Which Services Are Most Likely to Face Cuts or Reductions At Budget Day

29th January 2026

When budgets tighten in Highland Council, cuts tend not to fall evenly. Some services are much more exposed than others because of how local government funding rules work and because of Highland's geography.

Below is a Highland-specific picture, not just generic council theory.

Most protected (least exposed)

These are hardest to cut quickly, even under severe pressure:

Education - core provision

Teachers, ASN support required by law

Minimum school opening requirements
Cuts here usually happen indirectly:

Fewer classroom assistants

Larger class sizes

Reduced subject choice in secondary schools

Centralisation of small rural schools (very sensitive politically)

Statutory social care

Adult social care

Child protection

Care at home for assessed needs

Cuts tend to show up as:

Tighter eligibility thresholds

Reduced care packages

More pressure on unpaid carers

Longer waiting times

These two areas already consume the majority of Highland's revenue budget, so even "protected" doesn’t mean unaffected.

Most exposed services in Highland

These are usually the first and hardest hit, especially in rural areas.

Libraries and community facilities

Very exposed

Libraries

Community centres

Public halls supported by the council

Why Highland is vulnerable:

Many small, lightly used facilities

High staffing and heating costs

Seen as "non-statutory"

Typical outcomes:

Reduced opening hours

Volunteer or community transfers

Full closures in smaller settlements

Public transport support

Extremely exposed

Subsidised bus routes

School transport beyond minimum legal duty

Highland-specific issue:

Long distances + low passenger numbers

Routes are expensive and don’t pay for themselves

When budgets tighten:

Evening and weekend buses go first

Remote villages lose services entirely

Greater isolation for elderly and young people

Roads maintenance - especially rural roads

Very exposed

Pothole repairs

Resurfacing

Gritting beyond minimum network

Highland effect:

Largest road network of any UK council

Maintenance is often deferred rather than cancelled

What residents see:

Worse road conditions year after year

Fewer local repairs

Reactive “patching” instead of proper resurfacing

Culture, leisure and sport

Highly exposed but Highland council outsourced much of it to Highlife Highland some years ago. Even so there could still be reductions in payments made to the organisation.

Leisure centres

Swimming pools

Arts and events funding

Museums not legally protected

Why they’re vulnerable:

High energy costs

Not statutory

Often seen as “nice to have”

Common outcomes:

Reduced hours

Higher fees

Threats of closure for rural pools and centres

Environmental and amenity services

Moderately to highly exposed

Grounds maintenance

Grass cutting

Street cleaning

Public toilets

Specific Issues

Tourist-heavy areas notice cuts quickly

Toilets and amenity sites are expensive but politically sensitive

Typical pattern:

Fewer cuts per season

Toilets transferred to communities or closed

Lower maintenance standards accepted as the “new normal”

Services that look safe but feel worse

Some services aren’t cut outright but deteriorate quietly:

Staffing and local presence

Fewer frontline staff

Centralisation of services

Loss of local offices and local decision-making

For Highland residents this often means:

Longer travel distances

Slower responses

Less local knowledge in decision-making

Why Highland feels cuts more sharply than cities

Even when Highland cuts the same percentage as another council, the impact is greater because:

Fewer alternatives (no nearby services)

Longer travel distances

Less public transport

Strong reliance on council-provided facilities in small communities

A library or bus cut in Inverness is inconvenient.
The same cut in a small village can be life-changing.

Most exposed in Highland when budgets tighten:

Libraries and community facilities

Bus subsidies and transport support

Rural roads maintenance

Leisure centres, pools, culture

Public toilets and amenities

Least exposed (but still pressured):

Education (core)

Statutory social care

Highland council budget date may be in March 2027.