Asbestos fears

9:32am Thursday 21st August 2008

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Kennet District Council has pulled out of a deal to buy the Devizes Family Health Centre because it is worried about the danger of asbestos.

It said it has fears for the health and safety of people using the building, but the primary care trust said it was happy for tiny babies to be still taken there for post-natal check-ups.

The trust said the asbestos was undisturbed and that it posed no risk to staff or the public who use the centre, including mothers and babies.

Roger Davey, senior steward for the Wiltshire branch of the health union Unison, said: "I am concerned at the conflict of views between the primary care trust and Kennet District Council.

"As far as we are aware the asbestos is being safely controlled but we will ask the trust for clarification and reassurance this is correct.

"If there is any risk whatsoever the asbestos should be removed."

Kennet approached the trust last year about buying the centre in New Park Street, as it is next to the West Central car park which Kennet owns. It was considering using the Family Health Centre site for additional parking.

Kennet was prepared to lease the centre back to the trust for five years until the new Primary Care Health Centre is built, but the deal faltered when Kennet officers heard about the asbestos.

Karen Scott, spokeswoman for Kennet District Council, said: "We were not prepared to own the building with people working in it with asbestos in there.

"The trust was not prepared to pay for the cost of removing the asbestos so we pulled out because of a health and safety risk."

The centre was built in the 1960s and it is used for baby clinics and also provides dental services.

A statement from the trust said: "In common with most buildings of that age it has asbestos in it. The asbestos is completely undisturbed. The lagging on the heating pipes contains Amosite, or brown asbestos fibres. The pipes are in ducts under the floor. They were installed when the building was constructed and then the floor slab cast over them. We have had analysts carry out air tests which confirm it is a safe environment for patients and staff."

The trust said it had refused Kennet's request to remove the asbestos because it would result in closure of the centre and loss of local services for a considerable period of time.

In a statement it said: "Kennet District Council was concerned in respect of any liability, however remote, that could arise, and the cost of removal when the building is demolished. In light of this the council would only proceed with the purchase if the trust removed asbestos from the premises."