Orkney’s magnificent St Magnus Cathedral has enjoyed a little facelift.

Conservation works included repointing stonework with lime mortar on the interior and exterior of the West Front. The works are completed for now and the scaffolding is coming down.

Orkney Islands Council is hosting a flood resilience community engagement event this month (September) with a visit from the Scottish Flood Forum (SFF).

There are 680 residential and 460 non-residential properties deemed to be at risk of flooding in Orkney according to the 2015 Flood Risk Strategy for the islands. Over 90% of identified risk is from the sea with the remainder from surface water and overtopping watercourses.

Orkney Islands Council is reminding members of the public who use a Post Office card account to receive their benefit payments that these accounts are being discontinued from November.

Seven local third sector services have been awarded a total of £100,783 from the first round of the OIC’s Third Sector Emergency Covid Fund.

Orkney Islands Council’s Environmental Health team are reminding local food businesses that new legislation which requires food businesses in Scotland to include detailed ingredient and allergen information on labels for prepacked for direct sale (PPDS) foods will become law on 1 October 2021.

As of Thursday lunchtime (9 September) there were 13 positive PCR test results and a further 6 positive lateral flow results that are awaiting PCR tests from the West Mainland cluster.

NHS Orkney Consultant in Public Health, Sara Lewis, said the Public Health team was working with education colleagues to contain the spread of the virus in our community.

An “inspiring” Orkney teacher who works tirelessly to make society a better place for everyone has been named as the first ever recipient of the Saroj Lal Award in recognition of his outstanding work in challenging discrimination and promoting equality.

NHS Orkney Public Health and Orkney Islands Council are working closely to contain a COVID cluster in the West Mainland that involves several school children.

Orkney's emergency services are pleading with locals and visitors to take care when enjoying our coastline following a recent cliff collapse at Birsay.

Folk in Orkney are being asked to feedback into a survey on the revised Orkney Ferries fare structure which has been in place now for nearly three months.