Notice is hereby given under Regulation 9 (1) of the Local Authority Accounts (Scotland) Regulations 2014 that:

a. Copies of the unaudited accounts of Orkney Islands Council, Orkney Islands Council Pension Fund, and Orkney Islands Council General Charitable Trust for the period from 1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 will be available for public inspection in the Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall between the hours of 10:00 to 13:00 and 14.00 to 16.00 Monday to Friday, from 1 July 2023 to 21 July 2023, both dates inclusive. A copy of the accounts will also be available at the following website: www.orkney.gov.uk.

The buildings of Westray - an Orkney island’s snapshot in time

A “herculean” volunteer effort by a number of folk in Westray has led to the publication of an updated second edition of Fae Quoy tae Castle, twenty years on - a book recording the island’s built heritage over the past two decades.

The first edition – Fae Quoy tae Castle – was published in 2002 thanks to the Westray Buildings Preservation Trust (WBPT) as a snapshot of the island’s dwellings houses and properties around the time of the millennium.

Stromness Primary School in Orkney is seeking a new Head Teacher to lead a “small school with a big heart!”

A vibrant and lively school with six primary classes and an early years nursery setting, the school is housed in a modern building located at the head of Hamnavoe in the historic town of Stromness, Orkney’s capital of the West Mainland!

With a school roll of around 125 pupils, the children are taught using the Scottish Curriculum for Excellence, Experiences and Outcomes.

A summary of road works underway in the county or soon to start:

Orkney fashion designer, Kirsteen Stewart, is bringing her expertise and experience in the creative industries to a new part-time role as project manager for Creative Orkney.

Kirsteen’s key focus will be on supporting and boosting the membership of Creative Orkney, which draws together traditional and contemporary professional craft makers from throughout the islands.

The project manager’s post was previously held by Edgar Balfour, who is now focusing solely on his work with Orkney Food and Drink.

Year after year we are named one of the best and happiest places to live in the country thanks to our wonderful lifestyle, rich heritage, landscapes, beaches, wildlife, a thriving food and drink sector, world leading energy innovation and community spirit like no other.

So, whether you are already here or looking to make a move - could you be part of Orkney Islands Council’s journey to make a real difference in our communities? Come and Join Us to find out!

We have an exciting and challenging leadership role available - Head of Children, Families and Justice Services and Chief Social Work Officer (CSWO), which covers health and social care Children and Families Services alongside the CSWO role.

Orkney Harbour Authority (OHA) has announced the launch of the Doon the Coast 2023 photography competition.

The contest - which showcases the best photography of life in Orkney by budding local photographers - started in 2022 but is set to be bigger than ever in 2023, with new categories introduced, a weekly ‘Pics of the week’ to be showcased in The Orcadian, and great prizes up for grabs for the winners.

Orkney’s first ever Carers Conference - also believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland - has been enthusiastically received by unpaid carers in the county, with many saying the conference was both informative and reassuring. 

A set of dowsing rods and the fantastic archaeological surroundings at Brodgar were the inspiration behind an art exhibition to take place at Orkney Museum this summer.

Local artist Samantha Gray is presenting her works under the title ‘Dowsing at Brodgar’ from June to September in Room 1 at the museum on Broad Street in Kirkwall. It was particularly important to Samantha to display her work there, partly due to her inspiration, and also as she is a Visitor Assistant at the museum during the summer.

An application will come forward to Orkney Islands Council’s Planning Committee this next week for changes to the A961 road between Kirkwall and St Mary's in Holm.

The application will allow for a right hand turn lane for potential future use of the Deepdale area as a deep water quay facility, similar to the one that serves Hatston Pier from Grainshore Road in Kirkwall

Any future deep water quay and the access road down to the site would be the subject of separate planning applications.