Parts of Worcester's County Hall shut over Raac

The venue remained open and was safe for use as long as guidance and signage was followed, Worcestershire County Council said

Top-floor areas have been closed at County Hall in Worcester where the roof has potentially dangerous concrete.

County council chief executive Paul Robinson said he had been made aware the venue had reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (Raac).

The top floors of each pavilion, the area around the council chamber and parts of the atrium area needed to be vacated temporarily, he stated.

He added there were plans to ensure service delivery could continue.

Raac is a lightweight concrete that was used in roofs, floors and walls between the 1950s and 1990s, but as it is aerated, it is not as durable and therefore only has a limited lifespan.

Buildings with the substance were marked potentially dangerous when earlier this summer a Raac beam at a school collapsed, prompting closures nationwide while safety checks were carried out.

In an email to councillors on Thursday, Mr Robinson said the temporary closures were a precautionary measure while "further investigation" took place.

People who had been planning to access the areas would be directed to alternatives where they could work, he said.

The safety of council members plus staff and the public was the council's "number one priority", he added.

He said plans were in place to ensure changes would "not impact on service delivery for our residents and businesses".

The chief executive said: "County Hall remains open and is safe for use as long as guidance and signage is [followed].

"I would reiterate, this is a precautionary, temporary measure until further information is known at which point, further briefings will be provided."

Green Party councillor Matthew Jenkins said the situation was "very concerning"

Green Party county councillor Matthew Jenkins said: "It's probably not surprising really, but I think it just shows the kind of... issues that we've got across the country with this Raac stuff."

He said jobs where Raac was deployed seemed to be "forgotten" until "stuff starts falling down, then people start acting".