Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Scotland Public Spending Debates: Highlands and Islands
The series of public spending debates continues on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Scotland, with more questions asked and issues raised from the constituents of the Highlands Islands.
The evening was chaired by senior broadcast journalist Iain MacDonald, who highlights some of the issues below:
Highlands & Islands Public Spending Review - Highland Council headquarters Inverness
Last night's public spending debate was held in the chambers of Highland Council's headquarters in Inverness, with an audience of about 50 people. The panel had representatives from the four main political parties - Labour's , Liberal Democrat , Conservative and SNP's . Campaigner Sheila Mackay and economist Tony Mackay also joined the panel for good measure.
School closures seemed to be the hot topic of the evening. We heard from the Highland Council's leadership, that schools across the area were undoubtedly going to have to close "and in significant numbers" according them "there was no way around it".
We heard views on public sector contracts going to companies outwith the Highlands,
there were calls for a relaxation of European rules to allow street lighting and even traffic lights to be switched off when they're not needed. Economist Tony Mackay told councillors that being asked to make five percent efficiency savings every year is something the private sector would take in its stride and perhaps the council should just get on with it.
Liberal Democrat representative Robbie Rowantree, who was once a Conservative, before joining his present party, admitted ruefully that he felt like someone in an old Western movie, who'd "escaped the Injuns", only to ride into another ambush.
Perhaps most surprisingly, our audience, in a show-of-hands-poll, voted for increases in the council tax to save services. Labour's Jimmy Gray suggested it would take rises of as much as twelve per cent, to have any meaningful effect.
Listen to the Highlands and Islands Public Spending Debate tonight at 2205 on Ö÷²¥´óÐã Radio Scotland and available to listen again on iPlayer.
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