HIghland Council revenue cuts for the coming financial year

Highland councillors will have £56.7 million to spend on new schools, roads and leisure facilities when it sets its capital budget next month.

The plan was supposed to be set last week, at the same time as the revenue budget, but was delayed because leading councillors said they did not have enough information on which projects are most needed.

The budget was due to be halved from £110 million to £55 million but work to juggle budgets and loans has allowed for another £1.7 million.

Budget leader Alister Mackinnon said: "The way the loan charges are now we can put a limit on the capital of £56.7 million as opposed to £55 million.

"That is affordable going forward and any more than that would not be sustainable.

"We deferred the plan due to having to cut it in half. We needed all of the information possible because it’s imperative that we prioritise in the correct way to do what is best for the Highlands.

"We all have pet projects locally but we have to look at what is best for the Highlands as a whole. If we do that in the proper way then everyone will benefit."

Budget cuts agreed at last Thursday’s meeting in Inverness. More on this story in the latest Strathy out now.

Re-design

A total of £2.250 million is to be saved through the re-design board, which works to find ways of making the council run more efficiently.

Councillor Richard Laird (SNP) said: "I don’t know how this figure has been reached. I have a concern that putting a savings target of that size on the team completely changes the ethos of the re-design board.

"It’s meant to look at how council can become more efficient but trying to meet targets will turn it on its head. My fear is we are going to be here in six months, the target will be nowhere near met and we will have a black hole in our finances."

Finance director Derek Yule: "A number of reviews are near conclusion with more in the works for the next year. I totally understand it is a challenging target but it is something I support. It is achievable, albeit extremely challenging.

Convener and re-design chairman, Bill Lobban (Independent): "There’s no doubt this is a challenging target but we live in challenging times and I don’t think it is beyond what the services can deliver."

Family teams:

A sum of £250,000 to be saved through removing a layer of management.

Graham Mackenzie (SNP) said: "This will lead to a diminished service, putting pressure and additional stress on staff who are already struggling with increased workload.

"The impact here is likely to outweigh any perceived benefit."

Childcare:

The service will save £200,000 by cutting grants given to childcare providers.

Councillor MacKenzie said:: "At a time when early intervention is seen as crucial in helping to reduce poverty and we attempt to close the attainment gap we are making these cuts.

"The impact assessment highlights the possibility of third sector organisations having to withdraw services and again it is targeting the most vulnerable."

Women’s Aid:

A 10 per cent cut to Women’s Aid services across the Highlands to save £74,494.

Councillor MacKenzie: "In the very week that we are celebrating 100 years of some women having the vote and when sexual harassment and oppression is never out of the news, this is the most invidious of all these proposals. This will put more additional pressure on the same family teams we have just been asked to cut. This is a disproportionate cut to vulnerable women and children."

Andrew Baxter, people committee chairman: "I have spoken to Women’s Aid staff in my area [Lochaber] and they were actually anticipating a higher cut. They will have to make changes to staff and services but they are confident they can mitigate the cut and I believe that is the case elsewhere in the Highlands."

Playparks:

Review all play areas, cut two maintenance staff and close some with old equipment to save £212,000

Councillor Laird: "I have a problem with the principle of the council taking play equipment away from communities.

"We have quite a lot of housing estates that the parks are falling to pieces. If we say we are going to remove that, [rather than replace] swathes of communities are not going to have parks.

"I don’t think young people should pay the price for the savings we have to make and it causes me great concern."

Derek Louden (SNP): "Removing these posts will prevent communities from replacing old equipment. We are removing equipment then preventing communities from being able to replace it cause it won’t be regularly inspected.

"Community groups are concerned about the inspection and insurance implications and costs."

Ken Gowans (non-aligned): "This cut is quite swingeing, it’s over 50 per cent. Aren’t we putting the cart before the horse deciding this today? There is no definitive answer to questions about if communities can or will take this over. There is much more work to be done."

Public toilets:

Review of all public toilets, including imposing a 50p charge and closures, to save £301,000.

Kirsteen Currie (SNP) said: "I totally agree a review of conveniences is needed but I feel like this is putting the cart before the horse. In this chamber we have an agreement for localism and community empowerment. Where is that here? It will close to wipe out provision on the North Coast 500, particularly in remote and rural areas.

"We are told we need to improve provision for public conveniences on this route, not make it worse. We need to have meaningful consultation with communities and find out what they want.

Peter Saggers (Conservative) said: "We need to address public conveniences in tourist towns where visiting families need these facilities close to the beach. We look forward to further consultation.

"We are a tourist town and cannot afford any reduction in facilities for our visitors."

Allan Henderson, chairman of environment, development and infrastructure: "Just charging a paltry 20p wouldn’t work because of the outlay of putting locks and equipment into them.

"We need to be realistic about this and get a reasonable charge that people will be willing to pay."

Parking:

Establish charges in currently free car parks and increase currently paid-for facilities to a minimum £1 for the first hour, to save £1.4 million.

Councillor Peter Saggers remarked: "This will cause harm to local businesses - locals and visitors will go elsewhere. We Nairn councillors will be opposing this strongly."

Matthew Reiss (Independent) said: "Tourists expect to say something and it’s still a lot less than areas further south. I don’t like the idea but we are where we are."

Alister Mackinnon, budget leader: "If you have a car parking strategy in your town or village it can be a benefit. No traffic management allows people park all over and its dangerous. A car parking regime allows management to keep the area safer for drivers and pedestrians.

Andrew Baxter (Independent) commented: "I sympathise with councillors but there areas where charges can easily be introduced. We can’t keep continuing to let these three areas of the Highlands contribute without other areas taking up some of the burden."

Christmas lights.

Stop installation of Christmas lights to save £35,000.

Councillor Glynis Sinclair: "We [SNP] feel that a saving of £35,000 is a bit bah humbug. There has been no consultation and yet again it will reflect on the cut on grants to community councils and ward discretionary budgets which communities might use to fund the installation of a Christmas tree."

Eden Court:

Cut the grant to Eden Court by 40 per cent to save £200,000. The money is used to part-fund dance and drama qualifications for young people and the creative learning outreach programme.

Bill Boyd: "This may seem like a small amount to focus on in such a huge budget but it is 40 per cent of Eden Court’s grant. I think we have a duty and responsibility to support and encourage the creative outreach programme delivered by Eden Court. The theatre is in Inverness but it reaches far beyond, it truly is a Highland-wide service and they deserve our support.

"It is accessible to everyone - young, old and financially challenged, as well as schools and takes arts education to our vulnerable young.

"Showing support for Eden Court would be a small ray of sunlight in an otherwise bleak budget."

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