Firth and Stenness Community Council needs you

The call is out for community members in Firth and Stenness to help champion their local area by coming on board the Community Council at a meeting next month.

One of twenty community council areas in Orkney, Firth and Stenness Community Council represents the area, playing a vital role when it comes to feeding back to Orkney Islands Council and other organisations the unique needs and ambitions of local residents.

It currently has four members – the minimum required to convene meetings.

A special meeting of the community council, taking place at 7pm on 2 July in the Firth Community Centre, will give local residents the opportunity to add to that number. There are up to four additional seats on the council available.

Locals interested in serving on the community council can either attend the meeting in person, or, if they’re unable to attend in person they can put in writing their willingness to stand to Orkney Islands Council, addressed to the Community Councils team.

Firth and Stenness are vibrant communities within stone’s throw of Orkney’s Heart of Neolithic Orkney World Heritage Site, with equally vibrant and active schools and community associations.

OIC West Mainland Ward Councillor Jean Stevenson attends community council meetings as often as she can: “Time and again I’ve seen local knowledge and concerns offered at community council meetings help lead to real gains for residents - that can only be enriched in Firth and Stenness by having a few more folk pull their chairs up to the table.”

Every community council in Orkney is allocated funds each financial year to grant to community groups and initiatives - for Firth and Stenness, the amount for 2024-25 is £4,433.90. There is also around £1,000 available annually through Community Council Grant Scheme funding to support non-Council run community centres in the area.

Karen Greaves is OIC Corporate Director, Strategy, Performance and Business Solutions: “Community Councils are a vital grass-roots link between the Council and our communities – feedback from our communities really does help shape the finer detail of services and policy.

“They play a crucial role in keeping the Council abreast of issues and challenges in the community, which really came into the fore during the pandemic.

“They’re also widely and regularly consulted by other public agencies too, helping guide decisions that affect the whole Orkney community. And of course they have a direct say in how the funds awarded to them from OIC are spent.

“It’s an interesting but very rewarding role. I’d therefore urge people with a passion for seeing their community flourish, and contributing to the way services are delivered around Orkney, to put their names forward.”

If more than four people nominate themselves (either in writing or in person) to stand as Community Councillors on 2 July, a voting process will be triggered at the meeting, with the new members elected on the night and announced by Orkney Islands Council via its website the following day.

Only individuals entered on the current Register of Electors for the Firth and Stenness Community Council area can stand as a candidate and can propose, second and vote for a candidate. Anyone interested in standing but unsure of their status on the electoral roll should contact the Orkney Electoral Registration Office at 8 Broad Street, Kirkwall - phone 01856876222 or send an email to ero@orkney.gov.uk

For more information, contact Democratic Services on 01856 873535 ext 2264 or email communitycouncils@orkney.gov.uk  or visit the Council website.