Council thinks Raac is in Peterborough Town Hall

Staff on the second floor of Peterborough Town Hall have been moved

A concrete material that is known for crumbling is probably in a 90-year-old town hall, a council has said.

Peterborough City Council said "what appears to be Raac" - reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete - had been found on the second floor of Peterborough Town Hall during a survey.

Officials said asbestos was also discovered.

They said staff working on the second floor had been asked to move while more examinations get carried out.

The council said the second floor was leased out and used by staff from the NHS and the Department for Work and Pensions.

Simon Lewis, the council's director of commercial partnerships, property and assets, said surveys would determine how much money needed to be spent.

Conservative councillor Steve Allen told a council meeting that the building had "suffered from under-investment".

He added: "We need to commercialise it and maximise the potential for weddings and functions and events in the reception room and, whilst we're at it, improve the place we have to sit in."

Evidence has shown that Raac is susceptible to structural failure when it comes into contact with moisture or is covered with a heavier material.

The Regional Pool in Peterborough has been closed since September, after Raac was found.