Highland Council budget: local authority facing “incredible pressures”
The leader of the Highland Council has said the local authority is facing incredible financial pressures which could led to job losses amid an unprecedented budget gap of up to £70 million next year.
The full council met today to discuss the budget shortfall which could be as much as £100 million between 2024 and 2027.
Members have a legal obligation to set a balanced budget and proposals will be developed and presented to Council for agreement at the end of February 2024.
Leader of the Council Raymond Bremner said: “While we understand the cost of living crisis for our communities, local authorities are also facing incredible cost pressures in the shape of inflation, high rates of interest and the need to fund pay settlements.
“We anticipate we will have an unprecedented budget gap next year of around £60-70m and a shortfall of around £100m over the next three years has been forecast.
He went on to add that without adequate funding, the council will have a choice of making service reductions or increasing income or a mixture of both.
Councillors Bremner said that service reductions would also mean job losses and that is something we are doing everything possible to avoid, as this would be disastrous for communities and our economy in the Highlands.”
The council is facing considerable uncertainty until the end of December around what the grant will be from the Scottish Government for 2024-25, and the funding to implement a Council Tax freeze.
Skye and Raasay member First Minister over council tax freeze
Skye and Raasay Councillor has slammed First Minister Humza Yousaf for running a “horse and coaches” through a key agreement with Scotland’s councils by placing a freeze on council tax
Speaking during today’s (Thursday’s) meeting of the full Highland Council, Skye and Raasay member Ruraidh Stewart contended that First Minister has undermined the verity house agreement between Scottish Local Authorities and the Government by announcing a freeze on rate in the next financial year.
Councillor Stewart said the First Minister has in essence closed the door on one of the few tools that local government has to release the budget pressures on us.
Humza Yousaf announced the decision to freeze council tax rates for the next financial year at the SNP autumn conference earlier this month.
Councillor Derek Louden, who chairs the Highland Council’s resources committee said: “Last year we set one of the lowest The council tax rates set last year by the Highland Council were one of lowest in Scotland in recognition of the cost of living crisis in our communities.
“Council tax freezes have a long term negative impact on local authority budgets and effectively widen the budget gap in the coming years.
“We will continue to work with our COSLA colleagues, to get clarification of the Scottish Government’s plans and how the cost of any freeze would be funded, both for next year and mitigation of the impact on future years’ budgets.”
Scottish Government £1 billion overspent on pay deals finds new report
The Scottish Government is facing a £1 billion hole due to significant challenges in managing the public sector workforce.
According to a new report by Audit Scotland, the Scottish budget and workforce numbers have grown significantly since devolution. But Scottish Government projections suggest it cannot afford to pay for public services in their current form.
The report found that pay deals agreed for 2022/23 and 2023/24 were £1.7 billion more than initially planned and these pay rises are locked into future budgets.
The Scottish Government has begun working with its public bodies to better understand how workforce reforms will impact services. But it needs better data on the size, cost and skillset of the workforce in over 100 of its public bodies to help support this process.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “Significant reform of the public sector – including its workforce – is needed to protect services over the long term.
“That means better workforce planning and wider changes to how staff work within and across organisations.”
He concluded: “An approach to reform purely focused on controlling workforce numbers will not address workforce pressures and is unlikely to balance the public finances.”
Peat and Diesel to play ‘Black Isle Belter’ shows
Western Isles stars Peat and Diesel are set to play at the Black Isle Showground over two days next May along with other star acts.
The ‘Black Isle Belter’ shows which will be their only outdoor gigs in the Highlands next year will be held over the bank holiday weekend of Saturday 25th May & Sunday 26th May 2024.
On the Saturday, Peat and Diesel will be join by the View for their First Highland show in years, while on the Sunday, which will be a family day they will be accompanied by chart toppers The Feeling.
Sunday’s show will a family day and in conjunction with Peat and Diesel’s main sponsor Highland Industrial Supplies, and charity partners MFR’s Cash for Kids and Mikeysline.
Tickets were set to be on sale from 10am this Friday via the Peat and Diesel website.
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NHS Highland launches Power of Attorney campaign
NHS Highland has launched Power of Attorney campaign to help people plan for circumstances in which they may no longer be able to make decision for themselves
Granting a Power of Attorney (PoA) allows you to nominate who would make decisions for you if you were no longer able to make them yourself. This would be someone you trust, such as a relative or close friend.
Highlighting the importance of arranging Power of Attorney, Dr Andrew Jamieson, a NHS Highland consultant physician, said: “It is estimated that there are over 944,000 people living in the UK with dementia, with 42,000 people under 65 years-of-age living with the condition.
