The City of Edinburgh Council will appoint independent experts to check that the city’s schools are safe to reopen in a move that marks a significant departure from the previous system which saw builders approve their own work.

Councillors confirmed yesterday they will have the final say on whether children can return to all 17 schools which were forced to shut earlier this month amid safety concerns.

The private consortium behind the construction and maintenance of the schools, the Edinburgh Schools Partnership (ESP), admitted that it cannot guarantee the safety the buildings.

Soon after the closures, the council revealed that the buildings had not been inspected by the local authority before they were deemed safe.

The Building (Scotland) Act 2003 stopped the need for a council completion certificate to be issued. Experts said the system of self-certification was “open to abuse”.

A council spokesman said: “We will appoint independent experts to give us the necessary reassurance that work carried out by the Edinburgh Schools Partnership and its contractors is of the required standard to ensure the safety of children.”

The council added that it will have a “clearer picture” from surveys on Friday.

Children at all 17 schools are now back in classrooms but finding alternative accommodation has been a major logistical operation and some youngsters face lengthy journeys to temporary sites.

Some form of investigation or inquiry into the debacle is expected to be launched after the Scottish election.