He was responding to correspondence from Brackens ward councillor Ian Borthwick, who said today that members of the public were becoming uneasy about the lack of tangible progress.

Councillor Borthwick said it worried him that work had been completed on the traditionally-funded refurbishment of St John’s High School while not even a sod had been cut on the new merged PPP school to replace Lawside and St Saviour’s — projects that were meant to run concurrently.

He said, “We are to have a new Craigowl School on the Brackens site, a rebuilt Downfield primary, a new merged Roman Catholic primary on the old Macalpine site, and in addition we have the secondary project with a major new RC school in Gillburn Road.

“St John’s has come on in leaps and bounds, and that was a project done by the council’s own education department. The new RC school in Gillburn Road was meant to be built simultaneously, but that has not even started.

“It is causing a great deal of concern within the community that these delays are occurring. For the Brackens/ Strathmartine ward, the expeditious completion of these projects is absolutely critical, bearing in mind the significant numbers of new houses being built and the number of schools falling within the area.

“I recognise officials are perhaps doing their best, but the concerns of the community are not being adequately met.

“The delays are unacceptable, and I sincerely hope every effort will now be made to address the situation.”

In his reply to Mr Borthwick, Mr Stephen said, “We are all trying to get financial closure as quickly as possible.

“Our PPP project team are doing a very good job, but legal issues have caused delays. This is not unusual, but is frustrating.

“The PPP company is progressing many of the technical issues so that as soon as we obtain financial closure they will be able to move quickly. So some of the time lost may be caught up later.”

A Dundee City Council spokesman added, “The city council would like to reassure people that the PPP programme will go ahead and that the schools planned will be built.

“Some preparatory work is currently being carried out at sites in the city.

“The council and the contractor are committed to moving forward as quickly as possible.”

* Final consent was today given to plans for the £100 million regeneration of the education sector in Perth and Kinross.

Work will now push ahead on six new campuses to revolutionise schooling in the area.

Construction should begin in the autumn, with three of the new campuses ready for use in August, 2008. Among them is a new nursery, primary and secondary school at St Columba’s RC High School in Perth.

Councillors also backed plans for the erection of a new primary school, nursery and library on land at Moyness in Blairgowrie and at Craigiehaugh Depot in Perth’s Glenearn Road.