Budget Leader’s response to public spending announcement

The Highland Council is close to balancing its budget for next year (2012/13) but will have to find savings of £27 million in each of the following two years.

This is the forecast of Budget Leader Councillor David Alston in the wake of the public spending announcement today (Wednesday) by Scottish Finance Secretary, John Swinney.

He said: “The announcement of a flat or nil increase in the amount of grant we receive to deliver a wide range of essential public services is disappointing but it does not come as a surprise.

"We have been preparing our budgets very much along the lines of having a flat settlement.  However, unlike previous years, there is additional cash from the Scottish Government to pay for the Council Tax freeze."