Environmental Health

Orkney Islands Council's Environmental Health team has the task of identifying and controlling anything in our environment that poses a risk to the health and well being of people living in our community.

Their remit includes the places we live in, the food and water we eat and drink, the air we breathe, and the places where we work or enjoy leisure time. The Council’s Environmental Health officers provide advice and information on all of these issues and have extensive powers to ensure health is protected, maintained and improved.

All Environmental Health pages can be accessed from the 'More pages in this section' menu.

Busking

You don’t need a licence to brighten our streets with busking, but you do need to take steps to ensure you are not causing an issue for residents and businesses - here’s how to busk responsibly!

• busk between 9am and 9pm
• play at a considerate volume so passers-by can hear you, but nearby businesses and residents are not disturbed
• move on to another spot at least 50 meters away after one hour – or sooner if your repertoire is limited

Here’s what to avoid:

• Don’t set up within 50 metres of another busker
• Don’t spread out equipment that could get in pedestrians’ way
• Avoid busking near doorways or cash points

You should stop busking or relocate if anyone complains about what you’re doing. Not moving on when asked to by a Police Officer is an offence.