Councillors yesterday handed third sector sports, culture and leisure organisations breathing space by unanimously voting to maintain funding levels for the upcoming financial year.
The level of commitment, determined at the Care, Learning and Housing committee meeting, ensures funding in the region of £617,000 will continue to be delivered to facilities over the course of the next 12 months, with solutions sought thereafter, as the local authority fights to make savings of around £200,000 from the committee’s budget for the 2020/21 financial year.
Funding granted by the committee spans the breadth of the region, including funding to leisure facilities at Mallaig Swimming Pool and Aviemore Highland Resort, as well as to village halls and sports councils.
Funding of £75,000 still remains in place for the Caithness Horizons Museum, with discussions remaining open as to whether a solution can be found to allow the facility to reopen. A decision was made last month by members of the Caithness Horizons Board to cease operations due to concerns over financial stability.
Highlighted during the forum by Councillor Derek Louden was ways in which Highland Council and councillors could better help those organisations who are being forewarned about the savings measures, with suggestions made relating to using renewables to generate income or even lower rates on buildings owned by the local authority.
Mr Louden said: “A number of these are leisure facilities and the chances are that a number of them are going to be able to use either solar thermal or solar PV to generate income or to lower their costs.”
A cross-party working group is to be formed, consisting of councillors of the committee, to assist with developing recommendations in regards to the required savings.
Councillor Ron MacWilliam welcomed the proposal of a cross-party group, before questioning how funding could be better distributed.
He added: “Much of this is going to depend on how finances are reprioritised in the years ahead rather than sailing straight into crisis with leisure facilities. Over the next year we should concentrate on, for example, the Aviemore Highland Resort and whether £180,000 to the private sector is value for money for the council.
“I personally do not believe it is.
“Unless you are getting a particularly good deal from the private sector we really need to look at how these facilities are being financed through public finance, looking at the long term sustainability.
“Put it short, there really ought to be a publicly-owned swimming pool in Aviemore and it shouldn’t have taken this long to get to the point of having that discussion.”
Formal communication will now be issued by Highland Council to organisations, with a letter outlining that, if affected by funding changes, they will be informed of the change by September 30.