No confirmed start date for ‘urgent’ £900k Peterborough Town Hall RAAC works

Cabinet members authorised a contract for the repairs, estimated to cost £900,000, at a meeting on July 15, where head of compliance and capital programs Rachael Hunns said the work would begin within six to eight weeks and be completed by the end of December.

Eight weeks later, Peterborough City Council could not confirm a start date for the work and said it was still undertaking pre-construction surveys, despite former deputy leader Cllr Mohammed Jamil saying it was “imperative that we move swiftly”.

The mitigation work is needed on the upper floor of the Town Hall on Bridge Street due to the current floor construction (the roof of the original 1930s building) not being strong enough to withstand falling RAAC panels.

Although the council claimed that RAAC collapse was unlikely, it admitted that implications could be “severe” if it were to happen, including a serious risk of fatality or serious injury.

Since January, all city council meetings have been held at the authority’s offices in Sand Martin House instead of the Town Hall due to the condition and fire safety of the historic building.

Despite the issues on the upper floor, other parts of the building have remained in use such as the chamber which has been used as a coroner’s court.

A council report in July warned that failure to proceed with risk mitigation measures at pace could see retail units moved, resulting in significant financial losses to a value of £760,000 per year (excluding the additional losses associated with the second floor) for the authority.

A council scrutiny committee recommended that cabinet members delayed their decision to approve the works in July until a long-term plan was established for the building.

However, cabinet members dismissed this recommendation and gave the works the go ahead.

At the time, Cllr Jamil said: “Our utmost priority is ensuring the safety of everyone who either works in or visits the Town Hall. We are confident that the measures we are putting in place reflect best practice and are based on sound professional advice.

“The works have been planned to ensure minimum disruption while addressing the issues identified in the structural risk assessment. This is a precautionary and proportionate response that reflects our commitment to maintaining the highest safety standards.”

It was confirmed at July’s cabinet meeting that a scaffold system would be in place next to the building’s entrance on St Peter’s Road and that the building would not be evacuated during the works as the area was already isolated.

It remains unclear when the scaffolding will be erected and when the works will begin.