Latest News

On 17 November 2025, Orkney Islands Council made the above-named order under the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

The effect of the order, which comes into operation on 8 December 2025, will be to create a twenty miles per hour speed limit on various sections of roads on the Orkney mainland and the isles.

Christmas tree lighting events are taking place across Orkney from tonight through to early December.

Stenness Community School has been awarded the Reading Schools Silver accreditation by Scottish Book Trust, achieving the second tier of the national programme which supports schools to build a culture of reading.

At Policy and Resources Committee today, a number of items were heard in private due to the nature of the reports.  We can provide the following updates from the meeting. 

Orkney Islands Council is reminding householders there will be reduced kerbside recycling collections over the festive period.

A summary of road delays and closures due to road and building/utility works, cruise visits and events for the week starting Monday 24/11/2025.

An event will take place in Kirkwall next month to mark 50 years since the official formation of Orkney Islands Council.

Council house tenants across Orkney are being invited to drop-in events this December to learn more about tenant participation and how they can help shape housing services.

The tendering process for securing a shipyard for the design and build of new ferries for Phase 1 of Orkney’s Ferry Replacement Programme is underway. 

The Orkney Community Planning Partnership (OCPP) is pleased to announce that its Cost-of-Living Task Force has recently awarded £214,000 of funding from the Scottish Government's Islands Cost Crisis Emergency Fund towards a range of projects that will help individuals and families across Orkney who are struggling with the ongoing cost of living crisis.