Our main offices at Gun Wharf in Chatham are temporarily closed. Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, has provided a statement on the closure.
Cllr Vince Maple, Leader of Medway Council, said: “It is regrettable that we have had to temporarily close our main offices at Gun Wharf in Chatham. Initial specialist surveys have found reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC) in some parts of the roof. Unfortunately, these initial assessments of accessible areas also revealed some damage.
“Gun Wharf will therefore remain closed for at least the rest of this week (30 Oct – 3 Nov) for the safety of all our staff and residents, and to allow further structural tests to be carried out to fully assess the extent of the damage.
“We are not alone in finding ourselves in this unfortunate position, with other councils and public buildings, such as hospitals and theatres, across Kent and the rest of the country working through the unknowns of rectifying this type of concrete being used in older buildings.
“Despite our main offices being temporarily closed, it is, however, business as usual with our residents continuing to be able to access all of our services. Since the pandemic, plans are in place which enable our staff to work off-site and continue providing high-quality support to our most vulnerable residents. Members of the public can also access support through our online forms by visiting our website or some services in person at our libraries across Medway.”