Highland Council’s proposals to cut £66m from the region’s budget will do nothing to improve things, according to opposition leaders.
The council’s administration has proposed a series of measures to plug a £113m budget gap over the next three years.
But the north leaders of the Lib Dems, Conservatives, Labour and Highland Alliance groups have banded together to criticise them.
Leader of the opposition Alasdair Christie said: “The gap in the council’s finances is a staggering £113m.
“This is primarily down to years of underfunding by the SNP government and failure to reform the council tax system while wasting money on bottle return schemes, ferries and pushing ahead with further centralisation in the central belt.
“The budget proposed by the SNP and Independent councillors does nothing to improve life in the Highlands.
“It will result in the removal of critical support services from vulnerable members of our community.”
Proposals ‘have no real substance’
The council’s head of corporate finance Brian Porter has warned in the budget papers that high interest rates and inflation pose major risks.
Last year, it was said that the local authority’s medium-term viability was at risk without a serious reduction in the services it offers.
Among this year’s proposed savings is £7m from redesigning its adult social care model.
The papers claim that the public “will benefit from more person-centred approaches” but the details are sparse.
The joint statement from Lib Dem leader Alasdair Christie, Conservative leader Ruraidh Stewart, Highland Alliance leader Duncan Macpherson and Labour leader Andrew MacKintosh, is critical of the lack of detail.
It said: “The budget imposes increases in fees and charges at a time when folk are struggling.
“It has proposals that have no real substance to them that leaves questions over whether the council will in fact cover the financial gap.”
Decision to be made on council tax freeze
There is likely to be a lot of finger pointing when the budget is discussed in Inverness tomorrow.
Inflation and the cost of living crisis are being blamed for a lot of the recent problems.
But the opposition is adamant that the issues have been made worse by decisions made in Holyrood.
The proposal in front of councillors will be for council tax to be frozen for another year.
It seems likely that will happen.
But we have already seen other councils, like Argyll and Bute, take matters into their own hands and impose a 10% rise.
Conversation