Cllr Margaret Davidson

The council’s three-year change programme, A Sustainable Highland, was approved by the Highland Council as it confirmed its revenue budget for 2019/20.

A Change Fund of £2.5 million has been set aside to help resource and deliver the change programme.

Investment of an additional and recurring £1.5m for roads maintenance was approved as a priority area. Members also agreed to raise the council tax by three per cent.

Cllr Alister Mackinnon, budget leader, said: “It is time to change how we do things and so this is a budget for change. The change fund is an exciting element of our budget strategy and will underpin our programme of change over the coming year.”

Cllr Margaret Davidson, leader of the council, added: “This is a decent, thoughtful and ambitious budget which will help move us into the future, protecting jobs and services. It aims to set the Council on a journey of much needed change. We are all ambitious for improvement and what has struck me is the huge buy-in from all staff in challenging circumstances.

“This budget will enable us to be sustainable and I am really confident that we have the necessary knowledge and expertise in our top team to take forward the change programme that is required.”