Women's Aid concerned by planned cut in funding

A charity offering support to women and children suffering from domestic abuse is "deeply concerned" by planned cuts to its funding from Highland Council.

Women's Aid is set to lose £78,000 as part of plans to help the local authority close a £15m budget gap in the coming financial year.

The charity's Mascha Scott said lifeline services could be affected.

The council's ruling administration said it had sought to limit the reduction in funds to a 10% cut.

Senior councillor Andrew Baxter said planning a cut in funding to Women's Aid, and other voluntary organisations had "not been an easy decision to take".

He said there had not been a reduction in support to the charity since 2015.

A meeting of the full council on Thursday will be asked to consider all savings proposed by the local authority's ruling administration.