Construction industry expert John Cole CBE has been selected to lead a independent inquiry into the closure of a number of schools in Edinburgh.

A total of 17 schools were shut after structural defects were discovered inside the buildings in April.

A number of schools have since reopened, with only Craigour Park, Forthview, Craigroyston and Castleview Primary Schools to be handed back this summer alongside Craigmount, Gracemount, Drummond and Royal High Schools.

The council has now appointed Mr Cole to investigate what went wrong at the buildings and if any lessons from the incident can be learned.

With 30 years' experience in the public sector, Mr Cole is an architect and has been responsible for the development, dissemination and implementation of successful procurement models.


He is currently involved with various major infrastructure projects, including the delivery of a new £180 million educational campus to provide six secondary schools on a single shared site in Omagh and the development of a new £600 million paediatric hospital in Dublin.

The council's Chief Executive, Andrew Kerr, said: "I am pleased to have brought on board an expert of John’s calibre to head this independent inquiry as he commands respect in both construction and procurement fields.

"His track record speaks for itself and I am sure parents and everyone else who has been affected by the issues over the past five months will take comfort from the extensive knowledge and experience that John brings to the role.

"The clear and thorough terms of reference set out exactly what we are aiming to achieve through this inquiry. We want to find out what went wrong with these schools and are determined to see what lessons can be learned, not just here in Edinburgh but across Scotland and the UK."

The inquiry is expected to begin in early autumn once all schools are fully open and the contractual position with ESP has been concluded.

(LM)