Highland councillors lined up to demand answers on its school funding programme at a meeting in Inverness.
A decision on the learning estate investment programme (LEIP) was due by the end of 2022 but every local authority in Scotland is still waiting to hear.
Until the Scottish Government issues guidance on how much money will be made available, numerous projects to build, rebuild and repair Highland schools are up in the air.
Caithness councillor Matthew Reiss said: “From Thurso to Lochaber, we need these answers and we need them now.
“It is crippling us.”
Schools anxiously awaiting funding decision
Aird and Loch Ness councillor Helen Crawford called the delay “appalling”.
She wants to see a contingency plan put in place if the council doesn’t receive the amount of money it is expecting.
Councillor Crawford added: “Parents and teachers are so pragmatic about this.
“They know the budget is squeezed and fully understand not everyone can be a winner.
“But what they don’t understand is the lack of flow of information to them.”
Three primary schools – Dunvegan, Park (Invergordon) and Beauly – are anxiously awaiting a decision on the next step.
A long-awaited replacement for St Clement’s in Dingwall is also badly needed.
Numerous others are in dire need of extensions, repairs or rebuilds.
Several councillors spoke about their frustration with the delay at Thursday’s full council meeting.
But as council convener Bill Lobban reminded them, every council in Scotland is currently in the same boat.
He said: “All 32 councils are asking the same question. And until we get that answer, pontificating does not get us anywhere.”
‘Positive’ financial performance
Earlier, there was a surprise mention of the word “positive” during a report on the state of the council’s finances.
The local authority’s new head of corporate finance Brian Porter presented the annual accounts.
He said: “You’ll note there is a positive financial performance and an improvement versus the position that was forecast.
“But the outlook remains very challenging.”
Normal service was quickly resumed during a discussion about council reserves.
Leader of the opposition Alasdair Christie certainly wasn’t getting carried away.
He said the financial figures didn’t reveal anything new and were simply “a holding report”.
A budget update will be provided by the council in September.
The local authority had to dip into its reserves to plug a £23m gap earlier this year.
If it repeats the trick for the next three years, the cupboard will be completely bare.
Councillor Reiss said: “We’ve all seen the figures. Unless we change something, we’re going to be broke in three years.
“It’s as simple as that.”
