Latest News

Orkney’s “Queen o’ the Isles” – Westray – is a very special community and the Council is seeking an equally special person to lead the island’s school.

An exciting opportunity has arisen for a Head Teacher at the Junior High School, which caters for 87 pupils, aged from 3-16, in Westray - one of Orkney’s North Isles.

Westray is a thriving, forward-thinking community but, equally the near 600 residents are proud of their history and heritage.

A 10km surveillance zone put in place following the discovery of a highly pathogenic strain of Avian Influenza (H5N1) at a premises in Birsay has now been lifted.

The declaration was made on the advice of Scotland’s chief veterinary officer and signed by Rural Affairs and Islands Secretary Mairi Gougeon on July 6 to try and prevent any further spread of disease.

If you’re visiting beaches and other popular countryside locations in the next few weeks, you might spot a change in the bins.

The waste team are trialling ones that are better suited for the types of litter put in them – meaning they have smaller openings in the lid to allow for the disposal of litter and dog waste only.

Large bins currently provided at these sites are often used inappropriately, filled with household waste, bulky items or commercial waste meaning that they don’t have space for litter and dog waste.

Folk in Hoy welcomed a special visitor today  - HRH The Duke of Rothesay.

If you are planning an evening at the cinema, a meal out or just visiting family and friends, there’s a new late night bus service leaving Kirkwall and serving East Mainland, West Mainland and Kirkwall & Orphir on Friday and Saturdays until March 2023.

The trial, which began on 1 July 2022, is being run at no extra cost to the Council with funding from the Scottish Government’s Smarter Choices Smarter Places scheme, with buses operated by Stagecoach.

A reminder for anyone interested in community transport that the Council’s consultation on flexible, ‘on-demand’ bus services closes on 7 August.

Flexible on demand bus services or ‘demand responsive transport (DRT)’ services typically operate in local areas where there are few or no conventional bus services.

Orkney Islands Council is reminding local families and young people that anyone aged under 22 is eligible to travel for free on buses in Orkney - and right across Scotland - if they have an up-to-date National Entitlement Card or Young Scot Card with the free travel included on their card.

The Scottish Government recently launched a new website www.freebus.scot  to help guide young people and their families through the process of applying for the free travel.

A number of parents have spoken of the delight felt by their children who took part in the Inclusive Cycling and Activities Event at Orkney’s Picky Centre at the weekend.

OIC Sport and Leisure worked in partnership with Inclusive Orkney, Ability Shetland, Picky and Cycling UK to arrange the event, with the sessions on Saturday being open to all children and adults with additional support needs and their families.

Calling all youngsters - do you want to meet a big, friendly dinosaur at the County Show?

Come along to the NSPCC stall at Bignold Park on Saturday 13 August and have your photo taken with Pantosaurus – and take part in the local competition to win Grooves vouchers and copies of the Power of PANTS books. There will also be free parent guides on the Talk PANTS campaign, keyrings and bookmarks to take away.

To be in with a chance of winning the top prize of a £50 Grooves voucher or two runners up prizes of £25 Grooves vouchers – and a copy of the book – youngsters will be asked to design a pair of pants for Pantosaurus. All the materials will be there, so just pop along, take a seat and get your artistic flair on. The winners will be announced at 3pm, but don’t worry if you aren’t around, we will be in touch to arrange your prize.

Orkney Islands Council is advising that applications are now open for assistance towards the cost of supporting young people to continue their studies.

There are two types of grants available through the Council: