The scale of the savings required at Highland Council was starkly laid out yesterday as their director of finance said that the challenge to save £80million in the next four years was the “toughest” he had faced in his career.
Derek Yule said that all options would be investigated as the local authority tried to cut even more from its budget.
A complete review of every council service is now under way to identify where efficiencies can be made.
But the budget leader councillor Dave Fallows ruled out shortening the school day to save money on teaching posts.
Other measures include saving money by turning off street lighting, amalgamating schools and charging more for council services. Mr Fallows said that more details about proposed savings would be given over the next year, and said he would deliver when news of any additional pressures – or extra funding – at a meeting in March.
Despite goading from the opposition, Mr Fallows said it would not be prudent to reveal any additional cash until then.
But opposition members accused him of “keeping good news” until just a few months before the independence referendum.
Councillors were asked to approve a council tax freeze for next year and additional savings of £3.6million.
These have been achieved by using unused contingencies set aside for teachers’ pensions and energy costs, as well as additional council tax collection.
Independent councillor Margaret Davidson said that she wanted more information, including about the entire savings for 2014/15 which were agreed in February.
She called for the budget to be deferred until next February to allow officials to present the full picture of the 2014/15 budget.
The package of savings agreed earlier this year included increases in the cost of school meals and burials and the loss of more than 140 jobs.
The total savings made are around £24million.
She said: “Defer the final consideration of 2014/15 until February 13.”
But her amendment was defeated by 40 votes to 27.
Mr Yule said that Scotland had been protected to some extent from the cuts but added that the flat cash settlement still presented a number of challenges.
He said: “I have been 25 years in local government. This financial challenge is probably the toughest I have faced.”