“However, you can only grant a Power of Attorney if you have capacity. If you have an accident or an ongoing medical problem, which leaves you incapable of looking after your own affairs, it’s too late.
He added: “Without a Power of Attorney, your family or friends will have to apply to the courts for a Guardianship Order to allow them to make decisions on your behalf and this can be a lengthy and far more costly process.
A survey conducted by Age Scotland across April and May 2023 on the matter, received more than 4,000 responses with local authority area in Scotland was represented.
The survey found that older respondents were significantly more likely to have an up-to date Power of Attorney in comparison with those in their 50s and 60s.
Forty seven per cent of people in their seventies who responded say they had a Power of Attorney, while the figure was 63 per cent of those in their eighties. However, the corresponding numbers for those in their sixties was 29 per cent and just 16 per cent in their fifties.
Meanwhile, 26 per cent of respondents with a total gross annual household income of less than £10,000 had a Power of Attorney which stated their current needs but 25 per cent in this income bracket said they could not afford a Power of Attorney.
NHS Highland will be sharing information about Power of Attorney during World Alzheimer’s Awareness Month this September.
Mental health services “slow, complicated” and “fragmented”
A new report on mental health provision in Scotland has found that the system is fragmented with access to adult services in Scotland slow and complicated for many.
The report published today by public body assessor Audit Scotland, also detailed that, in particular, ethnic minority groups, people living in rural areas and those in poverty all face additional barriers in accessing services
It agues that accountability is complex with Scottish Government, NHS boards, councils, Integration Joint Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships and other sectors all involved in funding, planning or providing services.
The result of which, the report finds, is complications and delays in developing care focused on the needs of individuals.
NHS boards spent £1.2 billion on adult mental health in 2021/22. However, one in four people experience mental health problems in any given year and 2,742 people waited more than a year to start psychological therapies in 2022/23.
People living in the most deprived areas are also three times more likely to end up in hospital for mental health issues than those in the least deprived areas
Audit Scotland has recommended that the before the end of 2023 Scottish Goverment publish its guidance on measuring and evaluating outcomes from mental health and wellbeing services in primary care, which was expected to be published in April 2022.
It has also called for the Scottish Government to publish a costed delivery plan, as soon as possible, setting out the funding and workforce needed to establish and accommodate primary care mental health and wellbeing services across Scotland by 2026.
Among its recommendations Audit Scotland has also stated that the NHS must provide people with a choice about whether they access mental health services remotely or face-to-face, in line with the commitment in the Digital Health and Care Strategy
While it has said that councils must urgently improve how mental health, primary care, housing, employability, and welfare support services work together to address and prevent the causes of poor mental health, by developing shared goals and targets, sharing data and jointly funding services
Date announced for latest Skye childcare crisis meeting
A childcare crisis meeting led by the Highland Council’s early learning and childcare commissioner is set to be held in Skye next week.
The council’s ELC commissioner Tracy McIlvar will host the meeting at the Skye Bible Church in Portree on Thursday 21st September from 12.15 to 2pm.
Community representative Claudia Pech is encouraging all parents to attend whom are affected by the current childcare crisis.
She said that Highland Council is keen to discuss a way forward and possible solutions so it is important that as many parents as
A childcare survey conducted by the Highland Council of more than 100 parents and guardians across the island has revealed a demand for provision for children under three as well as term-time and holiday childcare for kids of school age.
The meeting will follow on from two separate forums held earlier this year by the Highland Council and Skye’s MSP Kate Forbes.
Strathpeffer to host energy efficiency information day
An Energy Efficiency Scotland information event is set to take place at Strathpeffer Community Centre
The Highland Council has been awarded funding from the Scottish Goverment to install energy efficient measures such as installation, air source heat pumps, and solar PV and battery storage to homes.
The scheme is eligible for properties which are main residences and not bed and breakfasts, owned or privately rent, and are Council Tax bands ABC – or D – where EPC rating is D, E, F or G.
The event will be held between 11.30am and 4.45pm at Strathpeffer Community Centre today (Wednesday 12th September).
Header image credit: Christian Erfurt via Unsplash
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Runrig “heartbroken” at death of frontman Bruce Guthro
Celtic rock band Runrig have said they are “heartbroken at loss of a dear friend” following the death of former frontman Bruce Guthro, who died on Tuesday aged 62.
The Canadian singer-songwriter joined the band in 1998 and was the lead vocalist for 20 years until Runrig’s Last Dance finale gig at Stirling Castle in 2018.
In a statement released on Wednesday evening, the band said that Bruce Guthro has died following a long battle with cancer.
