The Highland Council has fixed its budget for the new financial year at £374.7 million, which allows for a growth in many key services and contains a Council Tax increase in 2002-2003 to £50 per year at Band D.

Agreement of the spending programme from 1 April paves the way for the Council to confirm the Council Tax at a special council meeting on Thursday (14 February).

The Council has agreed to increase its spending on all the main frontline services, such as education, social work, roads maintenance, police and fire. Provision has been made to fund four new community schools at Drumnadrochit, Tomatin, Spean Bridge and Strontian, as well as to implement Scottish Executive initiatives to provide free personal care for older people; and free concessionary travel for older people.

Convener David Green said: "I believe the Budget Working Group has produced a well balanced budget, which allows for growth in all the key areas and contains the tax increase, without eating into our balances. We are clearly benefiting from the three-year budget process and we should be in a position to maintain growth and contain the tax increase in the third year of our programme in 2003-2004."

A £50 per year increase at Band D would produce a Band D figure of £939.