Councillor Mohon Ali, Cabinet Member for Education and Skills has written to the Secretary of State for Education asking for her to come clean and immediately publish the full national list of schools involved in the ‘crumbling concrete’ or RAAC scandal so every parent can be sure whether their child is affected and provide a full explanation as to why it has taken until now to act, despite receiving warnings about this problem from the Local Government Association, Labour Councils, and the Labour Party several years ago. He also asked for a clear and unequivocal guarantee to parents in Oldham that ALL schools – including academies, free schools, and nurseries – have been properly assessed and that children are not at risk.

Councillor Ali added “While no Oldham schools have been identified as containing RAAC to date, surveys continue to be carried out and it is important that this work is completed quickly and parents informed of the outcome. The Government also needs to guarantee that it will meet all costs including rebuilding schools where needed. The Tories have been pushed into paying for immediate costs to keep schools open but it is clear that the existing Education budget can’t cover the huge bill for capital work and they need to say how they will pay it.”