Paying tribute to the much-loved singer, Runrig said that everyone associated with the group is heartbroken at the loss of a dear friend and special musical colleague.
They added that their immediate thoughts and prayers were with his family Kim, Dylan and Jodie.
Paying homage to Bruce, Skye band Valtos told Radio Skye that Runrig’s music was a vital part of their upbringings and the sound Bruce brought to the band was unmistakable, providing them with considerable inspiration over the years.
A host of other musicians and singers were also praising of Bruce as a person and his place within Celtic music
The band Skipinnish said that they and so many others owe Runrig a huge debt of gratitude for paving the way to the thriving Celtic Music scene of today.
They said Bruce was the voice of Runrig for twenty years and his passing marks a very sad day for music.
Composer and fiddle player Duncan Chisholm described, Bruce who he had known for more than 25 years, as “an absolute gentleman, an incredibly gifted singer and a true friend.”
While singer Julie Fowlis said that Bruce was “such a gifted singer and a powerful performer.”
She added that it was a great privilege to sing with him onstage and backstage over the years.
Former bandmate Peter Wishart said “He was just the nicest person you could ever hope to meet and a joy to perform with.”
Highland Council survey findings prompt third childcare crisis meeting
A third childcare crisis meeting is set to take place on Skye following the findings of a Highland Council survey
A childcare survey of more than 100 parents and guardians across the island has revealed a demand for provision for children under three as well as term-time and holiday childcare for kids of school age.
The Highland Council informed community representative Claudia Pech that the vast majority of respondents – 68 had children attending early learning childcare or school close to Portree, while 15 were in the Dunvegan area and eight in the Sleat area.
Ms Pech said that council has stated its committment to finding solutions to the very difficult childcare situation on Skye and are proposing another meeting with parents before the end of September to discuss the way forward.
She added that work is also ongoing with the Scottish Childminding Association to try and recruit childminders, and engagement with other providers is ongoing, together with the option for local authority school aged childcare provision.
The meeting will follow on from two separate forums held earlier this year by the Highland Council and Skye’s MSP Kate Forbes.
Financial risks to Scotland’s colleges greater now than in 2022
Risks to the financial sustainability of colleges across the country has risen in the past year, according to a new report by Audit Scotland.
The public body assessor said that risks to colleges had increased since 2022, with rising staffing costs the colleges’ biggest financial pressure.
Audit Scotland said that amid a real terms funding reduction of 8.5 per cent since 2021, effective, affordable workforce planning was now a greater than ever priority and challenge for colleges.
Although significant changes to how the college sector operates have been recommended by recent reviews, the report contends that the Scottish Government and the Scottish Funding Council urgently need to build on their ongoing work to help colleges plan for change now, and make best use of available funding so that they are sustainable for the future.
The report states that staff costs accounted for more than two thirds – around 70 per cent – of the sector’s expenditure in 2021-22.
It added that changes to staffing are one of the main levers for colleges to manage their costs.
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Radical response needed from councils to avoid “deeper cuts”
Scotland’s councils must “radically change how they operate” to avoid worse services and deeper cuts – a new report from Audit Scotland has warned.
Through it’s publication: Local Government in Scotland: Overview 2023 – Audit Scotland is calling for the Scottish Goverment and COSLA – the Council of Scottish Local Authorities – to finalise the planned new deal for local government.
In March, the Highland Council agreed a balanced budget as part of a package of investment and savings to address a £49.2M budget gap which included a four per cent increase in Council Tax.
However, the acting chair of Audit Scotland’s account commission, Tim McKay said that councils have gone beyond the point where making saving is enough.
He said: “The New Deal for local government, agreed between the Scottish Government and COSLA, is long overdue. Putting this in place will give councils longer-term financial stability, supporting them to make decisions and make the fundamental changes that are urgently needed.
“Councils have gone beyond the point where making savings is enough.
“If the change needed doesn’t happen now, some services will continue to get worse or deeper cuts will be made.
“This will impact communities and individuals that are already at crisis point with the effects of inequality and persistently high poverty.”
Statistics from the Audit Scotland report underline the severe challenges placing people at crisis point.
CalMac defends launch of new ticketing platform
West coast ferry operator CalMac has this afternoon defended the launch of its new booking and ticketing platform and rejected reports that it crashed on going live today.
CalMac’s new ticketing and booking platform went live on its website today, however, shortly after it launched, a report by STV new claimed that the site had crashed leaving customers unable to access the system.
