Highland Council has agreed to a new approach to future strategic capital planning to help improve its operating efficiencies.
The council owns more than 3,500 assets and is conducting a full review of its asset base in light of significant challenges in maintaining its estate, which includes schools, public buildings and offices, roads, bridges, parks, and monuments.
The approach is intended to bring better coordination, strategic oversight and direction and improved utilisation of available capital and revenue budgets.
Chairperson of housing and property, Councillor Glynis Campbell Sinclair, said: “The council owns a vast number of properties and other assets, and it is time critical that we reduce, manage and improve the functionality and efficiency of each.
“We are facing incredible cost pressures and our property maintenance and energy costs far outweigh the available budget.”