Highland Council Final Accounts For 2018/19 Show Improved Position
17th May 2019
A greatly improved financial position is to be reported to the council's Corporate Resources Committee meeting next week for the financial year 2018/19. The position reflects the overspend reducing by £3M due to management actions in recent months.
Budget Leader Cllr Alister Mackinnon, Chair of the Resources Committee said: "The final outturn for the year is an overspend of £2.280M. This reflects a substantial improvement from the forecasted overspend at end of quarter 3 of £5.550M. This is around £3M better than anticipated a few months ago.
"This more positive position demonstrates the steps taken at an early stage to address and correct what was a worsening position at the time. Strong governance, vacancy management and expenditure controls have not been easy, but have been essential to bring us back into a more stable position. I want to thank all staff for their help with delivering this result."
He added: "We will need to keep on top of this as there will be further risks and challenges in the year ahead. We will be continuing to monitor the budget on a weekly basis and I am confident that we have the right processes in place to deliver the 19-20 budget."
Net spend on services for the year 2018-19 totalled £559.254M. The impact of the deficit has been mostly offset by a review of earmarked reserves and net income. This has reduced the council's non-earmarked general reserve fund by £0.637M to £7.925M.
As at 31st March 2019 the Council's total general fund reserves stand at £20.300m. Of these £12.375m are earmarked (i.e. held for specific purposes), with the balance of £7.925m not earmarked.
Full details of the Highland council budget monitoring report can be seen at Item 5 at https://www.highland.gov.uk/meetings/meeting/4126/corporate_resources_committee
Related Businesses
Related Articles
11/12/2025
Exciting Career Opportunities With The Highland Council Now Open For Applications
# 10 December 2025 Career opportunities with The Highland Council The Highland Council is looking to fill a variety of posts relating to civil engineering and flood risk management based in locations across the area. Included are opportunities specifically for civil engineering graduates and technicians, providing the ideal job with career progression for anyone recently qualified and ready for a varied and interesting role.
8/12/2025
What the NC500 Research Projects Are Designed to Do - and Why They Matter for the Highlands
As the North Coast 500 approaches its tenth anniversary, it has become one of Scotland's most well-known tourism success stories. The 516-mile loop around the far north of the Highlands has been celebrated internationally, marketed as a world-class road trip, and credited with transforming visitor numbers in some of Scotland’s most remote areas.7/12/2025
Help Shape the Future of Thurso
The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.
7/12/2025
Are Scottish Councils Quietly Reversing Outsourcing? A Look at Insourcing, Cuts and the Highland IT Shift
A notable article in the Guardian on 6 December 2025 noted the high sums being paid by London councils outsourcing services to private firms. The article starts with the reduction in council funding by UK government since 2010.4/12/2025
Council welcomes Visitor Levy flexibility plan
The Highland Council welcomes moves by the Scottish Government to introduce greater flexibility on how it could design a Visitor Levy Scheme for consultation. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 currently provides local authorities with discretionary powers to implement percentage-based levies following statutory consultation.4/12/2025
Highland Council is reaching out for views to shape its next 26/27 budget.
As it looks to set out its forthcoming priorities, the council is seeking involvement from members of the public, including businesses, community groups, parents, and young people. All their opinions are going to be crucial in deciding how Highland Council will take on its budget challenge for 2026-2027.4/12/2025
Have your say in Thurso's future £100million investment by attending public consultation events
Thurso is to benefit from £100m investment in education and community facilities and are rolling out the first phase of public consultations on 9 and 10 December 2025. The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say; this is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.2/12/2025
Finding new owners for empty homes - Scheme launched to help return more empty homes to active use
A new online portal has been launched to bring empty homeowners together with prospective buyers or developers with the aim of facilitating more properties to be used as homes again. Covering the whole of Scotland, this builds on the success of local pilots, referred to as "matchmaker schemes".1/12/2025
Consideration for short term let control area in Skye and Raasay
Steps towards introducing a short term let control area have been considered by Highland Council's Isle of Skye and Raasay area committee. On Monday (1 December 2025) the committee heard evidence to justify the grounds for the introduction of a Short Term Let Control Area covering all or part of Skye and Raasay.28/11/2025
Workforce North event spotlights Highland economy
EMPLOYERS and educators from across the Highlands have gathered to hear how a new initiative is aiming to transform the region's economy. Workforce North - A Call to Action brought together business leaders and teachers from primary and secondary schools from across the Highland Council area with a wide range of partners geared towards education, learning and skills development at Strathpeffer Pavillion.
Our Social Media
