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.

Folk in Orkney are being invited along to a Social Security Scotland information session in the Carnegie Room in Orkney Library and Archive on Thursday 27 April 2023 between 1pm-4pm to raise awareness of their benefits and provide information on their Local Delivery service.

Additional information will be provided on all 13 benefits currently available, including Adult Disability Payment.

The Orkney Local Delivery Team will be on hand to tell you about the benefits they deliver and the support they can provide at your home, in the local community or on either video or phone calls.

People in every Local Authority, including Orkney, can book an appointment with a Client Support Adviser by contacting Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222.

For more information on their benefits, please see www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/benefits.

The Kirkwall Pop-Up Prom dates to book your place to find a special free outfit have changed.

These will now go ahead on Thursday 11 May 5-8pm, Friday 12 May 11-4pm and Saturday 13 May from 2-6pm within the Kirkwall Town Hall.

The Stromness Pop-Up date remains Saturday 29 April in the Stromness Community Centre from 11am-7pm.

The Council’s Wendy Bowen has the golden touch when it comes to sewing, creating a number of her own outfits from scratch.

But her latest design is fit for a dancing Queen, complete with royal guards, beefeaters, palaces, the crown jewels, golden coaches and the Union flag!

Wendy, who is a Quality Improvement Officer with the Education Service, is heading south with her own Prince Charming, aka husband David Bowen, for the King’s Coronation weekend and felt she needed some special attire for the royal occasion!

The Council and Orkney Housing Association Ltd are keen to discuss tenant participation opportunities with social housing tenants during a number of drop-in sessions in Kirkwall and Stromness.

Tenant participation provides tenants with the opportunity to work with their landlord to improve aspects relating to housing services. Tenants can get involved through a variety of methods, including:

Orkney Islands Council has sent a clear warning to the Scottish Government today, to say that they will be entirely opposed to the introduction of Highly Protected Marine Areas in Scotland’s seas.

Improving and adding to the harbour infrastructure in Orkney waters should support substantial economic growth in the county - but the business case for the project must fully stack up for the Orkney community before any final decisions are made by the authority or project funders.

A £400,000 fund has been made available by the Council to assist communities improve their playpark equipment.

The Playpark Renewal Fund, created thanks to Covid-19 recovery funding and managed by the OIC Sport and Leisure service, is now open for applications from eligible organisations.

The one-off recovery fund is geared towards improvement projects within play areas, not for routine maintenance, and those applying will be encouraged to seek external match funding.

The Council’s third new tug - Freyja of Scapa – will be officially named by two young Orkney namesakes at a ceremony at Scapa Pier on 15 May.

Five-year-old Freyja Hazel Seatter, from Orphir, and Freya Evans, 9, Tankerness, have been invited to perform the official duty.

Cheryl Seatter – Freyja’s mum – said the youngster was quite excited when she found out she was going to be naming a boat with the same name as herself!