Deputy council leader Billy Hendry wrote to Scottish Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson to request a meeting after receiving cross-party support from council colleagues. But Mr Stevenson declined the request.

In recent months the Herald has been inundated with letters and phone calls from irate drivers hitting out at the condition of the district's roads.

The council is currently looking at ways to fund a programme of road repairs, but is hampered by the fact that no roads in the district attract funding that would be available if they were of trunk road status.

Councillor Hendry, convener of the council's development and environment committee, said: "As long as I have been a councillor, whenever we have had a cross-party request for a meeting with a government minister we have always been accommodated.

"This is the first time we have been refused, which is very concerning as it is such a major issue.

"We at the council are working flat-out to deal with our roads and infrastructure. The government is a major player in that area, not just through the way roads are funded, but also because it dictates what roads are given trunk road status.

"At the very least I would have expected the minister to agree to meet with the council, including his colleagues in the SNP group, to discuss matters."

In his letter to Councillor Hendry, Minister for Transport Stewart Stevenson said: "I understand your concerns about the condition of Scotland's road network.

"However, I should stress that within the current expenditure programme there is no additional funding that can be allocated to road maintenance improvements.

"I would therefore suggest that a meeting is not necessary at present, but I shall ensure that your concerns are made known to the joint Convention of Scottish Local Authorities/Scottish Government review in order to assist them in their deliberations."