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 6 March 2025 at 9.30am.

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 
Chief Officer - Legal and Corporate Governance

Business

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

2.  Declarations of Interest/Transparency Statement
Foillseachaidhean Com-pàirt/Aithris Fhollaiseachd

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.  Medium Term Financial Plan 2025/26 to 2027/28 and Revenue Budget and Council Tax 2025/26
Plana Ionmhasail Meadhan-ùine 2025/26 gu 2027/28 agus Buidseat Teachd-a-steach agus Cìs Comhairle 2025/26

There is circulated Report No. HC/01/25 by the Chief Officer – Corporate Finance.

The Council is asked to:-

i.    note the budget context, information, assumptions and risks, as set out within the report and provided by the Section 95 Officer;
ii.   agree the three-year package of new and additional budget saving proposals put forward by the Council Administration as set out at Annex 5 to the report;
iii.  agree the package of budget pressures and new burdens as set out on Annex 2 to the report;
iv.  agree the growth and investment funding proposed by the Council Administration as set out on Annex 4 to the report;
v.   agree to the Partner Funding arrangements relating to NHS Highland, High Life Highland and Early Learning and Childcare partners as set out in section 9 of the report;
vi.  note the updated position relating to reserves and taking account of the budget proposals and recommendations within the report (Annex 6 of the report);
vii. agree in relation to Council Tax, a 7% increase for 2025/26, represented by a 5% core increase to balance the budget for the year plus 2% earmarked for capital investment through the Highland Investment Plan, with details of the resulting Council Tax as shown in Annex 7 to the report;
viii. note the indicative assumptions on Council Tax for 2026/27 and 2027/28 as per Annex 7 to the report, with these subject to future review and formal decision as part of annual budget setting; and
ix.  agree the proposed Revenue Budget for 2025/26 as set out within the report and on Annex 3 to the report.