Highland Lib Dems make commitment on future budgets

1.30.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 2nd Jun 2009

Highland Lib Dems today announced a commitment to work with other parties at all levels of government to provide the best services to Highland communities.

A spokesperson for the Highland Lib Dems stated:

"Due to the tough economic conditions which we are now all facing the Highland Council is likely to see a significant decline in real spending power in its budgets over the next five years.

"We must have no tolerance of inefficiency and set ambitious targets to reduce unproductive and surplus facilities and services. This will mean hard decisions as we must readdress our priorities and spending capabilities but we aim above all to keep people informed.

"The Lib Dem led coalition council is committed to providing the key services which are needed by the people of the Highlands and will persevere, despite the difficulties of the current economic climate, and remain open both to new ideas and opportunities to provide services in new ways.

"The Lib Dem Group on the Highland Council refuse to allow party politics to get in the way of delivering the best possible services to communities in the Highlands and we will engage positively with the governments in Westminster and Holyrood, whatever their composition, to that end.

"We believe that there must be comprehensive deliberations at all levels of government about what we can afford to do and what we cannot; as well as targeting our resources effectively to meet the needs of our communities."