Education chiefs have been forced to deny that a council ward lottery is funnelling funding towards a handful of Dundee schools.
The allegation was made by the city’s Labour Group, which claimed that certain “favoured” schools were receiving upgrades while other more needy schools are missing out.
Dundee City Council’s education director Michael Wood said budgetary constraints meant that he was forced to phase-in improvements.
He highlighted the £3.5 million spent over the past year and the multi-million pound overhaul planned for the near future.
And he pledged to keep working to ensure that every city school is “as good as it can be”.
Despite his comments, East End Councillor Lesley Brennan said she believed the council must re-visit its school spending priorities.
She said: “I am extremely concerned that the condition of two-thirds of the schools in the East End ward is currently rated “poor” by the Scottish Government.
“St Pius’ RC Primary School, Craigiebarns Primary, St Vincent’s RC Primary and Craigie High School are all in need of improvement, but only one has any form of funding identified.
“It is not good enough. Where is the funding for deteriorating schools in the East End?
“Why is so much money being spent on buildings in other areas such as Councillor Craig Melville’s Maryfield ward that are already rated “satisfactory”?
“I think many parents will ask why their schools are being overlooked.
A recent report from the Scottish Government rated more-than three quarters of the 54 school buildings in Dundee as “good” or “satisfactory”.
That means, however, that 13 are currently rated “poor”, though nine of those have already been earmarked for replacement.
Education Director Michael Wood said: “We are committed to ensuring that every school building is as good as it can be.
“We have plans to spend £270,000 at Craigiebarns which should bring the standard of the building up significantly.
“In the short term, St Vincent’s will be the school it is, but in two-to-three years the pupils will have a new school to move into.
“The reality is that the budget is finite. I would love to do it all in one year but I simply cannot. I have to phase improvements in.”