Council budget

The Comhairle faces making redundancies and cuts amid over £13 million of cash woes for the next two years.

A further £1.3 million "pressure" on social care may be offset by a potential share of a proposed £250 million pan-Scotland pot the Scottish Government has earmarked for social care partnerships.

This cash would be distributed via health boards and may ease the Comhairle's financial woes as it is aimed at integrating health and social care services which are partly council-funded.

So far, areas where cutbacks and savings of £8 million could be made have been identified by council officials.

That includes £6.3 million this year and another £1.7 million for 2017/18.

But a further £5 million needs to be found to help balance the books until 2018.

Councillors are mulling over where to slash spending on the run-up to making a final vote in February.

The council plans to hold consultation road shows for islanders to have their say.

Comhairle leader, Angus Campbell, said: “I hope our communities will take part in this budget consultation and give their views on what their priorities are."

He added: "Due to past financial management we are in a more fortunate position than some other local authorities in setting our budget.

"However having to find this level of savings on top of the savings made over the past few years is challenging to say the least.”

Comhaire faces £13 million cash woes

14 January 2016