Gritting and bins are top priorities, Highland Council budget simulator shows
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Winter gritting and rubbish collections are among the most valued council services, an interactive tool launched in the Highlands has shown.
Nearly 2000 people in the region have responded to a Highland Council budget engagement programme, which includes a survey and a budget simulator challenge.
The simulator allows people to try to balance the local authority’s budget and prioritise spending.
It comes as Highland Council is facing an estimated budget gap of around £62 million in 2024-25 and is expected to need over £100 million over the next three years to balance the books with current expenditure.
The public, partners and staff were invited to take part in the survey and a budget simulator. Nearly 1900 people have responded to the survey and some 429 people took part in the simulator challenge, while thousands of people watched videos explaining the budget challenges.
A spokesperson for the local authority said that emerging themes indicated that people understand the need to raise income generation through council tax and increases in fees and charges. Unsurprisingly, they added, people value the less visible support services less, with winter gritting and kerbside refuse collection being valued more.
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Suggestions to save money include increasing digitisation, charging motor homes for services, introducing the visitor levy and increasing use of renewable energy on our buildings.
Raymond Bremner, leader of Highland Council and a Wick and East Caithness councillor, said: “I am delighted that so many people have taken part in our survey and simulator challenge.
“With less money, we need to decide whether to reduce our costs, to increase our income or a mixture of both. We want to focus our resources on key priorities and so it is important to know what matters most to our communities.
“There is still time to take part in both the survey and budget simulator and I would encourage as many as possible to do that.”
Convener Bill Lobban said: “Highland Council is facing the same financial challenge as other public sector agencies and individual households, with increasing costs and inflation.
“We are looking at a range of options, however high interest rates and the increasing cost of borrowing limits these options at the current time. As everyone knows, especially in this festive season, it can be tempting to borrow money to get through the short term, but that simply stores up problems for the future and that is equally applicable to the council as well as individuals.”
Despite the challenge, Cllr Bremner added: “Significant work is currently under way to find savings and income generation to close the budget gap. This is not an easy task and difficult decisions will be required, however we aim to balance the council’s budget.”
People can take part in the budget survey and simulator at www.highland.gov.uk/budget until December 24.
