Highland Council says its bid to change its ‘operating model’ could save £24 million
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Highland Council claims it can save £54 million over the next three financial years through “cost reduction, income generation, redesign and efficiency” which are “underpinned by investment to deliver sustainable recurring changes and savings.”
Chairman of resources Councillor Derek Louden said: “In the light of reducing budgets we need to change what we do and how we do it” as he highlighted the importance of council jobs to “communities and to support a thriving local economy.”
But it is not clear what that specifically means in relation to services though two proposals – co-locating service hubs with partners like the NHS and police and reducing food waste in schools – were mentioned.
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On Thursday, a meeting of the full council will meet to determine its budget for the year with an enormous budget shortfall and £602 million to spend as the local authority coffers have been battered by inflation and interest rates.
We have been previewing some of the main lines in the budget including the potential impacts on jobs, adult social care and fee hikes but some areas lack detail, such as roads investment.
Now the council claims that “feedback from public and staff engagement emphasised the need for the council to change how it operates” so that it can “make improvements and sustainable efficiencies over the coming years.”
Chairman of resources Councillor Derek Louden said: “In the light of reducing budgets we need to change what we do and how we do it.
“Council jobs and services are important to communities and to support a thriving local economy and in order to sustain those jobs, we need a greater integration of teams and a less centralised operating model with reduced management costs.
“We estimate that nearly £24 million could be saved over the next three years by changing the council’s operating models through redesign, restructuring and improved procurement models.”
Chairman of the education Committee, Cllr John Finlayson added: “Co-location of services with other public bodies is one way which could provide an opportunity for us all to make savings, work better together and deliver better outcomes for local communities in both rural and urban areas. We have already demonstrated this working well in some locations.
“Food waste in our schools is another area where we could see greater efficiencies as well as environmental benefits. I am certain our young people would support and want to be involved in shaping positive changes in this respect.”
The budget paper sets out proposals for consideration by Members on 29 February.
