Eight would be great for South Ronaldsay and Burray community council

The search is on again for eight people from South Ronaldsay and Burray to represent their linked south isles communities by standing for election as Community Councillors.

One of twenty community council areas in Orkney, South Ronaldsay and Burray has been without its own community council for a year now, due to only attracting three of a necessary minimum of five candidates (but preferably eight) in the 2022 community council elections.

Now, as allowed under regulations and following a required rest period of 12 months, Orkney Islands Council is gearing up to re-open nominations from community members, for an available eight seats at the table.

Nominations opened on 5 July – with folk required to nominate themselves – and will close on 15 August.

Councillor Gillian Skuse has been attending community council meetings around the county – but as ward member for East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray she says the opportunity to work with a community council representing linked south isles folk has been a huge miss: “Sitting in these meetings around the county I have witnessed time and again how valuable detailed local knowledge is when it comes to resolving problems, and coming up with solutions that are a real fit for the community concerned, and even identifying issues before they become an issue! I think it’s vital for the Council, and vital for communities, and I would want to see this in place again for my ward constituents in South Ronaldsay and Burray. I think we all want to see a community council in action here.”

In recent years, the South Ronaldsay and Burray Community Council have been involved in distributing funds to community groups and representing local people’s concerns and aspirations on a range of Council services.

Each community council in Orkney is allocated funds each year to grant to community groups and initiatives. For South Ronaldsay and Burray, the amount for 2023-24 is £4,360.32 which includes around £700 to support non-Council run community centres in the area.

The Council’s Democratic Service team has been overseeing applications and grant payments while the Community Council has been inactive.

Karen Greaves, Corporate Director, Strategy, Performance and Business Solutions said: “Officers are making those funding decisions at the moment, and while we’re following really clear policy to guide those decisions we’re also keenly aware it’s not the same as having community members, with their wealth of local knowledge, leading those deliberations. I think everyone would agree it’d be great to see a good number of candidates put themselves forward in coming weeks.

“Community Councils are also vital grass-roots level link between the Council and our communities – we really do rely on feedback from our communities when it comes to shaping the finer detail of services and policy. But they’re also widely and regularly consulted by other public agencies too, so in that way a community councillor is really helping shape the whole Orkney community, not just services run by the Council.”

If more than eight people nominate themselves to stand as Community Councillors, a voting process will be triggered, with ballot papers issued in early August, with the aim of having the first new Community Council meeting in early September 2023.

However, the stark warning from Karen is that if too few candidates stand for election, the Council and community would need to wait until the next full Community Council elections - in 2027 – to try and recruit again.

“I would therefore urge people who want to have an impact on services in South Ronaldsay and Burray and a say in how they could be improved, and who have passion for seeing their community supported to flourish, to put their names forward during the nomination process this July and early August.”

Only individuals entered on the current Register of Electors for the South Ronalday and Burray Community Council area can stand as a candidate and can propose, second and vote for a candidate.

Nominations must be made by persons eligible. (Nominations open 5 July and close 15 August.)

For more information, or to obtain nomination forms, contact Democratic Services on 01856 873535 ext 2264 or email at communitycouncils@orkney.gov.uk or download a form at www.orkney.gov.uk/communitycouncils