West Berkshire Council shadow deputy leader weighs in on RAAC concrete school closures

West Berkshire schools will remain open amid RAAC concrete school closures says the district council shadow leader.

The West Berkshire Council shadow portfolio holder for children, education and young people, governance and transformation Dominic Boeck said schools in the district are “as safe as they have ever been”.

More than 150 schools in the country may have to close buildings because they contain crumbling concrete.

This reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) has affected 156 schools in the UK but the Government has not published a list yet.

But Mr Boeck took to Twitter today and said West Berkshire schools have been inspected for RAAC and none have been identified.

He said: “I have been assured by West Berkshire Council that all schools in their responsibility have been inspected for RAAC and that none has been identified.

“Our schools are as safe as they have ever been.

“I wish our pupils all the best on the start of a new school year on Tuesday.”

Update: West Berkshire Council has confirmed that none of the schools that it is responsible for have been positively identified.

A spokesperson said: “For those schools where we are the responsible body (so those we can comment on) we’ve been following DfE guidance and no buildings with RAAC have been positively identified.

“So, no schools are being vacated.”