It all starts here with extracts below:
Latest News Release
The Highland Council has today (Monday) launched a three-month long public consultation to help bridge a projected budget gap of almost £30 million over the next two financial years. Aseries of Ward Forums as well as briefing events with business, voluntary and specialist groups are planned before 19 October to complement the views expressed by staff, trade unions and the Council’s Citizen Panel of 2,300 residents.
The public can also access the budget information and comment online.
The aim is to bring a report to the full Council in December and agree the budget for 2013/14 and 2014/15 in February of next year.
The savings required by the Council in 2013/14 and 2014/15 are £29.7 million. Already agreed are savings of £17.8 million, leaving a gap of £11.9 million.
The public will be asked to comment on four main areas of operation:-
- Education
- Ways of working
- Infrastructure and resources
- The environment
Message from Councillor Dave Fallows
Many of you will recall in 2010 we asked the public for their views on how we should make savings from our budget. The assistance you gave us during the consultation was invaluable. The pressure to reduce public sector spending continues and we have therefore put together a further consultation asking for views on our budget savings ideas for the next 2 years. We need to make choices and to find savings totalling £29.7m over this period. The financial environment looks challenging even beyond these two years and the consultation will assist in our longer term budget planning.
Our budget savings ideas are outlined in a consultation document. We would welcome your thoughts and comments on these ideas and you can feed these back in a number of ways which are outlined below. You can also join my Budget Blog and feedback your views that way.
How to have your say
Our budget savings ideas are outlined in a consultation document. This document provides the context for the current financial situation and the savings ideas that we have. The ideas are outlined under four headings:
You can feedback your views in a number of ways:
- By coming along to one of our consultation events that are taking place across Highland.
- By downloading a response form and posting the form or your general comments to FREEPOST HC BUDGET CONSULTATION 2012
- Emailing our consultation address: budgetconsultation@highland.gov.uk
- Completing our Online Response Form (104kb Word)
- Join the discussion on Twitter by using the hashtag #HCbudget
- Comment on Cllr Fallow's Budget Blog which will begin on Monday 27th August.
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