Deputy Minister for Social Justice Margaret Curran is to visit the county next week.

On Monday the Minister will meet with management at the Orkney Housing Association before meeting tenants of the OIC and members of two residents' associations.

Orkney's Direct Services Organisation (DSO) made a profit of more than £280,000 in the financial year ending March 2000 - down nearly 50 per cent on the previous year.

The DSO annual report, which was accepted by councillors at the contract services meeting on Friday, showed a surplus of £282,101 - considerably less than figures for the previous year of £600,000.

General highways, maintenance, cleaning and non-statutory work saw huge drops in levels of surplus cash, while refuse collection and vehicle maintenance actually increased their profits on the previous year - rising from £42,868 to £58,010 and £16,577 to £33,413 respectively.

The amount owed in council house rent arrears in Orkney has fallen for the third year in a row.

The most up-to-date figures show that at the end of 1999-2000, council house tenants owed £30,510.

OIC assistant director of housing Mr John Richards explained that 165 out of Orkney's 900 council house tenants were in arrears.

Council house sales in Orkney totalled 46 for 1999-2000.

Orkney NFU have agreed to put political pressure on the Rural Affairs of the Scottish Executive to meet the cost of upgrading the Thurso vet lab.

At a public meeting in Kirkwall on Wednesday night it was also suggested that Orkney could be a more suitable location for the Scottish Agricultural College vet lab because of the large numbers of breeding cattle in the county. But SAC vice-principal Professor Bill McKelvey doubted if the Scottish Executive would support the establishment of a new centre in Orkney, if they could not find enough money to upgrade the existing facility in Thurso.

Full story

The social worker suspended from the OIC community social services department earlier this week has been reinstated.

A council spokesman said: "The member of staff within the community social services department, suspended pending investigation of certain matters, has been reinstated."

Salmon production in Orkney is likely to rise within the next five years according to a statement issued by the Orkney Fish Farmers Association.

The association say that while production in Orkney has remained fairly static over the past few years - 6,500 tonnes in 2000 - it could now rise to between 12,000 and 15,000 tonnes.

The report concludes: "The growth predicted in aquaculture in Orkney will require a parallel growth in further processing and related industries and it is foreseen that this will lead to increase employment on the Mainland and rural areas."

"OFFA predicts that by 2002, 270 people will be employed either directly or indirectly on the Orkney Islands."

Although members supported existing efforts being made by the council to improve school transport safety, the committee felt that other measures should be explored, including a bye-law to make it an offence for drivers to overtake a stationary school bus.

The Crown Prince of Norway is to open the new St Magnus Centre on St Magnus Day, April 16 this year, it was announced this week.

HRH Haakon Magnus is not undertaking public engagements this year because of his foreign and diplomatic studies, but he has made an exception for the St Magnus Centre opening.

The service in the Cathedral, which will precede the opening ceremony, will feature the premiere of "The Spirit and the Passion" - a piece composed for the occasion by Norwegian composer Espen Selvik, set to words by Ron Ferguson.

The Cathedral choir will sing the piece, and Mr Selvik will himself play the lur, a Norwegian hunting horn which belonged to the late King Olav, and which was gifted to the centre.

A total 44 cruise liners have already booked to visit Orkney this year. OIC director of harbours, Captain Bob Moore, said this was about the normal number of bookings for the time of year, with more confirming their interest later.

He added that Orkney was still maintaining its market share of cruise liner visits and that the Hebridean Princess was planning to visit North Ronaldsay and Papa Westray for the first time in early August this year.

Following their visit to Hoy on Tuesday, the bomb disposal unit were out on Sanday on Wednesday.

The unit visited at garden at Halyel, Lyness on Hoy on Tuesday where they dug up what was described as a dummy. The non-explosive device was removed by the unit.

The team then travelled to Lopness on Sanday to deal with what appeared to be a marine float.

Councillors are to get further legal and financial information about the implications further subsidising Loganair to operate their Inter Island service between Kirkwall and Eday, Sanday, Stronsay and Westray.

The airline's chairman, Mr Scott Grier, and their senior pilot in Orkney , Captain Stuart Linklater, gave a presentation this week to councillors this week about the level of business on the routes which are not directly subsidised by the council.

