Orkney composer is president of SALVO

Sanday-based composer, Sir Peter Maxwell Davies, has agreed to become president of a group to lobby for more funding for the arts in Scotland.

The newly revived Scottish Arts Lobby Voice, SALVO, will help co-ordinate discussions with patrons who might give financial support to a variety of projects and events.

Sir Peter highlighted the St Magnus Festival as a good example of an event which attracted a lot of private sponsorship as well backing from the Scottish Arts Council.

Police Inspector to leave Orkney

Police Inspector Paul Eddington is leaving Orkney to take up a post at the Northern Constabulary Headquarters in Inverness.

Inspector Eddington, who has been Orkney’s Police Inspector since November 1999, said that although he was looking forward to taking up his new post, he had “mixed feelings” about leaving the county.

Commonwealth champion leads fencers in weekend of training and competition

Commonwealth foil champion Donnie Mackenzie was in Orkney for a weekend of training and competition, hosted by Orkney Fencing Club.

Around fifty fencers participated in the event, which ran in the Pickaquoy Centre from Friday until Sunday.

The Scottish Executive have washed their hands of the ongoing debate over whether seamen transferring from P&O to NorthLink will have their conditions protected by current employment law.

They were responding to a letter from Conservative MSP Jamie McGrigor, to Transport Minister Lewis Mcdonald regarding the so-called TUPE regulations, asking the Minister to clarify “a very worrying situation for many people”.

A Scottish Executive spokesman said: “The Executive’s position is that TUPE is a matter of law which is ultimately for the courts to decide, and Ministers have no locus in the matter.”

Carmichael calls for BA price cuts

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael is calling for British Airways to offer cheap flights to and from the Northern Isles, similar to those on offer in other parts of the UK, including the Western Isles.

Mr Carmichael is raising the matter with senior British Airways management, who announced earlier this week that the cost of some flights to the Western Isles would be cut by up to 66 per cent.

National helpline part of PDV project

A national helpline - part of a £250,000 project to find out more about the deadly seal virus Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV) - is being set up.

The Scottish Executive is among the public bodies funding the nine month project.

Anyone finding an affected seal should contact Ross Flett at Orkney Seal Rescue on 831463 or call the helpline on 08712 447 999.

See also: Orkney alert after seal virus confirmed in UK

September date for Hrossey's first visit

People in Orkney will have the chance of seeing the first of NorthLink's vessels serving Orkney next month with the Hrossey in the county for her naming ceremony.

The Orkney-Shetland-Aberdeen vessel is due to arrive in Kirkwall for her naming ceremony on Saturday, September 28, with an open day the following day.

The ferry's name, Hrossey, was the Old Norse name for the Orkney Mainland.

Quality of life cash diverted to transport shortfall

Orkney Islands Council have used a cash grant, aimed at looking to improve the quality of life in Orkney, to fill this year's cash shortfall for internal transport services.

Although it has been agreed to use the £571,000 grant to meet the shortfall, the OIC stress that a mechanism was still needed to bridge the gap in future years.

Archive story: OIC could switch cash windfall to air and ferry services

August start for Norse Island Ferries

New Shetland ferry company Norse Island Ferries have announced they are to start their new service on August 27.

But although the company met with organisation in Orkney this week, there are still no concrete plans to include calls past Orkney in their schedule.

Archive story: Norse Island Ferries announce freight
and livestock plans to rival NorthLink

Broken equipment blamed for waiting list surge at Balfour

A piece of broken medical equipment has been blamed for a recent surge in the waiting list for general surgery at Balfour Hospital.

The number of people waiting for general surgery had almost doubled last month to 104.

Former chief executive opens St Magnus Fair

The annual St Magnus Fair took place in Kirkwall on Wednesday afternoon, opened by former OIC chief executive Graeme Lapsley.

The annual event, held in the shadow of St Magnus Cathedral, escaped the worst of the forecast weather.

Orkney alert after seal virus confirmed in UK

Fears of a deadly seal virus returning to Orkney are growing following the discovery of the Phocine Distemper Virus in five seal carcasses in England.

Ross Flett of Orkney Seal Rescue fears the virus - which killed over 18,000 common seals in 1988 - could return to Orkney and would like to hear of any dead seal sightings (Tel 831463).

The main switchboard at Kirkwall's Balfour Hospital was out of operation for an hour on Tuesday night, with BT engineers called in to fix a fault.

Emergency calls were still operational and the former Balfour Hospital number, 872763, remained in operation.

OIC delegation meet Executive Ministers over internal transport funding crisis

A delegation from Orkney Islands Council met two Scottish Executive Ministers in Edinburgh on Wednesday to discuss the longer term solution to the problem of funding Orkney’s internal transport service.

The five-man delegation was led by vice-convener, Councillor Jim Sinclair, and had talks with Scottish Transport Minister, Mr Lewis Macdonald and the Deputy Minister for Finance and Public Services, Mr Peter Peacock.

Orkney MSP, Mr Jim Wallace, also attended the meeting.

Archive stories: OIC could switch cash windfall to air and ferry services
Ferry cutbacks on the cards unless Executive come up with cash
Executive help sought over Orkney Ferries overspend

Local exam result help from Careers Scotland

With exam results dropping through letterboxes from Tuesday, help is now available for local youngsters considering the implications of their results.

Careers Scotland has vacancy information about courses at universities throughout the country and can give advice on how to apply for them. Anyone who would like to talk to a Careers Adviser can phone Careers Scotland on 872460 or call in to the centre at 2 Albert Street, Kirkwall.

Councillors agree to extra £200k towards broadband cable

Orkney Islands Councillors have agreed to a further £200,000 towards the cost of a submarine fibre optic cable from the Scottish mainland via Orkney to Shetland.

The extra cash request came after a major backer, oil giants Shell, pulled out of the project, which would see improved broadband communications to the islands.

The OIC have put a condition on their increased contribution that they should get part of their money refunded if there is significantly more usage of the cable than currently predicted.

Archive stories: Councillors to decide whether to
contribute to broadband cable cost
HIE welcome broadband cable funding
Doubts over fibre optic link

The man at the forefront of NorthLink’s new Orkney and Shetland ferry service is stepping down as chief executive.

John Horton will remain a consultant with NorthLink, but his day-to-day duties are being taken on by Bill Davidson, who joined the company last year.

Mr Horton said: “With the Shetland-Aberdeen ferry Hjaltland delivered on schedule and on price I considered it an appropriate point to hand over the reins of responsibility to Bill.”

Orphir woman stable after car crash

An Orphir woman is in a stable condition in Aberdeen Royal Infirmary after a road accident last week.

Karen Pyke of Smogen, Orphir was transferred to Aberdeen from Kirkwall’s Balfour Hospital after a two-vehicle collision in Orphir last Wednesday night.

Archive story: Two hospitalised after Orphir crash

Norse Island Ferries delegation meet with mart and OIC

A delegation from Norse Island Ferries - the Shetland ferry company offering a rival service to NorthLink - visited Orkney on Tuesday.

The company, who have said they were looking to expand operations and possibly include calls past Orkney, are meeting with representatives of the Orkney Islands Council and the Orkney Mart.

Archive story: Norse Island Ferries announce freight
and livestock plans to rival NorthLink