Council awarded £1.3m in damages over leaking school roof

An adjudicator has awarded £1.3m in damages to Wakefield Council in light of longstanding issues with the design of a primary school.

The local authority brought a claim after the replacement of a leaking roof at Sandal Magna Primary Academy, built in 2010, uncovered extensive timber decay issues and significant structural problems. Immediate attention was needed to ensure the safety of the building and to provide long-term assurance that the building is fit for purpose.

An adjudicator has now decided that the architects that designed the building were largely responsible for the issues and must pay the council £1.3m in damages, although there were also issues identified with the original construction company's design responsibilities and workmanship in respect of the roof and associated elements of the work.

Vicky Schofield, Acting Corporate Director for Children and Young People said: “Our priority is always to ensure the welfare of pupils and staff, as schools must be safe and an environment that support everyone to learn and develop their knowledge and skills. We welcome the adjudicator’s decision, which confirms responsibility for these longstanding issues. Thankfully the matter is now resolved, and the completed building has been formally handed over to the Academy Trust.”

Adam Carey