meeting on Hamilton fire station appliance plans
The station's second appliance will be either withdrawn permanently or restored on a dayshift basis under current Scottish Fire and Rescue service proposals Public meetings are taking place this week about proposals for the future of the second appliance at Hamilton fire station, two years after it was first temporarily withdrawn – as part of changes potentially affecting four locations across Lanarkshire. Options set out in a nationwide review by the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service (SFRS) propose either the permanent removal of Hamilton's second engine; or restoring it on a dayshift basis while adding a nucleus crew at Lesmahagow and an additional dayshift engine at Bellshill. Both sets of proposals would involve switching Cumbernauld's current second appliance to dayshift-only staffing of 8am to 6pm on weekdays, with on-call firefighters covering evenings and weekends; with the reduction allowing for urgent repairs to the station's RAAC-affected roof. SFRS's consultation website outlines that the options package including withdrawing Hamilton's second engine would save approximately £1.3 million per year and see 14 staff transfer to roles including fire prevention; while the set of proposals reintroducing the appliance on a dayshift pattern would save £503,000 annually and result in 'improvement in on-call resilience across South Lanarkshire'. Both would 'match resources to operational demand in the area during the busiest times' and are described as resolving the RAAC issue in Cumbernauld, avoiding 'around £5m property investment'. The consultation information notes that either change would result in an 'increase in second appliance response times in [the] Hamilton area', respectively at all times or during the on-call period; with a similar impact in the Cumbernauld area outside dayshift hours. Deputy Assistant Chief Officer Ian McMeekin, who is head of service delivery in the SFRS west area, said: 'Our resources across North and South Lanarkshire need to be rebalanced to meet today's risks and demand. 'We've spent years developing our knowledge of community risk across Scotland and our modelling shows that the areas around Hamilton and Bellshill would benefit from a redistribution of where our resources are based. 'The introduction of a dayshift model for the second appliances at Cumbernauld, Hamilton and Bellshill also ensures we have additional staff in place during daytime hours to conduct community safety activities, such as home safety visits, hydrant inspections and care home visits. 'This option would also help ensure we have the necessary cover in place across the M74 corridor and a network of stations in South Lanarkshire during daytime hours when on-call availability can be challenging.' He added: 'Cumbernauld fire station is also affected by reinforced autoclave aerated concrete (RAAC), which requires urgent action. It is not possible to repair the station with its current occupancy of two wholetime fire appliances, and it is not possible to rebuild the station on another site. 'Operationally, Cumbernauld also aligns more with other stations which have less appliances. Changing the one of the appliances at Cumbernauld to a dayshift system would ensure we continue to match resources to risk and demand while repairing the RAAC roof.' The Hamilton public meeting takes place at Hillhouse & Earnock community centre on Tuesday, August 5, from 6-8pm; with a similar event taking place at Greenfaulds community facility in Cumbernauld at the same time the following day. Both will include a presentation, followed by attendees discussing and feeding back their views in small groups, and then a question and answer session. Places must be booked in advance by emailing Additional informal drop-in sessions will be held at The Fountain in Lesmahagow on August 7 and Bellshill Cultural Centre on August 13, each from 3-7pm and with no need to book. DACO McMeekin is encouraging 'as many people as possible to take part in the consultation process and attend the public meetings', saying: 'We have an opportunity for the first time since our national service was formed in 2013 to review how we provide our emergency service and build a modern fire and rescue service that is fit for purpose.' Hamilton's second appliance was temporarily withdrawn amid budget cuts affecting 10 stations nearly two years ago, with the number of firefighters based at the station reducing from 45 to 30 but with SFRS emphasising that the station has always remained staffed at all times and adding of the current proposals: 'There is no option to change Hamilton's appliance from 24/7 cover.' The public consultation runs until September 16, with final decisions on service delivery then due to be made by fire service board members in December.


