School mergers and a council tax increase cannot be ruled out as emergency measures to help tackle the Highland’s budget crisis.
The schools issue has always been met with fury from remote communities where pupils would face longer journeys.
But Highland Council’s resources chairman Bill Fernie believes further “amalgamation” of some areas of service could be needed to meet some of the challenges ahead.
Mr Fernie is part of a four-man independent group task force newly established to go through the spending programme with a fine-tooth comb.
It has already been nicknamed “the four men of the apocalypse” by opposition councillors.
Asked if education would take the brunt of cuts he said: “The Scottish Government has already told us we can’t reduce the number of teachers, which is a difficulty because sometimes if school rolls change you may not need ‘x’ amount of teachers, we could slightly reduce to match the number of pupils coming in.
“If we can’t do that it might be that we need to look at how we shift staff around and that’s not easy.
“We have to find efficiencies within all departments.”
Councillor Fernie hit back at criticism last week from Liberal Democrat leader David Alston over the administration’s decision to delay publishing its 2016-17 budget, from December to February.
The Wick councillor and former education chairman said: “The most sensible time to have it is when we traditionally did have it – in February – along with most other Scottish councils, so everybody is aware of what’s happening. I think you can make better judgements.
“Having it in December when everybody’s busy with other things isn’t the best way to go forward.”
Mr Fernie believed wider consultation was needed if Highland was considering breaking loose and increasing council tax in defiance of a further Scottish Government imposed freeze,
He said: “We would have to speak to other councils to find out what’s happening. I don’t think there would be any mileage in Highland Council going it alone because we would inevitably get our wrists slapped with a reduction in the grant settlement.
“If there was a substantial move by other councils at the same time and agreement was reached through the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, then we could perhaps look at heavier lobbying of the Scottish Government. I think you would probably have to have a majority of the councils on board.”