Should The Council Make Even Higher Charges For School Lets To Balance The Budget

7th October 2012

Council budget blog focuses on how the Council can generate income.

The latest topic for discussion on The Highland Council's budget consultation blog asks the public for ideas on how the Council can generate income and also for views on whether the Council should charge more for certain Council services.

The questions are posed by Councillor Dave Fallows (SNP), Chairman of the Council's Finance Resources and Housing Committee, on his budget blog which encourages comment on proposals to deliver Council services more efficiently and effectively.

The blog complements the Council's budget consultation exercise to identify major savings in 2013-14 and 2014-15. The Council has held 11 public meetings to date to discuss the proposals, with one final meeting to take place on Tuesday 30 October at Culloden Academy in Inverness.

In his blog, Councillor Fallows (SNP) writes: "As part of our last Budget Consultation there were a number of suggestions for how the Council could generate income and therefore help pay for some of the services we provide. Since then we have introduced advertising on the Council's website and also within some Council publications. We are looking for other ideas from you on how else the Council could generate income.

"I'd also like your thoughts on whether we should increase charges above inflation for some of the services we already charge for? These include cark parking, parking permits, ferry charges, school lets, harbour charges and burials and cremations. Should we increase charging in some or all of these service areas?"

Councillor Fallows (SNP) also asks for ideas on what other services the public think the Council could - or should - charge for?

The budget consultation will run until 31 October 2012. The blog is prominently featured on the home page of the Council's web site: www.highland.gov.uk