Christmas message to staff from the Convener and interim Chief Executive

Dear Colleagues,

We find ourselves fast approaching the end of another year and the joy that the seasonal festivities bring for many.

Whether that be enjoying a well-earned break, getting together with family and friends, reflecting on the year past or looking forward to what lies ahead, we have much to be thankful for here in Orkney.

For the first time since 2019, we were finally able to get together with colleagues for a Christmas lunch or evening meal– a chance for everyone to relax outwith the work environment.

While Christmas can be magical, we are in challenging times as the cost-of-living crisis grip tightens.

People who have never before struggled emotionally and financially are feeling the pinch and it can be difficult to ask for help, but seeking support is a sign of great strength and the Council is playing a significant part in a community-wide partnership effort to steer Orkney through these turbulent times. We need to look out and be kind to one another and the Council will endeavour to do the absolute best we can for you, your friends and families, and, indeed, all our communities.

Learning from the past few years we are exploring new ways of working which may better suit your circumstances while ensuring the job gets done. For some that may mean hybrid working allowing you to balance childcare as well as work, for others being back in the office environment is beneficial.

We recognised the need to invest in our number one asset – you the staff – and this continues to move forward as new and existing roles are advertised and filled. It is vital that we strike the right balance to ensure there are enough people to ensure OIC thrives and becomes an employer of choice while also making good use of the public pound.

What is apparent however, is the dedication and commitment of you all and we would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your efforts over the past 12 months, and to offer additional thanks to those of you who are working over the festive period. We are well aware how many of you have gone the extra mile on behalf of the people we serve in Orkney. It is something we greatly appreciate.

Looking ahead to 2023 and beyond, some aspects of our economy in Orkney has been adversely affected by the pandemic and now the cost-of-living crisis and one of our priorities is to look to income generation. We are fortunate to have the Strategic Reserve Fund which was set up to help make sure we have an economy after oil – but we need to grow our economy and create opportunities for sustainable employment in the private and public for many years to come.

In addition, we must also pull together as a community in calling for fairness and equity from the Scottish and UK Governments in order to address our funding shortfalls in order to protect our core services and the jobs they sustain as we cannot compromise the future sustainability of our reserve fund.

The Council does many things well, and in these times of social media, we know how frustrating it is that staff often have to face some negativity in relation to Council decisions and operations. Unfortunately, we don’t always get it right and we need to be challenged when things go wrong, but staff who are doing their level best deserve positive feedback for their efforts. Please share your good news stories – so we can provide the public with lots of positive tales over the next 12 months.

Finally, may we both offer up our heartfelt thanks to you all across all our services for your dedication and willingness in helping to achieve such positive outcomes for the people of Orkney.

 We wish you and your families a Merry Christmas and a healthy, prosperous and Happy New Year.

Graham Bevan, Convener

John W Mundell OBE, Interim Chief Executive