Concerns have been expressed by parents at the lack of progress with the project and the council has acknowledged the process has taken longer than originally expected.

In a report due to go to the education committee next week, chief executive Alex Stephen and education director Anne Wilson said the project is proceeding toward financial closure and it is hoped that will be achieved by the end of this month.

The original target date for occupation of the first four primary schools was to have been the start of the 2007/08 session in August next year. That has now been put back to January 2008.

“It is generally accepted that a primary school can be successfully set up at any time of year, without any detriment to the progression of pupils’ learning and teaching,” the officers said.

“Despite the slower than anticipated progress being made towards financial close, Robertson Construction commenced advance works on the first phase primary sites in mid-October to ensure the construction works on those sites can start as soon as possible after financial close.”

The officers said negotiations with Discovery Education plc — the consortium undertaking the PPP project — have now reached their latter stages.

However, the precise date of financial close will be dependent on a number of factors, including the finalisation of the contract documentation and the approval of the Scottish Executive to the updated final business case.

If the negotiations go as planned, construction of the first four primaries — Craigowl, Claypotts Castle, Downfield and St Margaret’s/St Columba’s — will start in December and should be completed by January 2008.

Fintry and Rowantree primaries would commence construction in November next year and be completed by January 2009.

Construction of a new Roman Catholic secondary would start in January 2007 and be finished by September 2008 while the replacement for Grove Academy would start in January next year and be completed by July, 2009.

Education convener Kevin Keenan said, “I am pleased we’re now able to report these target dates based on the close of complex proceedings this month.

“I think it is very important to let parents and communities know exactly what is happening and these target dates will give them a picture of how hard we are all working to get the schools built.

“This is a hugely-important project for the city council as it represents the single biggest investment in education buildings in our lifetimes.”