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Author
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Message
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Cllr David Alston
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Tuesday 15 June 2010 8:07:23 am
Strand 1 - Charging for Services [Topic now closed]
The Council already charges for a range of services. While some of these charges are set externally, for example planning fees, if we increase other charges, or introduce new charges, that would reduce some of the budget cuts the Council is having to consider. The Council would continue to offer concessionary arrangements and discounts to avoid charging people on low incomes. If we increase charges we control over the next two years, over and above inflation, that would save the Council £3.7m.
Are the public and users of services able to pay more for the services they receive?
What level of increase would be acceptable to you if it meant the service continued?
No increase - a reduction in service;
3% increase;
5% increase;
10% increase
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Greg Riddle
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Thursday 17 June 2010 2:18:18 pm
Increased Charges
I for one would absolutely be willing to pay an additional 10% in order to maintain the high standard of service we have become accustomed to receiving from the Highland Council. I know some people cannot afford to pay more, but with the various discounts and exemptions in place with the current system those on the lowest incomes shouldn't be hit too hard. As an alternative, why not only apply the 10% increase to homes above a certain band ? If you're living in a £150,000 house and you're being asked for an additional £15 per month that's hardly likely to break the bank. I'd rather cough up a wee bit extra and keep the swimming pools and libraries open, avoid cuts to frontline services such as social work etc, which benefits everyone, not just those on higher incomes.
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Carol Hart
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Thursday 17 June 2010 4:15:51 pm
Increased charges
I would pay for requesting a library book - say 50p. That's fairly common practice among other library authorities. We could also charge for internet use over the first 30 mins.
Carol Hart
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Tracey R
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Thursday 17 June 2010 7:14:24 pm
Charges
I agree with Carol I would be quite happy to pay a fee for requesting a library book or have an annual library membership fee. I think a 3% increase across the board would be acceptable. I would also charge a small entrance fee for museums.
Tracey
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Bill Cameron
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Thursday 17 June 2010 8:00:15 pm
Highland Council Charges and Tax
I certainly would not be prepared to pay more to maintain Highland Council services at their current levels. There is on the contrary an urgent need to cut both services and staff employed by Highland Council and to keep council charges no higher than at the level they are now, or preferably to reduce them significantly. Sorry not to be able to buy into the fantasy economics that attempts are being made to put forward as being acceptable or normal.
Bill in Nairn
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Keith Falconer
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Thursday 17 June 2010 10:31:00 pm
Charging for Services
No-one likes to pay more but we have to be real here. Personally I tend to agree with Mr Riddle whilst there need to be efficiencies everywhere and savings, above inflation increases are a no brainer really. I suppose this has to apply to the Council tax as well. We pay just over £9 a month for music tuition for our son. In the bigger picture this is peanuts and whilst there will always be a need for subsidised charges for the less well off, I'd happily pay double for that. Support for children with learning disabilites in school is my other main interest, and is one area I would not like to see cut, and generally anywhere where the vulnerable are affected as a general rule of thumb.
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Iain Sandison
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Friday 18 June 2010 7:04:59 am
Charging for Services
I would absolutely not agree to increased charges and am disappointed at the 'take it or leave it' approach from the council to this topic. Suggesting that the only option is to increase charges to avoid cuts to service is indicative of a lack of imagination, creativity and basic economic understanding by council staff and councillors responsible for managing the budget. What is required is a hard, independent, review of all spend from the bottom up. A proper and thorough budget review to eliminate 'discretionary' spend, to focus spend or real services and not the Politically Correct, to cut staff and/or re-grade jobs lower, to reduce councillor expenses, to make much more use of technology, to reduce social work nonsense and much more. One example is spend on Gaelic signage. For example, how can anyone argue that we should be spending on this nonsense at the same time as cutting swimming pool hours or libraries? One is a 'real' service impacting our children’s education and safety, the other is a 'nice to have' PC spend which needs to stop. There are many more example and our Councillors know it.
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Cat Mitchell
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Sunday 20 June 2010 4:46:42 pm
Charging for services
10% increase is way too much to ask, especially for those on a lower income.
I would be happy to pay 3-5% if I knew that Highland council had cut all available waste at thier end too.
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