The Orkney Islands Council, is the local authority for the Orkney Islands, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It was established in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of 1996.
Orkney Islands Council | |
|---|---|
 Flag | |
 Council logo | |
| Leadership | |
Oliver Reid since January 2023 | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 21 councillors |
Results of the 2022 election:  | |
Political groups | Independent (19)
Greens (2) |
Length of term | Full council elected every 5 years |
| Elections | |
| Single transferable vote | |
Last election | 5 May 2022 |
Next election | 2027 |
| Motto | |
| Boreas domus mare amicus (Latin: "The north our home, the sea our friend") | |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Council Offices, School Place, Kirkwall, KW15 1NY | |
| Website | |
| www | |
It provides services in the areas of environmental health, roads, social work, community development, organisational development, economic development, building standards, trading standards, housing, waste, education, burial grounds, port and harbours and others.[2] The council collects Council Tax.
The council is also the harbour authority for Orkney and its marine services division manages the operation of the islands' 29 piers and harbours.[3]
History
editOrkney had been administered by Commissioners of Supply from 1667 and then by Orkney County Council from 1890 to 1975. The county council was abolished in 1975 and replaced by the Orkney Islands Council, which also took over the functions previously exercised by Orkney's lower-tier authorities, being the town councils of the two burghs of Kirkwall and Stromness, and the councils of the area's landward districts. The new council created in 1975 was an islands council of an area legally called Orkney.[4]
Further local government reform in 1996 introduced single-tier council areas across all of Scotland. The councils of the three island areas created in 1975, including Orkney, continued to provide the same services after 1996, but their areas were re-designated as council areas. The geographic area's legal name was changed from Orkney to 'Orkney Islands' as part of the 1996 reforms, allowing the council to retain the name 'Orkney Islands Council'.[5] The council has been a member of the Islands Forum since 2022.
Political control
editThe first election was held in 1974, with the council initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A majority of the seats on the council have been held by independent councillors since 1975.[6]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 1975–present | |
Leadership
editPolitical Leaders
edit| No. | Political Leader | Party | Period in office | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | James Stockan[7] | Independent | 2017–2024 | 2017 2022 | |
| 2 | Heather Woodbridge | Independent | 2024–present | 2024 |
In February 2024, Heather Woodbridge was announced as the new leader for the council. She is the first woman to lead the Orkney Islands Council, and at 29 years old is the youngest local authority leader in Scotland.[8]
Conveners
edit| No. | Convener | Party | Period in office | Election | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Marwick | Independent | 1974–1978 | 1974 | |
| 2 | Edwin Eunson | Independent | 1978–1990 | 1978 1982 1986 | |
| 3 | Jackie Tait | Independent | 1990–1994 | 1994 | |
| 4 | Hugh Halcro-Johnston | Independent | 1994–2003 | 1994 1999 | |
| 5 | Stephen Hagan | Independent | 2003–2012 | 2003 2007 | |
| 6 | Steven Heddle | Independent | 2012–2017 | 2012 | |
| 7 | Harvey Johnston | Independent | 2017–2022 | 2017 | |
| 8 | Graham Bevan | Independent | 2022–present | 2022 |
Composition
editFollowing the 2022 election, the composition of the council was:[9]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 19 | |
| Scottish Green | 2 | |
| Total | 21 | |
The next election is due in 2027.[10]
Elections
editSince the last boundary changes in 2022, the council has comprised 21 councillors representing 6 wards, with each ward electing three or four councillors. Elections are held every five years.[11]
Wards
editPremises
editThe council is based at the Council Offices on School Place in Kirkwall. The building comprises the former Kirkwall Grammar School and the neighbouring former Paterson Church, with modern extensions linking the older buildings. The former Grammar School was built c. 1890 and converted to become the council's offices in 1978.[12][13] The Paterson Church, or East Church, was built in 1847 and converted and incorporated into the council offices in the early 2000s.[14]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ Eichler, William (21 February 2024). "Orkney names Scotland's youngest council leader". localgov.co.uk. Retrieved 22 February 2024.
- ^ Council, orkney.gov.uk. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
- ^ Marine Services, orkneyharbours.com. Retrieved 3 July 2015.
- ^ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 17 April 2023
- ^ "Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 39, retrieved 17 April 2023
- ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ "Orkney Islands Council leader James Stockan to step down". BBC News. 15 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
- ^ "Orkney appoints Scotland's youngest council leader". BBC News. 20 February 2024. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ "Local Government Election – 5 May 2022". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
- ^ "Orkney Islands". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
- ^ Scottish Parliament. The Orkney Islands (Electoral Arrangements) Regulations 2021 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
- ^ "Council move in". Aberdeen Press and Journal. 25 March 1978. p. 23. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "School Place, Orkney Islands Council Offices, formerly Kirkwall Grammar School, including boundary walls (Category B Listed Building) (LB36809)". Retrieved 13 July 2023.
- ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "School Place, Paterson Church / East Church, including boundary walls and railings (Category B Listed Building) (LB46013)". Retrieved 13 July 2023.