Structural surveys are being carried out on Edinburgh City Council buildings in the wake of the schools construction scandal.

Engineers were ordered to check properties built around the same time as the 17 schools forced to close earlier this year.

It emerged on Friday that council officials have earmarked £500,000 towards further checks at public properties after finding a budget surplus.

More than 7000 pupils were displaced after a wall collapsed at Oxgangs Primary during a storm in February.

The schools were closed to allow repairs to structural defects built or refurbished under a £360m public private finance initiative.

Officers have consulted engineers who were involved in the schools surveys but the council would not confirm how many other properties were being looked at.

All pupils are back in their home schools after staggered repairs were carried out over the summer months.

Edinburgh City Council finance convener Alistair Rankin said the cost of the school closures would have no impact on taxpayers.

He told STV News the local authority remains in discussion with Edinburgh Schools Partnership (ESP), which is responsible for the maintenance and repairs of the properties, about compensation.

An independent inquiry into the scandal was launched in the summer.

Investigation chairman John Cole is expected to publish his findings by the end of the year.