These images show a north school last night dubbed “the worst in the Highlands”.
Councillors say the Scottish Government indicated funding for a new secondary at Alness was in the pipeline last year, but since then there has been no word of the project – prompting claims residents have been “let down badly”.
The current building has been described as being in “disgraceful condition”.
Vegetation and weeds are growing out of the roof, and one local councillor claimed that every time it rains buckets are laid around the building to catch the leaks.
Last night the government said it was committed to upgrading schools, but a review of the funding of major projects by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) has impacted on delivery.
There has been no official confirmation of a new Alness Academy but local councillor Carolyn Wilson said hopes were raised last year after she was told the funding would be announced within a week.
She said: “There was a great raising of hopes and then there’s been nothing but stalling.
“It’s the worst school building in the Highlands, there is no question, it’s in a disgraceful condition.”
Councillor Mike Finlayson, Cromarty Firth, added: “It’s really gone down hill quite drastically. There’s young trees growing out of the roof and all sorts of stuff.
“It really is in a bad state of condition and I just wonder how long it can go in that way.
“Unless we do something we are going to have an accident or something and it’s going to come back on the authority something badly.”
Councillor Alasdair Christie, a former education chairman, said: “Funding was promised, meetings were held in the locality and I even chaired some of those.
“This is really letting the people of Alness down badly and we need to take a much firmer line on this.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman described discussions with the ONS as “complex” and said they were continuing “as a priority”.
She added: “Scottish Ministers remain committed to delivery of the government’s school building programme, Scotland’s
Schools for the Future, and hope to be in a position to announce projects to benefit from phase four in the coming months.
“The Scottish Government also remain committed to assisting Highland Council with improving its school estate through the Scotland’s Schools for the Future Programme. Moreover, we are working hard to resolve the delays in work and the Scottish Futures Trust is in close contact with project partners to keep them updated on the progress being made.”