The Herald Scotland
11-07-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Reprieve for Scots RAAC campaigners seeking justice
A public petition by the group earlier this year garnered just 7,655 signatures, less than the 10,000 required for a government response. But it has been confirmed that they will have another chance to enlist public support for their cause. This time, campaigners hope to reach 100,000 signatures, which would spark a parliamentary debate. 'We were down but not out,' said Wilson Chowdhry, the group's chairman. 'This scandal is too big, too devastating, and too cruel to be ignored. 'The government has now given us a second chance to make our voices heard. We will not stop until homeowners get the justice, financial support, and recognition they deserve. RAAC, or reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete, was used in thousands of public buildings across the UK between the 1960s and 1990s. Houses in Tillicoultry were evacuated after being found to contain the material. (Image: Scott Barron) Now, those who own properties containing the brittle material, which resembles the composition of an Aero Bar, have been left scrambling for answers. Chowdry told The Herald last month: 'Over the years, each council that has renovated roofs containing RAAC has said repairs were due to insulation, not structural integrity. Yet, it was known this material was dangerous.' 'Anyone who has lost their home due to safety defects must be awarded first time home buyer status,' the campaigner added. 'They should also be able to renegotiate the terms of their mortgage. Some will have to pay off a 30 year mortgage for a pile of rubble. Read more: Ewan McGregor mansion plans thrown out by Perthshire and Kinross Council How Nigel Farage could turn the North East turquoise in 2026 £150m Aberdeen incinerator temporarily shuttered over structural faults 'The government bailed out the banks using taxpayer money and now we want the banks to bail out the people.' The new petition, which has been signed 341 times in two days, reads: 'We are concerned that many families across the UK face homelessness, bankruptcy, and trauma after being forced from homes made unsafe by RAAC. 'These homeowners did nothing wrong — yet are left to shoulder the burden of institutional failure and unsafe construction practices.'


BBC News
11-07-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Call for long-term plan before £900k Peterborough Town Hall work
Councillors say they want to hear a long-term plan for their town hall before they agree to spend almost £1m on City Council's cabinet is being recommended to approve "urgent mitigation measures" costing about £900,000 at a meeting on follows the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) on the second floor of the Bridge Street Democrat councillor Polly Geraghty said: "It's difficult to approve something if you've got no idea what's going to happen afterwards." The report to the cabinet says the work would ensure the safety of people using the space below, as the floor of the second storey – the original roof of the 1930s building – would not be strong enough to withstand falling RAAC said the likelihood of RAAC collapse was unlikely, but implications would be "severe" if it did council's scrutiny committee met on 10 July and recommended that the cabinet delay its decision until a long-term plan for the building was said: "If you're going to spend close to £1m on something for it to then just be mothballed, why are we bothering spending money that we don't have?"Since January, all council meetings have been held at the authority's offices in Sand Martin the issues on the second floor, other parts of the building have remained in use, including the chamber which is currently being used as a coroner's councillor Marco Cereste told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "In my view, it is the heart of our city and we've spent a lot of money in that area to increase the footfall."At the moment, none of us is clear as to what the council's intentions are with that building. It's been there since 1933 and it would be a real shame to lose it."The authority previously said the programme of work at the Town Hall was a "very complex issue" and it was working to develop a "comprehensive plan". Follow Peterborough news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.


