Views
Scrutiny from public makes for a better budget - for The Inverness Courier
THE news has recently been dominated by f the Highland Council's budget for the next financial year.
This was the first real opportunity for the SNP-Independent Administration to set its stall out and show how the words of its programme would be turned into actions in Highland communities.
The manner of the budget process was startling, and its proposals bleak. Despite the fact that the Scottish Government has, in real terms, more money to spend than ever before, stark cuts are planned to deal with a multi-million pound deficit in the council's finances.
We have been given a guarantee that there will be no redundancies, but some key posts have been 'deleted' and staff offered short-term, lesser paid work. There are to be major reductions in teaching for both primaries and secondaries.
Original plans would have targeted small rural primary schools for particularly destructive teaching cuts.
Mercifully, the public outcry over this proposal, and strong pressure from opposition parties on the council, delivered a sharp last-minute u-turn.
There was success for the Lib-Dem-led opposition elsewhere too, and I was particularly pleased that the Highland Community Care Forum and the Highland Users Group won reprieves at the 11th hour.
By providing support to carers, and to vulnerable users of NHS services, these two organisations do crucial work. In different ways, they lift significant pressure which would otherwise fall on other publicly funded services.
The convener rightly pointed out in the course of debate that such scrutiny of the budget is a new experience for the Highland Council. He is right to make that point. I firmly believe that the budget thoroughly tested by independent, public scrutiny is a better budget than we would have had without it.
When the dust settles, though, painful cuts still remain. Their origins are in Edinburgh, with the SNP Government's use of the removal of ring-fencing to conceal massive overall cuts to decentralised spending power here in the Highlands. Much more of that power is now concentrated in the council's hands, and, as hard realities start to hit home, ministers are hoping responsibility will fall in the same direction.
MIXED REPORT OVER SUPERMARKETS
Last week saw the publication of the Competition Commission's long-awaited report into the behaviour of the big supermarkets. Inverness has a strong interest in this issue, given the massive dominance of Tesco locally — and the clear consequences it has for consumers — most notoriously over petrol pricing.
The report was a mixed bag. On competition between supermarkets, its recommendations have been widely welcomed. In particular, the Commission called for competition to be brought within the scope of the planning system — something which I have long campaigned for.
More troubling was the weakness of the report over supermarkets' dealings with small suppliers, and the damaging imbalance in competition with small shops and city centres generally.
A much stronger lead is needed in addressing these problems, and ensuring a level playing field for all.
One important action which is on the table for the Highland Capital is the Business Improvement District, which local traders will soon be voting on. I firmly believe the BID can enhance our city and its business life by going above and beyond the basic services which must be provided by the council to create a more attractive and accessible environment for shoppers.
The BID vote is a real opportunity to seize the initiative back from the out-of-town 'trolleygarchs' and prove that positive, business-led action can deliver solid commercial results.
CLEGG TACKLES ENERGY UNFAIRNESS AGAIN
Once more this week, at Prime Minister's Questions, Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg hit home on the issue of unfair energy charges. Energy companies are making scandalous profits, with Scottish Gas being the latest to join the list. The government needs to act by boosting the winter fuel payments, and handing back the windfall profits that the companies have made through the European emissions trading scheme to customers in lower bills.
On this, and a range of other issues, Nick Clegg is earning a reputation for putting the issues that really matter to families across the country firmly on the agenda. I am very much looking forward to welcoming him to the Highlands at the end of this week to speak for the first time at the Scottish Liberal Democrat conference in Aviemore.
Posted on: 26/02/2008
