NEWS FROM ORKNEY ISLANDS COUNCIL
Minister holds ferry talks in Council Chamber
The Council has welcomed a commitment from the Scottish Government that lessons learned following the sudden breakdown of the ferry Hamnavoe will be used as contingency plans are developed for any similar event in the future. Read more.
Giant cruise ship pays first visit to new pier
The biggest liner to use Scotland’s longest commercial deep-water berth has made the first of five visits to Orkney this year. Read more.
E.coli – know the risks and stay safe
Orkney Islands Council and NHS Orkney are working together to raise awareness of the impact E.coli O157 can have. For information, advice and the chance to listen again to a series of features from BBC Radio Orkney, follow this link.
For all news from Orkney Islands Council visit the 'News' tab at the top of this page.
Adverse weather alerts
OIC Updates: Links to information on disruptions to Council services and Churchill Barrier and school closures - as well as other handy numbers for when the weather is making life unpredictable.
What's New?
Pools Changeover Information
The new swimming pool at Picky is nearing completion, and is expected to be handed over to the Council at the end of May.
The existing Kirkwall Swimming Pool will close very shortly after this handover, and following that - for a period of approximately two weeks - there will be no swimming pool provision in Kirkwall.
In addition to the expected two week closure, there will be some unavoidable interruption, and a reduction in the times available for public swimming, at the existing pool during the run up to the handover. See the 'Pools Changeover Information' page for updates.
Planning consultations available for comment
The Council’s revised guidance for the development of housing in the countryside is now out for consultation.
OIC is now seeking views on the revisions and, as part of the process, the Council will also be trialling a new consultation procedure. Find out more and take part in the consulation by following this link.
The Council’s Draft Papdale Development Brief is also available for comment during a consultation running until 13 June.
The draft development brief relates to the area around the current Papdale Halls of Residence and Papdale Farm. Read more.
Have your say on Orkney’s Community Plan
Organisations involved in planning services for Orkney have put their draft Community Plan out for consultation.
The partner agencies, which include Orkney Islands Council, NHS Orkney, the Police and Fire Services, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Voluntary Action Orkney, collectively form the Orkney Community Planning Partnership (OCPP).
The Community Plan encompasses their long-term vision for Orkney. It also includes a draft Single Outcome Agreement with the Scottish Government.
This roadmap sets out what organisations involved in OCPP hope to achieve over the next three years and beyond as their contribution to Orkney’s local priorities and to the Scotland-wide ambitions of the Scottish Government. Read more.
Welfare reform advice available
The Council and Orkney Housing Association Limited are providing advice for tenants who may be affected by changes to the UK Government’s Housing Benefit rules.
Under the new rules, tenants of working age who receive Housing Benefit will be assessed for the number of bedrooms they have in their property, if they rent from either a local authority or a housing association.
If tenants are deemed to have one spare bedroom, their Housing Benefit will be reduced by an average of £10 per week. If they have two spare bedrooms, the benefit will be reduced by £20 on average per week. The “under-occupancy” rules do not apply to pensioners. Read more.