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, 2 March 2023 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 and capital budgets 2023/24 and medium-term financial outlook
Buidseat Teachd-a-steach 2023/24

There is circulated Report No. HC/01/23 dated 21 February 2023 by the Chief Executive 

The Council is asked to:-

i)    agree the £18.2m of investment as described in ‘Our Future Highland- Budget Strategy’ at Appendix 1 of the report;
ii)   agree the reprofiled capital programme provided at Appendix 6 of the report;
iii)  agree the funding of budget pressures for 2023/24 as described in sections 10 and 11 and Appendix 5 of the report;
iv)   agree that effective from 1 April 2023, the rates paid by the Council for funded ELC are as follows; £6.66 per hour for eligible 2 year olds, £5.75 per hour for 3-5 year olds and £3.00 per meal, as described in section 12;
v)    agree the funding approach to partnership budgets with NHS Highland and Highlife Highland as described in section 9 of the report;
vi)   agree the Council Tax rates for 2023/24 as illustrated in Appendix 7 of the report;
vii)  agree the planned approach to reallocate into general fund non-earmarked balances the income generated from Council Tax on second homes and long-term empty properties in 2022/23 and 2023/24 as described in section 15 of the report;
viii) agree the new budget savings proposals for 2023/24 as summarised in Appendix 1 of the Budget Strategy;
ix)   agree to implement a loans fund principal repayment holiday in 2022/23 as described in section 17.6 and Appendix 8 of the report;
x)    agree the repurposing of earmarked balances into non-earmarked balances as described in section 17.7 and Appendix 9 of the report;
xi)   agree the use of £23.270m of non-earmarked reserves to balance the revenue budget for 2023/24 as described in section 17;
xii)  agree the continuation of spending controls as described in section 23; and
xiii) note the severe challenge facing the Council in securing its medium to long term financial sustainability as shown in Appendix 10 of the report, including the outlook for reserves as described in sections 18 and 22, and that further reports on the subject will be brought to Council during 2023/24.