Scotland’s £1.4 billion repair bill for council buildings

A quarter of Scottish council buildings are in ‘poor or bad’ condition, Audit Scotland has warned. It said many buildings were unsuitable for the services delivered for them, despite more than £130 million spent on maintenance last year. Audit Scotland estimates the cost of tackling the repairs backlog has reached £1.4 billion. It found that only half of councils have strategies for managing and maintaining property, and only a third think further ahead than the next five years about what services they will need.