Aberdare Coleg y Cymoedd is being built quicker than demolishing the old Sobell Centre why?
A tale of two buildings, work started on the new Aberdare Coleg y Cymoedd campus in March 2016, and is due for completion around September 2017
The old Sobell Center, the original starting dates for demolition of the old Sobell Leisure Centre was 22 September 2014.
The original completion date for demolition of the old Sobell Leisure Centre was
20 March 2015.
To day 19 April 2017 this is how the Sobell center looks.
The Question is who originally surveyed the building for the demolition for RCTC? And will RCTC have a claim placed against the survey company for there is a clear case of under estimating the cost of asbestos removal.
Just how much asbestos contamination was in the building?
What has the Labour controlled council said to former personnel who worked at the Sobell center? How much asbestos were the council personnel working for RCTC at the Sobell center exposed to?
Coun Morgan said: “Clearly this will have an impact on the completion of the new athletics stadium and will incur costs but with any such construction project the primary concern has to be that of safety.”
We ask what about the safety of former personnel who worked at the Sobell center, were they exposed to asbestos dust?
A Rhondda Cynon Taf council spokesman said: "Most buildings constructed in the 1960s relied heavily upon asbestos during their construction, and the process for removing this material is a very complex process which needs to be handled in a specific way.”
The old Sobell centre still stands stubbornly today – but Rhondda Cynon Taf council has confirmed it will be demolished in time for a running track to be built in its place and in time for the summer season in 2017. Summer 2017 in Northern Hemisphere begins on Wednesday, 21 June and ends on Friday, 22 September
RCTC knew of the dangers of asbestos for years AberdareOnline has on its website Freedom of Information correspondences from HSE and RCTC.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/h426innr9jnqnv2/672.358%20R.pdf?dl=0
The Leader of RCTC said in a response to AberdareOnline, “I must take the opportunity to point out that we did not have a ‘major problem of uncontrolled asbestos dust in a public building’”
Municipal year 2016-2017 – report 28th September 2016
“The Council is currently in the process of demolishing a former leisure facility (Sobell), and during the year identified additional and unavoidable costs associated with the safe removal of asbestos, the costs of which are included the Council’s Capital Programme.
It has not yet been possible to determine the full extent of its use in all parts of the building, and therefore it is not possible to estimate the total cost for safe removal and disposal. A programme of sampling, testing and subsequent removal and disposal is ongoing.”
AberdareOnline were informed early last year the cost of removing asbestos was over £6 million but we expect this to rise, as Labour controlled RCTC has not confirmed the true cost of siting the new school at the Ynys. You the council taxpayer are also footing the bill for the removal of asbestos and demolition of Blaengwawr School; again the Labour council said originally the developer would be responsible for removal of asbestos and demolition of Blaengwawr School.
Regardless of the cost to council taxpayers, what is RCTC going to do about the potential cost to public health and the health of the many people that worked within the building?
If you think we need change from Labour on 4 May use your vote wisely
