Highland Council will launch a programme of activities across the region next month to engage with the public over forthcoming hard-hitting budget cuts.
The council is facing an overspend of more than £5million this financial year and has its lowest ever reserves at £8million.
It is planning for a potential budget gap of £66.7 million during the next three years.
Budget leader Alister Mackinnon said: “It is imperative to take action now to protect our reserves from reducing any further.
“We also have to do more with less money, and our costs are rising for things like fuel, pay and costs of living.
“We are working with services to produce comprehensive information on our current spending profiles, to identify where there are opportunities for efficiencies and any commercial opportunities.
“Our focus will be on directing our resources to those areas which will give us the best outcomes and deliver value for money.”
Deputy budget leader Matthew Reiss said: “Income generation, commercialisation and efficiencies become even more vital in this context in order to protect essential services.
“We do not have the luxury of the significant reserves we once had to give us any room for manoeuvre.
“There will be very hard decisions to make and we will begin a process of engagement next week with staff, trade unions, members across the chamber and with the public, to help us make the right decisions and do the best we can for the people of the Highlands.
“We want to develop a shared sense of vision and purpose with our communities and our staff, who are central to the success of the council.
“This is an important opportunity to listen to what is important to people, to reshape our priorities and to focus our resources on improving lives and opportunities here in the Highlands.
“I strongly encourage everyone to get involved in this and make your voices heard. This is your council and your future.”
