Ward 8 –Tain and Easter Ross Ward Forum
Meeting held on Monday 24 May 2010
in the Duthac Centre, Tain

Present:

Cllr Alasdair Rhind (Chair)
Cllr Richard Durham
Cllr Alan Torrance
Cllr Sandy Park, Convener of the Highland Council
Cllr Dr Michael Foxley, Leader of the Council's Administration
Cllr Dr David Alston, Budget Leader
Alistair Dodds, Chief Executive
Alan Geddes, Depute Chief Executive & Director of Finance
Steve Barron, Director of Housing & Property
Ian Hargrave, Corporate Manager, Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross
Gordon Fyfe, Public Relations Manager
Carol Elliot, Ward Manager Tain and Easter Ross
160 members of the public
1 Member of Press

1. Welcome and Introductions
Cllr Rhind welcomed everyone to the Forum and introduced those present. He explained the purpose of the meeting was to consult the public on where the Council could save the £36million necessary in the coming years. He looked forward to having a constructive evening.

2. Highland Council Budget Consultation, presentations
Cllr Park explained the consultation was to gather feedback from the local community on what is important to them and where they thought the Council could make savings. It is important to take local vews on board as people in communities see what is happening every day.

The Council employs over 12,000 staff, it also spends £120million in over 1200 business across the Highlands so puts a significant amount into the economy of local communities.

Organisers of a petition collected in support of keeping Tain Swimming Pool open were invited to hand this over to Cllr Park.

Cllr Durham read out a letter from Craighill Primary School Pupil Council outlining their concerns if the swimming pool were to close and their reasons for retaining this facility in Tain.

Cllr Alston outlined the big problem facing the Council in a difficult situation. Although £36m had to be saved, no decisions had been taken by the Council at this time. The Council is consulting on how to save money and is open to all suggestions. This consulation process will continue all over the Highlands until the end of June with all proposals then being gathered together for consideration later in the year.

Alan Geddes gave a presentation explaining the history of public sector spending; the UK budget context and the unprecedented situation the public sector and the Highland Council were in. He warned that the squeeze on public sector spending caused by the economic recession and all the problems in the banking system could last for 10 years or more.

In relation to all Local Authorities the Accounts Commission has said “…the scale of the budget challenge they face means councils need to take urgent action. It is essential that they continue to develop and implement plans to cope with the tough times ahead, including thinking radically about service design and delivery.”

Budget planning has shown a budget gap estimated at £59million over 3 years 2010/11 – 2012/13. £23million of savings have already been agreed towards covering this but £36million still needs to be saved.

The risks and issues for the Council were explained.

Cllr Alston explained how various Council departments were asked to identify where possible savings could be made and £42million worth of suggestions had been made. These were the suggestions that were being put forward as part of this consultation.

54% of its budget is spent on staff so this has to be a factor when considering savings proposals.

The Council also needs to do an impact assessment on any changes.

3. Discussion groups considered the key budget questions:

         - How can we use our community facilities differently?
         - How can we run services differently?
         - How can individuals and communities take more responsibility for
           doing things?
         - How can we keep our staff and borrowing costs down?

4. Open session for questions/opinions (taken before and after discussion groups).

Q – Is it an option to increase Council Tax?
A – Yes, but only if the Scottish Government changes its current policy on council tax freeze.

Q – How much would the HC save if it froze pensions for 2-3 years?
A – Pensioners are not paid out of Council revenue. If the costs of meeting current employee contribution pension costs were reduced it would have an impact but there would need to be a change in Government legislation for this to happen.

Opinion – Closure of community facilities is the last thing HC should do. More volunteers could be used or pay frozen.

Q – Is HC looking at reducing the costs of delivering services without cutting services?
A – HC through its Corporate Improvement Programme is looking at these types of efficiency savings. By planning ahead we hope to make significant savings over three years.

Q – How could a social enterprise model provide services?
A – A community based organisation could be paid to deliver a service possibly at less cost and more effectively.

