Museums and swimming pools have been earmarked for closure as part of Highland Council's efforts to meet a major multi-million pound funding shortfall over coming years.

The council has already identified more than £12m of savings in 2010-11 and more than £11m in 2011-12 and 2012-13, including the reduction of the number of local swimming pools and museum provision. However, an extensive public consultation process is due to be launched in order to help Highland Council meet a budget gap of £36m in 2011-12 and 2012-13, which will run between March and the end of June.

David Alston, the council's budget leader, said: "The consultation exercise is needed to raise public awareness of the budget challenges facing the council in the light of the expected reductions in public finance nationally and the £36m budget gap we have to plug. "We need to be clear though that with a 12 per cent reduction in public sector funding generally assumed from 2011 onwards, that business as usual is not an option. We will have to look at arranging services differently and possibly even stopping some activities."