Members had sympathy with the request for additional financial help to maintain the air service to these islands, but called for further information on the issue to come back to the transportation committee.

The OIC already give a direct subsidy to Loganair to provide additional flights to Papa Westray and North Ronaldsay.

Orkney Islands Council have urged any member of the public involved in an weather-related accident on the Churchill Barriers to report it.

At Tuesday's meeting of the council roads committee, convener Councillor Hugh Halcro Johnston expressed concern over recent reports that a number of accidents on the barriers were not being reported. He went on to encourage anyone involved in an accident to report it back to the council.

Councillors heard that it was only through the reporting of these incidents that officials could monitor the situation regarding road safety.

Director of technical services Mr Jim Panton added: "We do appreciate notification because it lets us know that conditions (on the barriers) are changing one way or another."

Proposals for a pedestrian underpass between Tormiston Mill and Maeshowe look unlikely to go ahead this week, unless Historic Scotland decide to fund the project.

Speaking after Tuesday's meeting of the roads committee, chairman Councillor Fred Groundwater said that it was felt the council should not finance the underpass and related footway/cycleway.

"It would be nice to have and it would certainly be a benefit but we feel Historic Scotland should pay for it." he said.

British Regional Airlines (BRA) are to cut the cost of APEX tickets from Orkney to Aberdeen for a limited period in an effort to encourage more leisure passengers to use the route this Spring.

The airline say a return flight from Kirkwall to Aberdeen will be reduced to £89 - roughly £20 cheaper than the previous lowest fare, provided you book in advance and stay over a Saturday night.

Tickets for BRA's so-called "Price Squeeze" fare deal go on sale from February and will be available until February 12. They cover travel between March 1 and May 31, 2001.

The Royal Navy will be back in Orkney at the end of next week to progress their plans to remove the leaking oil from the sunken battleship HMS Royal Oak.

The physical work on the hull of the sunken warship is still scheduled to begin early next month when the contractors, Briggs Marine arrive in the county.

Archive story: Navy to reveal Royal Oak plan ‘within weeks’

Councillors agreed this week to get full cost details for the proposed Crowness ferry terminal before making a final decision on the location of the Aberdeen - Shetland ferry terminal.

At Monday afternoon's meeting of the transportation committee it was decided that full costings for both locations - Stromness and Crowness - were required before the final decision on the site of the Aberdeen-Shetland ferry terminal is made.

However, at the meeting Stromness councillor John Brown felt that the consultant's report on the cost of upgrading the Stromness pier and harbour had been inflated to weigh the final decision in Crowness' favour.

Marine facilities in Kirkwall and Stromness came a step nearer this week with members of the OIC's transportation committee agreeing to have project appraisals drawn up for both locations.

Councillors recommended that a full height breakwater should be provided for a marina in Stromness, and that the Basin area of Kirkwall Pier should be ruled out as a possible site, in favour of the east side of the existing pier towards Cromwell Road.

It was also agreed that the newly-formed Orkney Marinas Ltd should be consulted on the future proposals.

Council officials warned that the original estimate of £2 million might not be enough to meet the cost of providing marina facilities in Kirkwall and Stromness.

By public demand the Balfour Hospital is opening its doors again to allow members of the public the chance to see the new £5 million operating theatre, X-ray suite and laboratory.

Overwhelmed by the interest shown during Friday's open day, when just under 700 members of staff and members of the public had guided tours of the facilities, the Health Board have decided to open the doors again on Thursday evening between 5.30 - 7.30pm.

The idea came from community council chairman, Mr Spencer Rosie who said that although it could not replace the official flag of Orkney - which shows the OIC's Coat of Arms - he felt it would be an appropriate way of marking Orkney's Patron Saint's Day.

This would have added significance this year as April 16 is Easter Monday and will also see the opening of the new St Magnus Centre in Kirkwall.

OIC convener, Councillor Hugh Halcro-Johnston said that his own view was that the St Magnus Cross had become widely accepted as a community flag for Orkney, and because of its links with the Patron Saint, he would support the suggestion.

The BBC and University College London are still looking for Orcadian volunteers for a nationwide scientific survey to find our Viking heritage.

