Agendas, reports and minutes

A Special Meeting of the Highland Council will be held in the Council Chamber, Council Headquarters, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness on Thursday, 3 March 2022 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 provide some information on the nature of the interest and leave the meeting at the appropriate time.  Advice may be sought from officers prior to the meeting taking place.

3. Revenue Budget 2022/23 to 2024/25
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach agus Cìs Comhairle

There is circulated Report No. HC/1/22 dated 21 February 2022 by the Executive Chief Officer (Resources & Finance). 

The Council are asked to:- 

i.    agree the £10m of investment in a ‘Sustainable Highland’ as described in section 17 of the report and Appendix 1 of the report;
ii.   agree the Council Tax rates for 2022/23 as illustrated in Appendix 6 of the report;
iii.  note the Council will apply the Scottish Government funded £150 Cost of Living Award as a Council Tax credit to all eligible persons;
iv.   agree the new budget savings proposals for 2022/23 as summarised in Appendix 10 of the report;
v.    note the previously agreed budget savings no longer deliverable as described in section 15 and Appendix 8 of the report;
vi.   approve the payment of £1.5m to High Life Highland (HLH) in financial year 2021/22 and approve the creation of a £1m earmarked reserve held for the purpose of providing financial support to HLH if they are not able to further mitigate their forecast deficit for 2022/23;
vii.  agree the removal of the savings proposal relating to High Life Highland in October 2021 as outlined in section 9.10 as detailed in the report ;
viii. agree the use of reserves to fund Covid pressures as described in sections 11.4 and 16.4 as detailed in the report;
ix.   agree the planned use of reserves for investment and addressing Covid budget pressures as described in section 19.2 as detailed in the report: and
x.    agree a medium-term target level for non-earmarked general fund reserves of 3% of the Council’s annual revenue budget and to increase the reserve to this level over the course of 2022/23 if circumstances permit.