Festival cash waiting to be spent

Highland 2007 ended in a blaze of fireworks. Pic by Roderick Read

A council has still to spend more than £5m out of £6.8m it budgeted for a year-long arts and culture festival which ended on Saturday.

Just over £1.6m was spent on Highland 2007 up until 30 November.

A report to Highland councillors said some grants for community projects had not yet been completed and claimed.

Convener Sandy Park said the funding was for building works and, though work was progressing well, there had been delays with some projects.

Mr Park said: "However, by the end of the financial year at the end of March, only an estimated £445,000 will be unspent and this money will be carried forward into the 2008-9 budget.

"No monies will be lost."

Thursday's education, culture and sport service committee will be told the situation was also due to delays with Ferrycroft/Lairg Auction Mart, Sutherland Sports Facility and Caithness Regional Sports Facility.

Scotland's Highland Year of Culture climaxed with a torchlight procession and fireworks from the Kessock Bridge at Inverness.

The fireworks were watched by an estimated 50,000 people.