Issued: 11 Oct 2024
The Highland Council has published on the home page of its web site - www.highland.gov.uk - the 9,000 comments made during its extensive budget consultation earlier this year. The comments, which have been anonymised, will help shape the decisions to be made by the Council as it considers options for bridging a growing gap in its 3-year budget.
During the summer months, the Council embarked on a budget consultation for 2024/12 and 2024/13 onwards to raise awareness of the financial position in light of the expected reductions in public finance nationally. The funding picture should become clearer on 20 October when the UK Government announces its comprehensive spending review.
Face to face consultation sessions were run through discussions at 13 Wards Forums attended by around 1,100 people, with people with disabilities in four focus groups and with other stakeholders, such as Highland Youth Voice Voice, the Environment Forum, the Community Safety partnership, the Chamber of Commerce in Inverness and the Economic Forum.
Written responses were received too. The internet was used for responses by e-mail and through discussion on the blog. Over 6,400 people viewed the Blog discussion, with more than 120 posting comments. Over 400 e-mails and 300 letters were sent with separate comments on the budget questions. 26 petitions were received in support for facilities and services.
Using these consultation sources, around 9,000 separate comments on the budget ideas have been gathered.
Alongside this consultation, the Council surveyed the 2,300 people on its Citizens' Panel, asking them about budget choices. 1,600 responses were received. The results are being analysed now and this information, together with the budget consultation comments, will be presented to members to support their decision-making.
The Council is also working with public sector partners in the Highlands to develop shared services and assess the overall impacts of public spending cuts.
Council Budget Leader Councillor David Alston said the Council was already pressing ahead with efficiency measures - such as street lighting energy efficiency measures and alternate weekly bin collections - as the result of the comments made at the budget consultation meetings.