Managing the Pressures of the Education, Culture and Sport Budget

Members of The Highland Council’s Education, Culture and Sport committee have been assured that urgent management action is being taken to check the impact of pressures on a number of fronts in the Education, Culture and Sport revenue budget.

The pressures include rising energy and school transport costs and meeting the costs of additional support needs as well as achieving the £5 million savings target of the current financial year.

Education, Culture and Sport Service Director, Hugh Fraser, has written to his management team to highlight the need to manage budgets, including an embargo on discretionary spending; a strict vetting of staff appointments and the need to manage energy more effectively at a local level.

A report, estimating the cost of the pressures will be presented to the Education, Culture and Sport Committee on 18 September.

Education, Culture and Sport Committee Chairman, Bill Fernie, said:  “Rising energy and transport costs impact heavily on the budget as we maintain 300 buildings and transport 12,000 pupils daily.

“Many of these pressures are outwith our direct control and the Council is making representations at a national level to get these costs down.

“Our managers and head teachers have been made acutely aware of the need to manage our budget to ensure a balanced budget is returned at the end of the financial year.”

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