Highland councillors are in positive mode after a two day intensive seminar tackling the council’s ever-deepening budget challenge and looking at new ways of doing things.
Chief executive Donna Manson and budget leader Alister Mackinnon convened the seminar ahead of finalising the 2019-22 council budget, and after a series of 50 sessions listening to staff and communities across the Highlands.
Mr Mackinnon said: “There is a positive feeling of change and members have really shown the will to work together to tackle what are huge challenges for the council.
“We need to remember that we still have some £575m to spend on services in the Highlands and our aim is to target resources towards the things which will produce the best possible outcomes for communities.”
Leader of the council, Margaret Davidson said: “We have been listening to what the public and staff are telling us and we will act on this as we develop our future structure and governance arrangements as well as our budget plans.”
Mrs Manson said: “Members have a wealth of talents and experience between them and it has been heartening to see everyone working together in cross-party groups, sharing ideas and problem solving.”
Opposition leader Maxine Smith said: “Members have found it helpful to discuss new ideas and new ways of working. Donna Manson has injected an appetite for change into her executive leadership team and this is filtering down to officers at all levels.”
Four key themes emerged from the council’s engagement process: making the council more efficient; being more commercial and increasing income generation; redesign and improvement; a flexible well managed workforce.
Caithness councillor Matthew Reiss said normally he was sceptical of seminars, but in this case it was worth the time, money and effort.
He said: “I was incredibly reassured by a more can-do attitude, a real feeling of leadership percolating down a very large organisation, and a real change in culture with traditional ways swept out, driven by the fact that we have no option, we have to set a balanced budget.”
