Highland Council service points in strath spared from axe
Highland Council’s service points in Grantown and Kingussie have been spared from the axe.
However, the local authority counter in the Strathspey capital will operate with reduced opening hours, yet to be announced.
A total of 32 customer contact points are to be provided in a revised model of service provision just confirmed by Highland councillors.
Badenoch and Strathspey Highland councillor Dave Fallows (SNP) welcomed the announcement including retaining the two threatened local points.
He said: "It has been a considerable battle for members over the last 12 to 18 months, fighting against proposals which would have seen both Kingussie and Grantown close as service points and become simply library-based access points with a computer and little else.
"After all the hard work to still find the necessary savings – mostly by getting staff in service points to do other work when it’s quiet – the result for both Kingussie and Grantown is a real win for Badenoch and Strathspey."
He continued: "Credit must go to Councillor Bill Lobban for his stubborn insistence on finding practical solutions in the working group charged with solving the dilemma.
"Grantown’s hours as a service point will indeed be reduced as a result, but at least there will still be a service point.
"Other changes will mean also that the much-valued Town House will continue to be fully used, so I welcome the outcome and the fact that common sense has prevailed."
The Customer Service Board had met on Monday, May 25 to consider the feedback to the consultation and options for the future of the service points before going public.
The final decision had been delegated by Highland Council to the board, in March, last year, provided they could meet the objectives, including finding the agreed level of savings.
Since then, the board has reviewed a significant amount of information to enable elected members to make a final decision.
There are currently 35 service points and the revised model will include 32 customer contact points providing a range of services through 22 service points and 10 library access points. A total of £160,000 will be saved by the council.
The model retains 18 Highland Council-managed service points, two High Life Highland Partnership Service Points, 10 access points (located in libraries) and the retention of service point offices in Invergordon and Grantown, on a reduced hours basis.
Three service points, Durness, Acharacle and Hilton, will close. The council’s service point in Aviemore was not affected by the review.
