Highland Council passes £642 million budget setting out priorities for the coming year with a three per cent Council Tax hike and more cash for roads across the north as the invasion of Ukraine casts a long shadow over the proceedings
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The £642 million Highland Council budget has been approved by a majority despite a last minute intervention by the Conservative group to get more money into roads maintenance as the Russian invasion of Ukraine cast a shadow over proceedings.
Convenor Bill Lobban sat behind a banner declaring “we stand with Ukraine” issued a call for councillors to develop proposals that may help refugees fleeing the Russian invasion of Ukraine followed by a minute’s silence for the people of Ukraine.
The local authority then got down to business in debating its spending and savings plans for the next year amid a general recognition that this was a budget tasked with dealing with a volatile economic and political environment.
Despite recognising the extra cash found by the Scottish Government council leader Margaret Davidson said the “flat cash” grant was: “A disappointing settlement, in fact I think the word I used was ‘smelly.’”
So to help plug the £34.1 million budget gap, Council Tax will go up by three per cent this coming financial year, placing anything from £22 to £97 on household bills annually depending on which Band a home falls into.
The “Health and Prosperity Strategy - Investing across our region” will see £10 million of new investment in roads, tackling climate change, education, residential children’s care and rural transport.
That largest slice will see roads investment increase by £5 million in the coming year with a £3.5 million one-off spend on plant and machinery while a £2 million will continue for years to come.
A £2 million investment seeks to turn the council from a “bystander” to a participant in the green energy revolution particularly around hydrogen while looking to enhance funding for nature restoration initiatives and support jobs in the sector.
A £1 million pot was made available to Innovation in Education in the hope of seeing a transformation in culture, collaboration, and teaching through professional learning and network opportunities to “inspire new and innovative approaches.”
Another £1 million will go to the Families First plan to transform Children’s Services by primarily targeting early interventions and more kinship and foster care to keep families together instead of residential placements.
Finally, a £500,000 investment in Rural Transport seeks to plant the seeds of action with communities to help solve transportation needs and support on demand services in areas where people commute but buses either do not or rarely run.
In all 46 councillors voted for the budget as it was developed by the independent, Liberal Democrat and Labour administration and SNP opposition and six voted to incorporate changes put forward by the Conservative group.
For more updates on the budget click here
