Council saves if leisure services transfer to trust

COUNCIL-RUN swimming pools and libraries in the Highlands could be transferred to a charitable trust to help the cash-strapped authority save money.

Councillors will next week be asked to back a Liberal Democrat plan to hand the running of the area's culture and leisure facilities to a new arms-length operation (ALO).

It is claimed making the change could save 700,000 a year in running the services, including museums, community centres and youth services.

The council has already made 23 million savings and needs to find a further 36m over the next three years.

Drew Millar, a Lib Dem councillor and vice-chair of the education, culture and sport committee, said: "Many people are concerned that culture and leisure facilities in their communities will suffer in the cutbacks Highland Council has to make.

"By transferring the running and management of culture and leisure facilities and services to an arms-length company there would be less chance of these facilities closing or being cut.

"Many councils in Scotland have already successfully implemented this system.

"In addition to saving the council a minimum 700,000 per year a trust may be able to access additional funding, which the council cannot, to help sustain and improve these facilities for the benefit of communities."

The proposal will be discussed by the education, culture and sport committee on Thursday. If approved the ALO could be operating by next spring.

The ALO could save money by qualifying for relief for non- domestic rates. The council would continue to own its buildings which would be leased to the trust at no cost.

At present 17 of Scotland's 32 councils have services given over to some kind of ALO.