Latest News

Orkney school chef Karen Bevan is gearing up for a 1,200-mile round trip to compete at the UK-wide School Chef of the Year competition in Birmingham on October 12-13.

Not only does the Stromness Primary School chef face the ever-increasing nerves, but she must also remember to pack all the equipment she needs to compete – almost everything bar the kitchen sink and the oven!

A dedicated grant supported by sportscotland to help sportspeople in the Highlands and Islands with the costs of attending competitive and training opportunities is open again for applications from Orkney athletes.

Orkney Islands Council is reminding Westray residents their collection day for waste and recycling will change to Mondays soon, from the week starting 11 October.

A consortium of Macquarie’s Green Investment Group, TotalEnergies and Scottish developer RIDG has announced their ScotWind bid for an offshore wind project west of the Orkney Islands. The two-gigawatt proposal – named the West of Orkney Windfarm – has the potential to power more than two million homes and is currently being assessed by the Crown Estate Scotland.

This Challenge Poverty Week, Orkney’s Child Poverty Task Force is asking the community to reflect on what being poor really means to local families as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, and actions we can all take to help reduce stigma and bring about change.

Orkney Islands Council is advising that work to repair flagstones on Bridge and Albert Streets in Kirkwall is progressing well, with Bridge Street and the section of Albert Street up to Laing Street now re-opened.

Orkney Islands Council will be carrying out road patching and resurfacing works across Orkney over coming months.

It’s hard to believe that we are at this time of year again, but we are reminding folk that the Council’s Waste and Recycling Centres will be moving to the winter opening hours on Friday 1 October 2021 until 30 April 2022.

If you are planning a visit to any of our sites please check when they open and close before setting off.

More than 800 children and young people throughout Orkney have benefited from free activities as part of the Get into Summer national campaign.

Thanks to the efforts of the Council’s Active Schools team, alongside seasonal staff, a range of free fun “come and try” sports and activities were offered over six weeks during the summer holidays.

Children and staff are settling in well at the new Council-run Willow Tree Nursery, with families sharing their positive experiences.

The new facility opened its doors for children from six months to three years last month (August) addressing some of the county’s childcare needs.