Islands council warns of having to find £4m savings

Western Isles local authority Comhairle nan Eilean Siar says it needs to find about £4m to help it balance its budget for the coming year.

It said it could not keep making year on year cuts to services.

It has written to the Scottish government asking for more funding to help ease financial pressures - and to avoid having to increase council tax rates.

Council tax bills were frozen last year and households living in a band D property paid an annual charge of £1,290.75.

Council tax bills were frozen last year and households living in a band D property paid an annual charge of £1,290.75.

Over the next few weeks councillors are to discuss ways of finding savings before they meet in late February to set the 2025-26 budget.

The comhairle said major projects it hoped to progress included a new school and leisure facilities for Barra and Vatersay.

It said it would also be seeking additional funding to subsidise travel between the islands.