Dr Stephen Clackson

I moved to Sanday from Germany in 2000, where I had worked as a software engineer, developing applications for German local government. I arrived with my wife, Ute, a daughter and two sons. Another daughter has been born since.

As well as having an MSc degree in computer science, I hold a PhD in physics and for a while researched and taught at Aberdeen University. In my time I have also been an educationalist, a school teacher and an airfield fire-fighter. Ute and I jointly run Clackson Partners, a German language services provider.

Prior to my election to OIC, I served on Sanday Community Council for nine years (at different times being planning rep, transport rep and chairman), sat on the Sanday School Board and Sanday Community School Parent Council, and was a member of OIC’s Parental Involvement Strategy Group.

I am now in my third term on OIC and am the third councillor to bide at Sanday’s West Manse. The first (1890-1899) was the Rev Matthew Armour, “true friend of the crofters”, and the second (1964-1978) was “champion of the North Isles”, Mrs Christine Muir. Formidable forbears for me to live up to!

Each month I write a “Letter from School Place” reporting back to ward constituents on what I am doing on their behalf. As well as being published in most island newsletters, copies can be downloaded from https://clackson.info/

Committee Membership

Details of committee membership are available in the Related Resources section on this page.

Outside Interests

I have a wide diversity of interests and belong to a variety of societies, including: the Scottish Beekeepers’ Association, Scottish Ferret Club, Orkney Heritage Society and Orkney Field Club. I am a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland and a Fellow of the Royal Numismatic Society.

On our agricultural holding we maintain a small flock of mixed poultry (which regularly win prizes at the Sanday Show) and keep bees. With many thousands of bees in each hive, we have by far the greatest head of livestock in Sanday!

HMS Royal Oak is of special interest to me, as my uncle, Ronald Clackson was one of the 835 men and boys who went down with the ship in Scapa Flow on the 14 October 1939.

I enjoy composing articles for magazines, writing letters to the press and penning poetry for public events. I have written a two-act (12 scene) play, which I hope will be staged one day (anyone interested, please get in touch).

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Councillors represent residents as part of their work in the community. A Privacy Notice is available below. This provides information about the type of personal information Councillors might collect in carrying out their work, how it is collected, how it is used and how it is stored.

Contact details

Address: C/o Orkney Islands Council, School Place, Kirkwall, Orkney, KW15 1NY
Phone: 07718100244.
Email: stephen.clackson@orkney.gov.uk

How best to contact me

Write to me, email me or, when you see me around (e.g. on your island or on a ferry), come and speak to me.

Related resources

Stephen clackson register of members interest

This document contains Councillor Dr Stephen Clackson’s register of interests, reviewed in April 2026, for the North Isles ward. It lists paid work in language services, valuation, examinations and beekeeping, as well as joint property ownership. It also records community and professional memberships, public representative roles, and a spouse’s part-time employment with Orkney Islands Council. No contracts, election expenses, share interests, gifts or hospitality are declared.