Councillors halt plans to end essential Covid-19 support
Highland Council has been blocked from closing vital Covid-19 services such as the helpline and humanitarian hubs, but a bid to stop a raid of school budgets failed in what was the first full meeting since the start of lockdown three months ago.
The meeting focused largely on how to rescue the local authority’s finances which it is claimed are in a dire situation due to the lack of revenue prompting a deficit of between £65 million to £97 million.
Budget leader Alister Mackinnon warned that no service was “sacrosanct”.
The debate about which measures to use to start plugging the black hole exposed the local authority as being starkly divided, with members at odds over how to respond to the economic issues sparked by the virus crisis.
Many councillors found it difficult to swallow some of the proposed measures to meet that deficit because, despite calls being made since mid-May, the council has failed to produce evidence of those estimates.
But a plan to raid devolved schools management (DSM) cash sparked anger from the SNP and the Conservatives who felt the move would punish prudent head teachers.
Councillor Graham Mackenzie (SNP) said he had been promised that the last time the council used DSM budgets for its own purposes would be the last time, saying: "What was agreed yesterday was that the council would access around £3 million of DSM money that should go into schools.
"I find that a travesty because the purported budget deficit has been dreamt up out of thin air without any evidence of calculations being provided so far as I can see.
"Secondly, last year I was solemnly promised by the chief executive and the budget leader that would be the very last time DSM money would be drawn upon.
"So what was essentially agreed at council was that £3 million that should go towards schools and pupils' education will now be put toward filling in the as yet imaginary budget gap."
Councillor Andrew Jarvie (Conservative) later claimed victory after tabling an amendment that won the support of councillors to prevent vital Covid-19 services – the helpline, humanitarian hubs and support for key workers' childcare – from being placed on the block.
“This was a big victory against the secrecy which has plagued this council for months," he said.
"We were being asked to cease all additional Covid-19 response services at the end of July, without actually knowing what they were. The report only made a passing mention to what the key worker hubs cost, which was 30 per cent less than first reported to us.
“Not only were being asked to suddenly close these and tell parents on Friday they have just four days to find new childcare, but the crafty wording of the officer’s report did not disclose to councillors that their decision would also lead to ending humanitarian assistance, seven-day death registration and the Covid-19 helpline.
“But worse than that, the council is still saying the total £50m-plus reserves 'could' be used to fund these never-more-critical services. This is the exact reason we have reserves, this is once in a lifetime and we have a duty to the Highlands.”