Ratepayers call for probe into council's handling of Ray Walsh House

The Tamworth Regional Residents and Ratepayers Association (TRRRA) alleges that Tamworth Regional Council's (TRC) actions contradict recommendations from experts as shown in documents made public on Monday.

In a press release dated July 23, the TRRRA says it has "significant concerns over transparency and the asbestos," and formally requests a pause on all decisions and works related to the site.

This is despite TRC releasing a trove of 55 documents including council reports, external expert reports, and internal emails in response to demands for transparency from the community.

TRRRA has sent letters to the NSW Minister for Local Government, the NSW Ombudsman, and the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) requesting an independent investigation into the matter.

The association's main concern relates to an EnviroScience Solutions Report from February 29, 2022, which indicates that most of Ray Walsh House is categorised as "no action required-no hazardous building materials identified".

The TRRRA argues this report goes against TRC's decision to hire a construction company to do "extensive internal demolition" and asbestos removal works. That decision was endorsed by Public Works NSW.

But even though most of Ray Walsh House is asbestos-free, the problem is where the existing asbestos is located.

In a letter dated June 14, 2022, EnviroScience sent another report to TRC which said the presence of asbestos containing materials in the air system's filtration and return portions on Level 5 means "it is highly likely that asbestos fibres have contaminated the ducts throughout the building".

"Due to the size and complexity of the air conditioner duct network, full remediation of the ducts via cleaning is likely implausible. It is therefore recommended that the ducts be removed and replaced before the air conditioner system is reactivated," the report said.

Little to no asbestos was found in the air on Level 5, and none was found on Level 3 during a test the week before, so the incident wasn't considered an additional asbestos-related risk to staff.

However the air system, which had already been shut off for a week, would not be coming back on for an extensive period of time.

This created a problem for Levels 1 through 3, where the lack of air flow was deemed a risk to anyone working on those floors, leading to the eventual evacuation of Ray Walsh House.

However TRRRA vice president David McKinnon told the Leader EnviroScience's June 2022 report was "still talking about a small amount of asbestos in the whole building".

"It cost them nearly $1 million to rip out $2 or $3 million worth of cabling and basically gutted it to the very walls and the floor, including the tiles," Mr McKinnon said.

"There seems to be an intent not to refurbish, but to demolish, and the public do not want that."

TRC is currently developing an options paper for the "future disposal" of Ray Walsh House which is expected to be made available for the next council to consider after local government elections in September.

Council has also resolved to undertake community consultation on the future of the building "in conjunction with consideration of the options listed".

TRC general manager Paul Bennett told the Leader on Monday one of those options could still be moving staff back in, despite a resolution from council "not to remediate RWH for purpose of reoccupation by staff".