A Kirkwall councillor who recently appealed for more young people to consider becoming a councillor has announced that he is not going to stand for the Orkney Islands Council elections in May.

Jack Moodie, of Manse Road, Kirkwall ­ councillor for the Pickaquoy area in Kirkwall ­ said that his current position with the OIC is "not very secure", as he now has more commitments than he did when he became a councillor four years ago.

At the age of 34, he is currently the youngest OIC councillor, but Councillor Moodie, who works as a gardener, said he was standing down to concentrate on his "other commitments".

"As my parents would say, I am looking to get a proper job," he said.

Ironically, Councillor Moodie wrote a letter to The Orcadian last month appealing for more young people to consider becoming councillors.

He claimed that the majority of the other 20 councillors can afford to donate more time and effort to the job, as most of them are retired or run their own business.

"My position has changed from the position I was in four years ago. I had fewer commitments then and I was prepared to have a go at it. But right now I feel it would be right for me to not be a councillor for a while and do something different," he said.

He explained that he works on average around 25 hours a week in his capacity as a councillor for the basic allowance of £5,500 a year.

Councillor Moodie said that he is in support of plans from the Scottish Executive to consider introducing a flat rate of about £12,000 a year for a councillor ­ but this would only be implemented for the elections in 2007. But despite his decision not to stand for this year¹s council elections, Councillor Moodie reiterated his appeal for more young people to consider standing for election to the council.