St Ninians Upper School

AuthorityDepartment of Education, Sport and Culture
Date received2025-04-01
OutcomeAll information sent
Outcome date2025-04-30
Case ID4548127

Summary

The request sought confirmation of asbestos presence and inspection frequency at St Ninian's Upper School. The Department of Education confirmed asbestos-containing materials exist and are managed, with full surveys conducted every ten years and annual visual inspections now in place.

Key Facts

  • St Ninian's Upper School contains asbestos-containing materials (ACMs).
  • ACMs are managed in place through encapsulation and targeted refurbishment surveys.
  • Asbestos Management Surveys are completed every ten years.
  • Annual visual inspections were introduced as part of the 2025 Asbestos Management Plan.
  • Isle of Man legislation acknowledges buildings constructed before 2000 likely contain asbestos.

Data Disclosed

  • 2000
  • 2005
  • 2015
  • 2025
  • 10 years
  • 4548127
  • 2025-04-01
  • 2025-04-30

Original Request

Could you please confirm whether St. Ninian's Upper School contains asbestos, and if so, how frequently it is inspected. 

Data Tables (1)

Full Response Text

Policy, Strategy and Governance Division Department of Education, Sport and Culture Thie Slieau Whallian Foxdale Road St Johns IM4 3AS

Telephone: (01624) 685808 Website: www.gov.im/dec Email: dec@foi.gov.im

Our ref: 4548127 30th April 2025

Dear ###,

We write further to your request received 1 April 2025, which states:

"Could you please confirm whether St. Ninian's Upper School contains asbestos, and if so, how frequently it is inspected"

Our response to your request is as follows:

  1. Could you please confirm whether St. Ninian's Upper School contains asbestos

Isle of Man Legislation acknowledges that any buildings constructed before 2000 are likely to have materials containing asbestos within the building.

There are asbestos containing materials (ACMs) at St Ninian’s Upper School. The materials are carefully managed in place, for example by encapsulating the materials. ACMs are identified by targeted refurbishment surveys and as part of any refurbishment works ACMs are dealt with ahead of the scheduled works.

By way of advice and assistance you may be interested in information provided in response to two Tynwald written answers relating to ACMs and the management of ACMs in Government owned buildings:

  1. https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/ W-202301-0807.pdf
  2. https://www.tynwald.org.im/spfile?file=/business/BusinessHansardIndex2126/ W-202301-0763.pdf

  3. How frequently it is inspected

Asbestos Management Surveys are completed every ten years and were completed in 2005, 2015 and 2025.

Further to this, as part of the 2025 Asbestos Management Plan, annual visual inspections will be carried out to monitor the condition of known ACMs. In addition,

the results of any targeted surveys carried out for refurbishment works, are added to the management plan.

Please quote the reference number 4548127 in any future communications.

Your right to request a review

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An electronic version of our complaint form can be found by going to our website at https://services.gov.im/freedom-of-information/Review . If you would like a paper version of our complaint form to be sent to you by post, please contact me and I will be happy to arrange for this. Your review request should explain why you are dissatisfied with this response, and should be made as soon as practicable. We will respond as soon as the review has been concluded.

If you are not satisfied with the result of the review, you then have the right to appeal to the Information Commissioner for a decision on; 1. Whether we have responded to your request for information in accordance with Part 2 of the Freedom of Information Act 2015; or 2. Whether we are justified in refusing to give you the information requested.
In response to an application for review, the Information Commissioner may, at any time, attempt to resolve a matter by negotiation, conciliation, mediation or another form of alternative dispute resolution and will have regard to any outcome of this in making any subsequent decision. More detailed information on your right to a review can be found on the Information Commissioner’s website at www.inforights.im. Should you have any queries concerning this letter, please do not hesitate to contact me. Further information about freedom of information requests can be found at www.gov.im/foi.

I will now close your request as of this date.