Latest News

It's been a tricky week in Orkney, with heavy snow fall, drifting and difficult road conditions leading to service disruptions - including to waste and recycling collections and facilities. 

Following two days of weather disruption – and coming off the back of the Christmas break – huge efforts have gone in today into getting as many of Orkney’s schools, nurseries and education establishments open as possible for tomorrow.

Please see table for bus service updates:

The most popular names for Orkney’s newborn babies in 2025 have been shared by the Council’s Registrar Service.

A team of S3 students from Stromness Academy have secured a £3,000 grant for Soma’s Light through the Youth and Philanthropy Initiative (YPI).

 The Council is inviting local businesses to have their say in the 25/26 business survey. 

Orkney Islands Council is launching a campaign early next year aimed at encouraging families to put in place Power of Attorney arrangements for their loved on

A potential flapper skate (Dipturus intermedius) egg nursery has been discovered in Scapa Flow.

If proven as an egg nursery site, this would be only the second one of its kind found in the world, with the first flapper skate egg nursery site identified at Red Rocks, west coast of Scotland in 2019.

 The Council is inviting local businesses to have their say in the 25/26 business survey