In a statement sent to Radio Skye on Wednesday afternoon, CalMac Chief Executive Robbie Drummond said that transport company had processed more than 5,000 bookings within the first six hours of the platform launching.
He said the change of system had involved the transfer of more than 200,000 customer accounts and 145,000 bookings from its 26-year system, which he described as a major feat.
Mr Drummond said that some customers had experienced difficulties in accessing their customer accounts in the new system and that there had been issues with card transactions for a limited number of customers.
Though he added that CalMac’s digital team and engagement centre were responding to individual customer enquiries to support them through this transition.
CalMac responded to concerns raised about its new ticket platform
Attadale Gardens offers new audio tour
Visitors to Attadale Gardens in Strathcarron will have the chance to enhance their trip to the Wester Ross attraction thanks to a news audio tour app.
Using, the Geotourist smart travel which supports destinations and organisation throughout the world, guest to Attadale Garden will be guided by its custodian Joanna MacPherson through fascinating historical insights and information during their trip.
Joanna MacPherson spoke to Radio Skye on Wednesday about the exciting new development.
News by Adam Gordon.
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MSP Grant to quiz First Minister on unprecedented ferry disruption
Highlands and Islands MSP Rhoda Grant is set to quiz First Minister Humza Yousaf today over disruption to the ferry network across the two regions.
Ms Grant has lodged a question for Mr Yousaf at this afternoon session of First Minister’s Questions – asking what immediate action the Scottish Goverment will take to improve ferry services across the Highlands and Islands amid recent unprecedented disruption.
On Monday, Robbie Drummond, chief executive of CalMac announced that the ferry operator had decided to defer the launch of its new booking and ticketing platform – from 25th April to 16th May – to focus on handling urgent issues relating to the disruption and delays to many of its services.
In January, the CalMac CEO revealed that nearly two fifths of its fleet were more than 30 years old, with the general life expectancy of vessels 25-30 years.
In March, the MV Hebrides vessel serving Uig, Lochmaddy and Tarbert was forced to return to Uig after a fire broke out in the engine room of the vessel.
Audit Scotland’s most recent report states that the two new vessels under construction, which will join CalMac’s fleet, are currently estimated to cost £293 million, with delivery already five years late – despite additional Scottish Government funding in 2022/23 and 2023/24.
Skye school bus goes off road on A87
A school bus carrying school pupils from Portree to Kyle went off road after being involved in a road traffic incident.
No one was injured in the incident in which resulted in the vehicle going off the road on A87 south of Sconser around Drum nan Cleoc.
A Police Scotland spokesperson told Radio Skye: “Around 4.30pm on Wednesday, 19 April, 2023, police received a report of a bus coming off the road on the A87 on the Isle of Skye. Recovery was arranged.”
No injuries were reported.
Portree High School later confirmed that all the pupils were safe following the incident and were transferred onto alternative buses to continue their journey.
Scottish Goverment must improve to deliver climate goals
The Scottish Goverment needs to improve to deliver the country’s climate change goals.
That’s according to a new report published today by Audit Scotland.
The report states that although the government’s climate governance has improved since the former First Minister declared a climate emergency in 2019 its adaption to the impact of climate change has received less focus than reducing emissions and hitting net zero targets.
It goes on to add that there are gaps in reporting, making it difficult to assess progress against climate policy. And there has been no workforce plan for climate change since the Net Zero department was established in late 2021.
However, one is expected in spring 2023.
Stephen Boyle, Auditor General for Scotland, said: “The Scottish Government’s set up for responding to the climate crisis has constantly evolved since 2019. But the different parts of government could be better co-ordinated.
“The government’s risk management arrangements also need to improve, particularly the work needed to ensure Scotland adapts to the impact of climate change.”
He added: “Work is ongoing across the Scottish Government to tackle these organisational weaknesses, and it’s vital that happens quickly given the urgency of the climate situation.”
News by Adam Gordon
Bus photo credit: Moray Walker.
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National acclaim for Skye’s Edinbane Lodge
A Skye restaurant has claimed the Scottish Restaurant of the Year award at a prestigious ceremony in Edinburgh.
Edinbane Lodge, run by chef-proprietor Calum Montgomery, saw off competition from acclaimed eateries in Edinburgh, Fort Augustus, Glasgow, and St Andrews to win the coveted Restaurant of the Year honour at the Scottish Excellence Awards held on Thursday night at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh.
Calum and his family transformed a derelict 16-century hunting lodge into an award-winning restaurant which has already claimed multiple accolades including becoming the only restaurant in the Highlands to receive Four AA rosettes.