Glasgow Times
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Glasgow Times
Campaigners call for help as RAAC report shows areas hit
The regulator reported that 17 landlords have identified the presence of RAAC in some of the homes they provide to tenants, with 2205 homes in total affected, equating to around 0.4% of all homes provided by social landlords in Scotland. Campaign coordinator for the Scottish Tenants Organisation, Sean Clerkin, has called on the Scottish Government to step in and provide financial support to those who have been affected by RAAC in their homes. He said: 'Local authorities and housing associations need immediate financial help from the Scottish Government to build new safe housing for tenants, given that the Scottish Housing Regulator has published figures from 17 social landlords that 2205 social rented homes have dangerous RAAC in them. 'The additional monies have to be provided now to help all the affected tenants in Scotland. 'Former tenants who bought under right to buy are left also with dangerous and valueless homes and again we would urge the Scottish Government to provide immediate financial help to these homeowners.' Clerkin added: 'Mairi McAllan, the new Housing Minister, has an opportunity here to show that the Scottish Government can step up to the plate financially to help tenants and homeowners to live in new safe homes. 'The Scottish Government has to provide this help now.' READ NEXT: 'We apologise': Latest on Glasgow City Council's cyber attack READ NEXT: Council not reimbursed for demolition of India buildings for this reason How many homes and what landlords are affected? The 17 landlords that have identified the presence of RAAC in some of their homes, and the number of affected social rented homes, are: Aberdeen City Council - 366 Almond Housing Association Ltd - 328 Angus Council - 25 Bield Housing & Care - 34 Bridgewater Housing Association Ltd - 142 City of Edinburgh Council - 44 Clackmannanshire Council - 69 Dundee City Council - 516 Link Group Ltd - 25 Linstone Housing Association - 14 North Lanarkshire Council - 103 River Clyde Homes - 43 Sanctuary Scotland Housing Association Ltd - 102 South Lanarkshire Council - 157 Stirling Council - 26 Viewpoint Housing Association Ltd - 130 West Lothian Council - 81 What is RAAC and why is it dangerous? RAAC is a lightweight structural construction material used between the 1950s and 1990s in the floors, walls and roofs of some buildings in Scotland, including some residential properties. It is a cheaper alternative to standard concrete, is quicker to produce and easier to install, but it is no longer used in buildings in Scotland. RAAC has a lifespan of around 30 years, and its structural behaviour differs significantly from traditional reinforced concrete. It is susceptible to structural failure when exposed to moisture. The bubbles can allow water to enter the material. (Image: Scott Barron) If that happens, any rebar reinforcing RAAC can also decay, rust and weaken and because of this, it is often coated with another material, such as bitumen on roofing panels. But this material can also degrade.

The National
08-07-2025
- Business
- The National
Consultants appointed to tackle Fort William congestion
The roads in and around Fort William have been subject to complaints about traffic gridlocks, including the A82 which connects it to Glasgow and Inverness. Now, two engineering firms are set to spend around 18 months configuring priorities and potential funding sources to help improve transportation, according to reports from the BBC. Previous studies suggested that emergency service staff faced delays getting to work, as did school pupils and teachers, due to high congestion in the area. READ MORE: Campaigners call on Scottish Government intervention as RAAC report shows areas hit BBC reported that firms AECOM and Stantec have been tasked by Highland Council and regional transport body Hitrans to produce an integrated transport plan as part of a wider vision for Fort William and Lochaber called FW2040. Highland Council's economy and infrastructure committee chairman Ken Gowans has called the appointment of consultants 'a significant but long overdue step.' Gowans said to the BBC: 'The appointment … brings renewed momentum and a real opportunity to tackle the long-standing issues of congestion and connectivity that affect residents, businesses and emergency services alike. 'This plan is a key step in shaping a better future for Fort William and the wider Lochaber area.' Transport Scotland confirmed the plan would explore ways to improve journey times and local connections along the A82 through Fort William. Frazer Coupland, of the West Highland Chamber of Commerce, described the development as a 'lifetime opportunity' for the region. He told the BBC: 'We are a town of low resilience when it comes to our transport infrastructure. It only takes a small mistake to really congest the place and gridlock us on occasions. READ MORE: New 'golf express' bus route from Scottish airport to St Andrews launches 'A four to five-mile journey can take up to an hour if you go at the wrong times of day.' While he said everyone wished for a 'magic wand' to fix the problem, he acknowledged that solutions would take time. In September, local businesses including BSW Timber and Mowi warned that worsening congestion was holding back expansion and affecting deliveries. Lochaber Chamber of Commerce said traffic in Fort William had reached 'crisis point.' The 2018 Fort William Strategic Transport Study highlighted serious seasonal congestion, delays to emergency services, and only one road in or out of town. Accidents on the A82 can lead to diversions more than 100 miles long. The geography in the area has also had an adverse effect on road improvements, with Ben Nevis on one side and Loch Linnhe on the other.