David Mackay
Moray Council is struggling to persuade contractors to bid for work to maintain the local authority’s crumbling buildings.
Councillors met yesterday to discuss a damning report which stated that 80% of the local authority’s buildings were no longer fit for purpose and needed £69million of maintenance.
But property resources manager Eddie Milne revealed it was becoming more difficult to bid to do the work.
He said: “We deal with a small number of contractors, who go through a vetting process, to demonstrate they are able to do the work.
“We go to about six on the list to price up a job, but, quite often, we are not getting any replies.”
Mr Milne confirmed the jobs primarily involved electrical rewiring, school extensions and boiler repairs and replacements.
Councillors at the policy and resources meeting were mystified about why firms were not applying to do the work.
Speyside Glenlivet member Pearl Paul said: “That surprises me because I would have thought businesses would have been desperate to get work. I find it really difficult to understand.”
The council’s head of housing and property, Richard Anderson, highlighted that school buildings constituted the majority of the buildings which were no longer up to scratch.
He added: “Every year, we are unable to make the necessary investment, we will have schools that will deteriorate, so it’s a chicken and egg situation.”
Work is currently taking place to replace Elgin High School with plans underway for a new secondary school in Lossiemouth. Refurbishment works are also ongoing at four primary schools in Elgin.
Buckie councillor Gordon McDonald said: “We are having to replace an awful lot of schools that were built in the 1960s, while older schools have stood the test of time.”