Commenting on the winning credentials of the Skye restaurant, judges said: “Calum and his team were above exceptional in all aspects of the criteria including benchmarking, innovation, sustainability and ethics.
“With a very strong list of finalists, all those who were short-listed made the final call very difficult, such was the calibre of applicants. “
Montgomery was also a finalist in the Chef of the Year category of the Excellence Awards, described as ‘the ultimate accolade for businesses and individuals working in Scottish hospitality.’
Skye’s Duisdale House Hotel in Sleat finished as the runner-up in Group Hotel of the Year Award to Glasgow’s Radisson Red, but Sonas which owns the Duisdale as part of a three-hotel group on the island, did celebrate success on the night as its general manager Andreas Maszczyk won the employee of the year award
Health group urge NHS Highland to fill island vacancies
Island campaign group SOS-NHS Skye are urging NHS Highland to advertise 15 health care vacancies at a Portree nursing home as a matter of urgency.
SOS-NHS Skye, which has recently called the local health authority into question over its recruitment process, said that 12 health care assistants and three staff nurses were urgently needed at Home Farm nursing home.
They claimed that NHS Highland has not advertised the posts for several weeks and are calling on the regional organisation to do so as a matter of urgency.
In a statement to Radio Skye, the local health authority defended its commitment to strengthen its workforce amid criticism from the group that is only currently advertised eight of its 50-plus vacancies on the island.
Addressing the claims that key health care posts not being advertised, a spokesperson for NHS Highland said that job vacancies will be at various stages in the recruitment process – this includes closing the vacancy, reviewing applications and, if none are suitable, re-advertising the position.
They said that this can lead to a gap between reviewing applications and deciding to re-advertise as we are unable to advertise the role again until this process is complete.
The spokesperson went on to add that the local health authority are “committed to strengthening the workforce and will continue to find new and innovative ways to encourage people to think about a career with NHS Highland.”
New isles ferries set for further delays
Two new lifeline ferries under construction at the Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow, which are already running five years overdue, will be delayed by several months more, Deputy First Minister John Swinney has announced.
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament on Thursday, Mr Swinney revealed that the handovers dates for both vessels would be pushed back by a matter of months following an update from the chief executive of Ferguson Marine.
The MV Glen Sannox is now scheduled for completion for autumn 2023, rather than the estimated date at the end of May 2023, meanwhile, the second vessel simply named 802, will be handed over no later than December 2024, as opposed to the scheduled timeline of March 2024.
In his announcement, Mr Swinney also stated that the Scottish Goverment would allocate a further £6 million, in addition to the previous capital funding commitment of £15 million for the 2023-23 financial year.
The statement by the Deputy First Minister, came after First Minister Nicola Sturgeon faced questions why bonus payments of more than £87,000 had been paid to senior managers at the Ferguson Marine Post Glasgow, as was revealed on Tuesday by Audit Scotland.
The Audit Scotland report also stated that the two vessels are currently estimated to cost £293 million, with delivery already five years late. Despite additional Scottish Government funding in 2022/23.
Commenting on the matter, Mr Swinney said that the report rightly criticizes the poor governance involved in the process.
He said he agreed with that criticism and sought to assure the Parliament that new arrangements have been put in place – at his request – to ensure such an eventuality does not arise in the future.
He added: “The Scottish Government stands by its commitment to the shipbuilding communities in Inverclyde, and to our Island communities that will rely on the vessels currently being built at Ferguson Marine.
“I deeply regret that there have been delays to the delivery of the vessels and significantly higher costs than were predicted at the time of the tender award.”
The first phase of major works at Uig harbour to accommodate the arrival of one of the new ferries which will serve Skye, Lochmaddy and Tarbert are currently being undertaking.
Ferry services are expected to resume on Thursday 23rd March after a nine-week closure.
Valtos + Siiga release new single ‘Lose Control’
Award-winning Skye musical duo Valtos have today dropped a new single in collaboration with acclaimed singer-song writer and fellow islander Richard MacIntrye, better known as Siiga.
Lose Control is the second release in an ambitious project for Valtos, who are working with a diverse group of musicians throughout 2023, releasing a new single every 4-6 weeks.
It started with the release of Liberate with Project Smok in February, just after their collaborative sell-out Celtic Connections show, and will continue through until the end of the year.
Chatting with Radio Skye’s Adam Gordon ahead Friday’s release of Lose Control, Valtos’ Martyn MacDonald and Daniel Docherty spoke about the fantastic response to their last single Liberate, their creative process on the new single, and their excitement about playing in front of a home crowd at this year’s Skye Live festival in May.
Click here to listen/download Lose Control
News by Adam Gordon.
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