A reminder our roads teams are out and about across the county carrying out the current programme of surfacing and patching work.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Orkney Islands Council (OIC) have approved a funding package totalling £2.8m towards the second phase of development at Orkney Research and Innovation Campus (ORIC).

The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Minister for Intergovernmental Relations, Nadhim Zahawi, will chair the first Islands Forum in Orkney on 28 September 2022.
 

If your household receives a reminder form from the Electoral Registration Office, then you need to take action on it now.

The information that you give on this form will be used to update the Register of Electors. Even if there are no changes to the details shown there, you still need to respond so that you don’t miss the opportunities to have your say on matters that are important to you.

Are you looking for something to do this weekend?  Why not come along to Arcadia Park to join in celebrating the official opening of its new art installation this Saturday at 2pm.

Recent work by Arcadia Community Group has seen a striking landscape feature and bright, colourful new areas of wildflower planting added to the park.  And the star of the show – a series of new sculptures!  The work, which aims to enhance the park, has been funded by Sustrans Artroots fund.

St Magnus Cathedral has been shortlisted within the tourism category of the National Church Awards 2022 for its warm welcome to all.

The awards by the National Churches Trust recognise churches that make a particular effort to welcome a wide variety of users and visitors from near and far and share in their history and heritage.

Children's Hearings Scotland (CHS) are holding an information session on Monday evening (26 September) as they look to recruit volunteer panel members across Scotland (including Orkney) to help support our most vulnerable infants, children and young people.

Orkney users of the NEC (National Entitlement Card) who receive Mainland Scotland (and/or Shetland) ferry travel vouchers are being asked to help shape improvements to the service.

Transport Scotland are looking at improvements to the concession travel service that could offer a digital version of the NEC paper ferry vouchers, which could be electronically stored on NEC smartcards, like the bus pass is.

To ensure that any potential changes meet folk’s needs, they want to speak to users to best inform any future improvements to the service and allow people the opportunity to help shape the changes.

If you are an Orkney resident and NEC cardholder over 60 years old; or living with disability or aged between 16 and 18 years then Transport Scotland wants to hear from you at an event on Wednesday 21 September between 13:00 - 14:00 in the Kirkwall & St Ola Town Hall and Community Centre, Meeting Room 3.

If you are unable to attend but would like to provide feedback, or you have any questions please email saltirecard@gov.scot or call Keli Donnelly on 07826903834.

This does not involve Orkney’s internal concessionary travel on the inter-isles ferries – only ferry vouchers in relation to travel to Mainland Scotland (and/or Shetland).

Members attending today’s OIC Policy and Resources Committee meeting stood for one minute’s silence in memory of Queen Elizabeth II just after 9.30am before undertaking the business before them.

After a 70-year reign, Queen Elizabeth II was laid to rest at St George’s Chapel, Windsor yesterday, Monday, following a national state funeral.

Directions for the registration service

In accordance with sections 14(1A)(b) and 23(1A)(b) of the Registration of Births, Deaths and Marriages (Scotland) Act 1965 (as amended by the Coronavirus
(Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022), and with the approval of the Registrar General, the District Registrar for the registration district of Orkney Islands
directs as follows, with effect from 24 September 2022.