Independent councillors to oppose budget cuts at Highland Council
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THE group of independent councillors at Highland Council will unanimously oppose budget cuts that could be "devastating" for local communities and schools.
The group of councillors made the announcement late last night, following weeks of controversy over the scale of the cuts being proposed.
Around £64 million needs to be shaved from the budget within the next four years. Proposals include plans to shave 30 minutes a day off teaching time for pupils in primary schools.
Speaking last night after a meeting of independent councillors Carolyn Wilson, the leader of the independent opposition group, said: “We will do everything in our power to fight these cuts to protect vital frontline services such as education, swimming pools, libraries and winter gritting.
"We all agreed at a meeting today that the cuts are ill-thought out and must to be challenged. While we acknowledge there is a huge amount of money to save, surely we can find better ways to save money rather than cutting our school day and the number of teachers."
Independent councillors attending the meeting said there had been widespread community concerns, not only at the level of the cuts, but at the "extreme speed of the consultation process given that many jobs could be at risk".
Cllr Wilson added: “I find it hard to believe the public responses to the recent consultation, which number in their thousands, are to be properly analysed and used to inform detailed budget proposals which will be put forward in just two weeks and people are saying to us it feels like the whole consultation was nothing but a tick box exercise.
"It seems the SNP-led administration does not really want to listen to the views of their communities but want to plough on with their swathing cuts despite strong public opinion against them.”
Councillor Jaci Douglas, deputy leader of the independent group, added: “The Independent Group have been working very hard scrutinising the SNP-Lib Dem-Labour coalition proposals for cuts and we are confident that we can find practical common sense alternatives to save money that will protect the services and facilities within our communities that we all value and cherish.
"As a mother of school age children myself I am appalled at the suggestion that their education could be compromised by such proposals; it is not only their future these cuts are damaging, but the future of the whole Highlands.”
Cllr Wilson confirmed that the independent group will be releasing details of its alternative budget savings in the near future.