Q – Staff and residents of Duthac House, and their families, have been told the care home will close and there won’t be a new one.
A – Detailed business cases about the proposed building of five new care homes, including Duthac House, are being considered but no final decision has been made yet. The public is invited to comment on these by Friday 11 June – in advance of the next Council meeting on Thursday 24 June when the Council will consider the business cases, and the public responses in conjunction with the proposed capital programme.

Q – Has thought been given to what happens in the long term to avoid serious financial situations like this happening again?
A – The situation has been brought about by the banking system and not by any mis-management of the HC. The HC is looking at where it can create income and make savings via Carbon Trading; sharing buildings with other public sector agencies; working with other public sector agencies to share costs and by looking at alternative heating systems, as examples.

Q – Making efficiencies by closing Duthac House affects peoples lives and their life expectancy.
A – The over-riding importance is to provide services for older people so it is important to make every penny count. The care of the elderly budget has been increased year on year by £1million since the financial year 2007/08.

Opinion – The Tain pool is well used and has no spare capacity. Tain Royal Academy Community Complex (TRACC) provides outstanding value and benefits schools, the community, tourism and has other hidden benefits. Asking people to travel to pools elswhere discriminates further. Competitve clubs need pool time and there is no capacity elswhere. Tain has the only competitve club in Ross-shire and Sutherland and has a wide membership. The Club would not survive if the pool is closed.

Opinion – Street lights left on overnight mean more fuel is used and causes light pollution, by turning these off money can be saved.

Opinion – The concern is that decisions will be made that are irreversable.

Opinion - Closing pools will have consequential costs and occur additional costs.

Opinion – Without music tution extra curricula activites and cultural events such as Gizzenbriggs, wouldn’t exist. It gives kids a grounding in music.

Letter - Craighill Primary School Parent Council objects to the closure of Tain pool. School budgets won’t have funds to bus children elsewhere. The curriculum for excellence supports young people to attain goals such as swimming. Important life skills usually only accessed through the school, such as swimming, will be left out.

Song – By 3 young Tain Swimming Club members “Save our Pool Highland Council”.

Q – As youth work provision is a suggested saving, have young people been asked for their views?
A – As part of the budget consultations a consultation meeting is being held with Highland Youth Voice, which consists of 60-70 young people.

Q – What is happening with the 9 subsidised pools not suggested for closure?
A – They aren’t included in this consultation.

Opinion. Through the Curriculum for Excellence there is a duty to provide health provision and exercise, which the pool provides.

Q – Income raised for providing transport and services in rural areas will not be enough to cover costs. Can costs be raised in areas of high population to help subsidise rural areas?
A – HC needs to ensure an equitable provision across the Highlands but this can be examined.

Advance question on topics not already covered:

Q – Is the awarding of contracts for companies tendering for services being looked at very carefully?
A – The HC has got to look at how it can deliver services more effectively. If we are letting contracts we need to make sure they are well defined so we are sure what we will get. Savings made can reduce impact on services. We also need to look at alternative and imaginative ways to deliver services.

Opinion. Small communities with a small population have a small voice but still have very real needs which might not equate to an attractive package. Example given of need for a maths teacher in Kinlochbervie.

Opinion. Reading, playing music and sport should all be invested in to keep young people in the community.

Opinion. There is concern the suggestions only look at reducing costs and not at the benefits such as visitors attracted to the area. Cultural damage can be done to an area.

Q – All areas rely on the goodwill of the voluntary sector. This sector can attract and apply for funding but needs to be seen to be working in partnership with the Local Authority by potential funders. If this relationship is financially reduced the benefits that can be gained are also reduced. The voluntary sector needs the right support if it is to take up the slack.
A – Some Local Authorities have handed over facilities to trusts, this does have financial advantages. The voluntary sector is also key in developing new ways to do things.

Q – What can HC do to potentially generate income?
A – The Corporate Improvement Programme is looking at income generation and what can be charged for. We will look at best practice elsewhere and benchmark what we charge.

Opinion – There is a proposal to increase class sizes. To preserve schools and the quality of education this should be avoided.

5. Thanks for attending.
Cllr Rhind thanked everyone for their time and for taking part in a very constructive meeting and for Tain Community Council for organising the refreshments prior to the meeting.

People can still contribute to the consultation via the Highland Council web site at www.highland.gov.uk