Highland Council has by far the worst school estate in Scotland with 67 buildings rated “poor” according to the Scottish Government but in an “unbelievable” move councillors refused to declare a school estate emergency.

The backlash began a day after a meeting of the full council decided that it would not back Conservative Councillor Helen Crawford’s motion calling for the declaration to drive the issue up the political agenda.

The SNP government boasts that 91 per cent of buildings are in a good condition across the country due to its work over the years but that falls to just 20 per cent in the Highlands.

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