Reporting on what your councillor is doing on your behalf as the weather adds to our existing woes
Issue 97 — February 2021
Useful sources of information and contact details during this Covid-19 crisis
Orkney Islands Council website: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/ Orkney Islands Council central telephone number: 01856-873535
Orkney Ferries: http://www.orkneyferries.co.uk/ or ring 01856-872044
Loganair inter-island flights: https://www.orkney.gov.uk/Service-Directory/T/internal-air-services.htm or ring 01856-872494 / 873457
Business support: telephone 01856-886666 or e-mail business.gateway@orkney.gov.uk
NHS Orkney Covid-19 information: https://www.ohb.scot.nhs.uk/coronavirus-covid-19-latest-information
Covid-19 testing: telephone 01856-888211 British Red Cross Coronavirus Support Line: 0808-196-3651
Scottish Government Covid-19 guidance: https://www.gov.scot/coronavirus-covid-19/
OIC’s Homelessness Service: ring 01856-873535 or 07921-582962 (out of hours)
“If Candlemas Day be bright and fair, half the winter’s to come or mair …” Well, this Candlemas (2nd Feb) was bright with some snow lying, so I’m not too sure where that leaves us. Certainly some of the subsequent weather suggests more winter!
At long last the Scottish Government is indicating it plans to deliver on its pledge for fair ferry funding for Orkney’s lifeline inter-island ferries. Its 2021/22 draft budget includes £19.2 million for local authorities to run ferry services—nearly £8 million of which should be coming Orkney’s way. Assuming this budget is passed, this increase will result in the operation of Orkney Ferries being fully funded for the forthcoming financial year, and enable Sunday runs to be included on the Rousay, Egilsay and Wyre winter timetable for the first time. You’ll have to watch this space for whether RET fares become a reality or not. There is still a long way to go before our ferry service reaches the standard enjoyed elsewhere in Scotland, for there is still no commitment from the Scottish Government to assist with the expensive replacement of our agèd ferry fleet (even with catamarans!). We remain the poor relation compared to other island groups, and nothing has been said about next year! Nevertheless, I wish to acknowledge the hard work of Council Leader, James Stockan in getting us to this point.
The Inter Islands Ferry Services Consultative Forum agreed that for summer 2021, as a long as the current level of Covid-19 restrictions remain in place, we reuse the same timetable as September to November 2020—effectively a “winter plus” timetable. This decision awaits the approval of the Development & Infrastructure Committee and ratification by Full Council.
I attended (“virtually”) the final “Bird Table” meeting and received a nice letter from the Animal & Plant Health Agency’s Head of Field Delivery Scotland thanking me “for the time, support and professional expertise you brought in response to the recent notifiable disease outbreak on Sanday”. I hope it won’t be too long before the nationwide “Avian Influenza Prevention Zone” ceases to be necessary and is lifted. It’s the confined domestic geese that I feel sorry for, as soon they’ll be wanting to nest.
We had a briefing on R100, the Scottish Government’s superfast broadband commitment (not the inter-war airship). Publicly available information about this can be found on and via the webpage: https://www.gov.scot/news/delivering-r100/
Other meetings I have “virtually” attended this month include: a seminar on the situation with our ferries; a budget seminar (in which I pushed for more spending on roads repair and maintenance); an Education, Leisure & Housing Committee meeting (at which I brought up speed limits around Isles’ schools in relation to OIC’s “School Walking Routes Policy”); a Monitoring & Audit Committee meeting; an Orkney Health & Care Committee meeting; a members’ session with the Chief Executive; a North Isles Ward catch-up; an Inter Islands Air Services Consultative Forum meeting; and a Policy & Resources Committee meeting. I was also in attendance at a meeting of the Shapinsay Community Council.
If Candlemas Day be bright and fair,
Half the winter’s to come or mair;
If Candlemas Day be wet and dull,
Half the winter has gone at Yule.
Keep well (and warm) and carry on,
