GLASGOW parents are still waiting for nearly £200,000 worth of lost school trip deposits to be returned.

But the city council said it is doing everything it can to make sure families get their cash back for visits cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

But one dad accused the council of "dragging its heels" as he waits for £250 for a trip to New York City for his daughter that did not go ahead.

We told in May how David Feeney said it was "tantamount to theft" that school trip deposits were not being repaid to parents after the Covid-19 crisis meant they were called off.

The Glasgow Times also told of parents at Lochend Community High School who were left out of pocket to the tune of £400.

Lochend has since reimbursed parents for the full amount - but hundreds of others around the city are still waiting.

It has now emerged the amount owed was nearly £200,000 meaning a huge administrative headache for the council.

So far £65,000 has been reimbursed while others are still waiting.

David, whose daughter is a pupil at Lourdes Secondary School, said: "This situation is really dragging its heels.

"I don't understand the big delay - another school in Glasgow has given its parents the money back, I know parents in Ayrshire who have their money and Inverclyde has refunded all its parents.

"I'm dumbfounded, I'm really at a loss.

"With families facing redundancies and jobs furloughed this is just when you need the money more than anything."

Glasgow Times:

David's daughter was one of 20 from the Cardonald school who should have gone to New York and had paid £1400 in total.

A Glasgow City Council spokeswoman said: “We totally understand the frustrations of our families who are still waiting to hear about the claims our insurance section are chasing to reclaim deposits for cancelled school trips.

“We are sorry again for any inconvenience but travel companies are swamped with covid-related cancellations and our team are doing everything in their power to resolve and speed up the claims.

“They’ve already had some positive results which is good news and parents will be kept updated via their child’s school.”

Earlier this week Inverclyde Council said it had agreed to spend £75,000 reimbursing parents who lost money when their child’s school trip had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

The local authority is using emergency powers to support families by providing a full refund to those who were hit financially by abandoned outings.

Stephen McCabe, Leader of Inverclyde Council, said: “There was never any realistic chance of school trips taking place in the midst of a global health pandemic and the decision to cancel was on the advice of the government and, most importantly, in the interests of safety.

"It was also to ensure parents did not have to fork out even more money by paying off trips that were destined for cancellation.

“I’m pleased that there has now been a change in attitude in the travel insurance industry and that common sense has prevailed meaning schools can now pursue claims.

“In the meantime, the council has stepped in to pay the full outstanding amount owed to parents to support families during these times of financial hardship.”

Meanwhile, Labour education spokeswoman Soryia Siddique has written to the council's education convenor Chris Cunningham to keep pressure on the issue.

Her email reads: "There are increasing complaints from parents regarding the lack of response on planned Glasgow School trips impacted by Covid19.

"It is concerning that this potentially disadvantages children and families in Glasgow.

"I write to request that there is clear and consistent communication with all families impacted and a focussed effort from education and insurance department of Glasgow City Council to ensure that families are fully reimbursed and no one is disadvantaged through no fault of their own."