Comhairle community engagement launched

Western Isles council to host event on ‘radical’ service redesign

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is hosting community engagement events throughout November focusing on a what it says is a ‘radical’ programme of service redesign.

Local authorities across Scotland are faced with significant financial challenges and possible cuts to local services as a result of the enduring climate of financial austerity.

Comhairle members say they are committed to work through all services in the comhairle with communities and others to find new ways to protect public services.

Comhairle leader Councillor Roddie Mackay, commented: ‘Given the very clear challenges which we face with the current financial climate, it is more important than ever before for us to ensure the best use of resources when delivering services.

‘Since 2010 the comhairle’s funding has been cut by 17 per cent [the highest of any council in Scotland] and around 250 local authority jobs (FTE) have been lost in our community.

‘While we don’t yet know what our financial settlement from government is going to be for the next financial year we estimate we will have to make significant savings.

‘We have committed to making savings of nearly £10million through service redesign but the fact is that even more may be required.

‘I and other members do not believe that we can just cut services. We believe we have to take a more imaginative approach.

‘Officers and members have discussed a process of community engagement and empowerment aimed at identifying those issues that are important to local communities, in addition to investigating ways that could reduce the demand for some services, identify other services that could be more efficiently provided by communities, and agree which services could be changed. While this is a time of austerity and a threat to public services, this is also a time of opportunity if we work together to engage communities as partners in change.’