Hope that Inverness special needs project can be saved
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Highland Council’s refusal to fund the Special Needs Action Project (SNAP) in Inverness has triggered outrage across party lines with councillors and members of parliament queuing up to slam the local authority.
Conservative councillor Andrew Jarvie, said: “Not only is this a devastating blow for dozens upon dozens of vulnerable children and young people, it symbolises everything that is wrong with this council administration.”
Mr Jarvie complained the decision to refuse funding was taken in private, saying: “This secrecy and behind closed door decisions wreaked havoc on rural communities last year but I find it absolutely disgusting to inflict the same on the most vulnerable people in Highland.
“For SNAP to run such a comprehensive and valuable year round service for £200,000 a year tells me that they are already managing their funds stringently and that any cut is a gross insult to both the organisation and its users.”
MP Drew Hendry met with SNAP management last week and he said: “Anybody who knows about the great work SNAP do would also be very concerned by the uncertainty around their future and just how difficult it would be to replace the work that they do.
“A better way forward must be to secure their immediate future and to work with them to find sustainable funding for coming years.
“This approach has worked successfully before and I have pledged to do what I can to support SNAP and the council to find a better outcome.”
