Agendas, reports and minutes

A Special Meeting of the Highland Council will be held REMOTELY on Thursday, 4 March 2021 at 10.30am.

Webcast Notice: This meeting will be filmed and broadcast over the Internet on the Highland Council website and will be archived and available for viewing for 12 months thereafter.

You are invited to attend the meeting and a note of the business to be considered is attached.

Yours faithfully,

Stewart Fraser
Head of Corporate Governance

BUSINESS

1. Calling of the Roll and Apologies for Absence
Gairm a’ Chlàir agus Leisgeulan

2. Declarations of Interest
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt

Members are asked to consider whether they have an interest to declare in relation to any item on the agenda for this meeting. Any Member making a declaration of interest should indicate whether it is a financial or non-financial interest and include some information on the nature of the interest. Advice may be sought from Officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Appointment of Chair of the Corporate Resources Committee

4. Revenue Budget 2021/22 to 2023/24
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach agus Cìs Comhairle

There is circulated Report No. HC/1/21 dated 18 February 2021 by the Executive Chief Officer (Resources & Finance).

Members are asked to:

i) Accept the Scottish Government’s offer of £4.231m and freeze Council Tax rates at 2020/21 levels as outlined in section 13 of this report;
ii) Agree the investment of £9.81m in a Visitor Management Strategy, Economic Prosperity Fund, Place Based Investment and Ward Discretionary Budget top-up as detailed in section 19 and Appendix 1 of this report;
iii) Agree to progress the 9 key transformation projects as detailed in section 19 and Appendix 1 of this report;
iv) Agree the savings plans as detailed in sections 16 and 19 and Appendix 1 of this report;
v) Approve the funding of budget pressures and budget uplifts as detailed in sections 10 and 11 and Appendices 3 and 4 of this report;
vi) Agree to the reprofiling of previously agreed savings as outlined in section 15 and Appendix 7 of this report;
vii) Agree to maintain general fund non-earmarked reserves at a minimum of £24.7m as outlined in section 17 of this report and that anything in excess of this amount can be deployed within future phases of the Investment Plan as detailed in the Health and Prosperity Strategy at Appendix 1;
viii) Agree that the impact of any changes in Government funding that may come as part of a final budget settlement is considered as part of the budget review and development of a medium-term financial plan over the coming months;
ix) Agree to lobby as a matter of urgency to secure as much funding as possible from the Shared Prosperity Fund.