Perth and Kinross Council will invest up to £500,000 in installing carbon dioxide (CO2) monitors in schools - in a bid to fight COVID-19.
Councillors agreed to the investment when they met on June 23.
The move comes in response to updated COVID guidance from the Scottish Government suggesting councils consider investing in the monitors.
The monitors detect how much CO2 is in a space helping to determine if there is enough ventilation or if windows, vents, etc need to be opened.
At last week’s meeting councillors were told the revised guidance “helps improve air quality across the school estate”.
A great deal of importance has been placed on ventilation during the pandemic to reduce how much virus is in the air.
A report presented to councillors said prior to PKC receiving the updated guidance, officers visited and risk-assessed every council property and allocated £300,000 on ensuring building ventilation was “operational and adequate for occupants”.
In response to the latest guidance and to ensure compliance, it was proposed a mixture of networked and standalone CO2 monitors be installed across Perth and Kinross schools.
Councillors unanimously approved transferring £500,000 from the reserve earmarked for COVID-19 towards the installation of monitors as part of the recommendations laid out in an update on PKC’s revenue budget.
SNP councillor Richard Watters asked if they would be installed in offices for the safety of council employees as potentially more staff return to council offices.
PKC’s chief operating officer Karen Donaldson said they had already been installed in some buildings during refurbishment such as PKC’s Perth headquarters at 2 High Street.
Ms Donaldson added: “There are no plans to put them in every building at this point in time but that will be considered because of the benefits associated with that.
“But it will be looked at on a case by case basis.”
