Latest News

Hoy is set to enjoy a visit by champion cyclist and Olympian Sir Chris Hoy this weekend (29 April).

The Council is advising of changes to public transport and to Scapa Flow Museum opening times as a result of the ‘Hoy on Hoy’ events this Saturday (29 April 2023).

There’s still time to get your application in for the Council’s Cost of Living £200 grant before the closing date of Sunday 30 April.

The Council’s Service Manager (Improvement and Performance), William Moore, said: “We are delighted to have had 2,500 households in Orkney benefit from the payment, meaning half a million pounds of additional money potentially circulating within the local economy.

“We have received some wonderful feedback from grateful families who shared their stories publicly.

Unpaid carers in Orkney are being encouraged to attend a unique event in the county during May that will look at the key challenges they face on a daily basis – and, crucially, the support available to them and those they care for.

The Orkney Carers’ Conference at the Pickaquoy Centre on Thursday 18 May is believed to be the first of its kind in Scotland, and possibly the UK, and will place the needs and challenges of community heroes providing vital, voluntary care for others in Orkney, front and centre. The invite to attend is for people who look after a friend, neighbour or relative, young carers, and those working with unpaid carers.

Folk in Orkney have driven home their message re the car park machine key pads being a bit of a nuisance when it comes to entering vehicle registration details.

The Council has listened and this week the key pads are being removed – so there’s no longer any need to enter a vehicle registration when getting a ticket.

The engineer is making the changes to the machines this week. If your visit coincides with this happening and you can’t get a ticket, don’t worry, but please we ask that you stick to the one-hour free rule – or get a ticket once the machine is running again.

Chair of the Independent Ferries Community Board, Angus Campbell, will be in Orkney on Wednesday 3 May to listen to people’s views on the Scottish Government’s Project Neptune and the future of external ferry services. 

As well as meeting with local Councillors, external transport forum stakeholders, and Stromness Community Council, there will be a drop-in session for residents from 4pm-5pm on at the St Magnus Centre, Kirkwall.

PEPA – the group behind the creation of a new play area within the Papdale East Community Park – has launched an online survey to gauge folk’s final thoughts on the play park design and equipment.

The survey - www.smartsurvey.co.uk/s/PEPA-Phase2 - is seeking public feedback on the finalised play area proposals, which have been created thanks to an earlier consultation. The survey is open til Friday 5pm 28 April.

Here’s the latest roundup of roadworks underway or soon to start in Orkney from Monday 24 April.

Scottish Water are currently working on the A960 in Toab, vehicles will be controlled by traffic lights for the duration of the work. 

The collapsed culvert on the Harray Road (A986) remains covered by steel plates while replacement options are being investigated. Further information will be provided in due course once replacement works are programmed.

The Council has launched a public consultation on a proposed new variable 20mph speed limit at Orkney’s island schools.

This would bring them into line with Mainland schools which already have these in place.

The draft order – under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 – proposes to create a variable 20mph speed limit on sections of the following roads outside the schools:

“We feel a real sense of community responsibility – these are people who live and work in Orkney, some of them are our family and friends, and we want to make the services as good as they can be for all who need them or work within them now, and into the future”

Heartfelt words from the two women now leading social work services in Orkney who say they have taken on the key roles until a permanent appointment to the role of Head of Children and Families and Chief Social Work Officer is made.