The project uses DNA from mouth swabs to identify the genetic consequences of Viking invasions. The samples are taken from men because male Y-chromosomes provide detailed information about male ancestry. In addition, men possess other types of DNA that will tell him about the female ancestral line.

To take part volunteers must be male and live within 20 miles of Kirkwall and also be able to trace either their father's father or their mother's mother to within 20 miles of the town.

A limited number of the DNA sample packs are available from the Orkney Library so anyone wishing to take part in the project, and who fulfils the above criteria, should contact the library for further details.

The announcement was made last Friday, by college principal, Dr Karl Linklater, who commented: "Over the past decade, SAC has been instrumental, in partnership with veterinary practitioners, the farming community, local authorities and enterprise companies, in establishing pioneering farm animal disease control programmes, which have had significant benefits and there is more work to do."

"If we can agree further useful projects, and appropriate funding can be secured, then we will seriously look at the need for the continued provision of a local facility."

Archive story: Closure of vet lab a "big step backwards"

With the last of the football league games played at the weekend, Thorfinn "A" took the cup for the Under 16 league with Hotspurs "A" victorious in the Under 18s. Rovers took the title in the senior league.

The Under 14 league finished last weekend with Rendall overall winners.

Between 3am and 4am on Saturday morning, the interior of the public toilets outside the Royal British Legion were damaged as well as a car parked in Junction Road and a number of items of garden furniture and bins in Whitechapel Lane and Victoria Street.

A police spokesman said that they suspected the same person was responsible for the damage and are appealing for anyone with information to contact them on 872241 or via the confidential line on 870999.

Icy roads have been blamed for a series of road accidents at the weekend.

Around 10pm on Saturday night a Peugeot 106 left the road on the Holm Branch Road, colliding with a lampost and fence. Later that evening a Vauxhall Vectra left the road near Garth, St Ola, followed shortly after by a Vauxhall Nova leaving the road at New Scapa Road, Kirkwall. Then, at 3.30 am on Sunday morning, a Ford Escort left the road at Work Road, Weyland.

There were no injuries.

Division Five North league leaders Ellon beat Orkney's First XV rugby team 27-nil in their game at Kirkwall Grammar School on Saturday.

In what was described as a hard game for both sides, the visiting Ellon side were up against an under strength Orkney side.

Dairy farmers in Orkney have expressed interest in acquiring the 1.12 million litres of milk quota given up by Roeberry Farms in South Ronaldsay last year, when the business went into receivership.

The director of development and protective services, Mr Jeremy Baster, told members of the OIC's economic development committee, that local producers had shown such an interest that each would not be able to get as much additional quota as they wanted. He added that arrangements were now being made to transfer the quota formerly held by Roeberry to other dairy farms.

Vice-convener, Councillor Jim Sinclair, commented: "This bodes well for the new creamery and for the milk industry in Orkney."

Orkney's residential and home care charges are set to rise by up to 8 per cent for 2001-2001, following recommendations by councillors.

Councillors were told at the social work and housing meeting last week that under statute, Orkney Islands Council have to pass on the full cost of providing residential care to residents through the weekly charge.

Currently the weekly charge stands at £550, next year's revenue budget will increase this charge to £595 per week - an increase of 8.1 per cent.

Elderly respite care and disability respite care charges are set to rise from £52 to £56.25 per week while domiciliary care, currently charged at £6.50 an hour, will rise to £6.95 an hour.

With phase two of the Balfour Hospital's multi-million pound redevelopment complete, the general public were invited on Friday to view the new £5 million operating theatre, X-ray suite and laboratories.

Almost 700 people turned up to see the new facilities, a response that has prompted the Health Board to hold another viewing session on Thursday before the areas are deep cleaned and put into active service.

The new phase will be officially opened by First Minister Henry McLeish early in March.

More details >

The village of Dounby has become the preferred site for Orkney's new old folk's home, being placed at the top of the list of possible sites in Orkney subject to a project appraisal.

Councillors at last Thursday's social work and housing meeting were asked by officials to identify a suitable site.

The proposed 24-26-bed facility for residential and nursing care will have up to four double rooms, four respite rooms and an en-suite bed-sit for visiting relatives. The new building also hopes to provide daycare facilities, a rehabilitation room, a visiting services room for chiropody and physiotherapy, staff room and offices and provide a base for homecare co-ordination.