Public consultations to feed into Highland Council budget plans
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A NEW approach to budget setting by Highland Council has been called “a stroke of genius” on the part of chief executive Donna Manson.
The local authority revealed that more than 50 engagement events involving Ms Manson, budget leader Alister Mackinnon and others – such as council staff, community groups and local residents – have been integral to preparing the budget for 2019-22.
The consultation’s results were then presented to members at a two-day cross-party seminar this week which has been warmly welcomed by all sides.
Cllr Mackinnon said: “The seminar was very good and generated excellent discussion between members of all political groups. There is a positive feeling of change and members have really shown the will to work together to tackle what are huge challenges for the council.
“We have identified a number of key themes which have emerged from our public and staff engagement and these will form the basis of real change in how the council works, how the council prioritises and how we spend the budget.”
Maxine Smith, who heads up the SNP group, challenged how much of the newly-adopted process is in fact “new.”
She said: “I think what they meant by ‘new’ is consult but they have done that before, four years ago. They announced it a while back that they would start doing it again this year but they only started doing it recently and they rushed it through.
“I am still pleased to see it but it just isn’t anything new. I am awaiting anything
new in their approach. Maybe the new thing was to have the cross-party seminar with all members – that was a stroke of genius on Donna’s part.”
Conservative group leader, Andrew Jarvie, wanted to know more about what constitutes success,” he said.
“It sounds good and makes a nice change but the engagement is going to be tested by what is done, not what is said.
“I asked the [council] leader Margaret Davidson about what a test for success would look like and I got a very woolly answer – I am not sure how many in the administration are that sure of it all actually.”
