Mrs Burns previously had an application turned down due to "unsatisfactory" references, however, Orkney Islands Area Licensing Board granted the licence on Friday.

Councillor Angus Hutchison said: "Certainly the last references were far from satisfactory. The only evidence we can base our decision on is references. I am quite happy to say that these references are fine."

Orkney's assistant director of education, Peter Diamond, is seeking parents' views on the arrangements for children moving from pre-school to primary one.

Parents are being asked to consider whether their children are ready for a full day at school and to give their views on the drawbacks and benefits on any change.

Almost £112,000 of grants were approved by Orkney Enterprise (OE) in January, the largest of which are for the upgrading of three local hotels.

The Kirkwall Hotel is to receive £57,500 for the second phase of its upgrade, while the Orkney Hotel in Kirkwall's Victoria Street has been allocated £36,600. The Houton Bay Lodge in Orphir will receive £7,500.

The total for the month was £111,900.

At a special meeting of the council on Thursday, councillors voted 11-9 in favour of the reduced increase, which will see a Band 'D' property pay £973 instead of £982 - a £9 difference. Including water and sewerage the total annual figure is £1,320.76.

The amendment to reduce the rise was put forward by Stromness councillor, James Stockan, and seconded by another Stromness councillor, Angus Hutchison.

Details of plans to sink a new wreck in Scapa flow were discussed at a public meeting in Stromness on Thursdsay night.

The proposal is to provide a new wreck to increase opportununities for local dive businesses and "enhance the diving experience in Orkney".

The Orkney Dive Boat Association (ODBA) hosted the presentation in the Stromness Community Centre.

The flooding in St Margaret's Hope last month. Click here for more pictures

Orkney Islands Council is facing a clean-up bill "well in excess" of £100,000 as a result of last month's storm and flood damage.

And, for what is thought to be the first time in 20 years, the council is likely to submit a claim to the Scottish Executive for extra cash to help pay for repair work.

OIC director of technical services, Brian Thomson, explained this week that it was difficult to put a figure on the cost, as it was still rising.

Two Orkney projects are to receive a cash boost from the Big Lottery Fund.

The Peedie Breeks Nursery in Kirkwall is to receive £3,795 to refurbish the existing outdoor play surface, while the OIC is to receive £21,980 to employ a link support worker to promote learning through play throughout Orkney.

The ambulance helicopter at Kirkwall Airport during a brief visit last year

Following this week's announcement of a trial period for the proposed air ambulance helicopter, The Orcadian can reveal that the aircraft has already been brought into service and has carried out two "text book missions" so far.

Rumours that weather forced the helicopter to turn back were dismissed today.

Ambulance service spokesman John Morton said: "The helicopter carried out two missions on Friday one outpatient from Kirkwall to Stronsay and another mission up to Westray to get someone into Kirkwall.

"It did turn back to get an additional liferaft on one of those missions"

Previous story:Air ambulance trials to begin on April 1

OIC chief executive Alistair Buchan, NHS Orkney's health improvement officer Carolyn Chalmers, Dr Leslie Wilkie and Kim Fellows from the Scottish Executive, and Steve Conway, chief executive of NHS Orkney, at today's launch in the council offices, Kirkwall.

A strategy for improving the health of the people of Orkney was launched in Kirkwall on Wednesday.

The NHS Orkney and OIC document, Orkney¹s Health; Everyone¹s Business, will concentrate on encouraging healthier eating and physical activity, promoting positive mental health and relationships and reducing harmful substance misuse.

Joint health improvement policy officer, Carolyn Chalmers, said: "Every area of Scotland is expected to publish a joint health improvement plan.

"A lot is already happening here to support members of the community in leading healthy and happy lives but this is an opportunity to encourage a broader understanding of how local agencies can work together with the public to benefit our health and wellbeing."

The sponsorship takes the form of free travel and discounted fares.

Among those benefiting in Orkney is athlete Bobby Oag, the county's 2004 junior sportsman of the year, and the 2005 Orkney Folk Festival.

The inspectors named the caring and committed staff, the motivation and enthusiasm of the pupils and the high standard of reading skills as some of the school's key strengths.

Among the action points highlighted is the need to improve mental arithmetic and writing skills and improve pupils IT skills.

The full report is available online at www.hmie.gov.uk.

Following an extensive police inquiry, a 16-year-old Stromness youth has been charged with fire-raising.

The incident in question related to a holly wreath on a Stromness property being set alight.

A report will be submitted to the procurator fiscal.

The scheme would see up to £370,000 available for eligible areas within six designated Sites of Special Scientific Interest (SSSIs) in Stromness, west Westray, Papay Westray, Ward Hill cliffs, South Ronaldsay and Rousay, and the Holm of Papa Westray.

The cash would provide payments in return for the farmers' managing the land to benefit Orkney's maritime heath and maritime grassland and biodiversity.

Local SNH staff will begin contacting eligible land managers in the next few weeks.

The Pickaquoy Centre, Kirkwall

European Commission auditors, who are forcing some projects in the Highlands and Islands to pay back millions of pounds of funding, look set to investigate the Pickaquoy Centre next month.

The auditors, who describe their task as a "routine closure audit", are tracking how funding has been spent from the European Regional Development Fund. They have taken a random sample of 14 projects started between 1994 and 1999 and will look into another 26 in March.

However, the Orkney Islands Council finance department does not anticipate any problems with the accounts.

NFU Scotland has opened a helpline to assist its members in dealing with the National Reserve - a scheme available to eligible farmers and crofters to ensure they are not disadvantaged by the introduction of the Single Farm Payment in January.

The number is 0131 472 4015 (9am to 5pm) and will be operated by NFUS staff. Its opening coincides with the delivery of 10,000 National Reserve guides to NFUS members across Scotland.

The heart scanner being demonstrated at Balfour Hospital

A new piece of equipment to help combat heart disease was unveiled on Tuesday by NHS Orkney.

The echocardiography scanner, jointly funded by NHS Orkney and the Scottish Executive, is a key component of the NHS Orkney Heart Failure Strategy, which was launched on Tuesday, by the Health Board's Managed Clinical Network (MCN) for Coronary Heart Disease.

Orkney GPs will be able to refer patients directly to the scanner at a new monthly clinic starting on Saturday, February 19.

Copies of NHS Orkney's Heart Failure Strategy can be viewed and downloaded from the MCN's web site.

The EC135 helicopter in action

The Scottish Ambulance Service (SAS) is to carry out response tests of the helicopter it proposes to use in Orkney, before the new contract comes into operation.

In a letter to Orkney MSP, Jim Wallace, the Health Minister confirmed that from April 1, 2005, the SAS would use the EC135 helicopter to support patient transfers as a means of demonstrating the responsiveness and capability of the aircraft. They will also share monitoring information with the OIC, NHS Orkney and the Scottish Executive.

Jim Wallace added: "I shall be monitoring the performance figures and will work closely with NHS Orkney and the Council to make sure that the Scottish Ambulance Service is forced to take urgent action if their service falls short of Orkney's needs."

Archive story: OIC's concerns over air ambulance cover

Highlands and Islands MSP, Maureen Macmillan, is encouraging Orkney residents to respond to a Scottish Parliament web forum, set up to gather views on how to respond to climate change.

Mrs Macmillan, a member of the Environment and Rural Development Committee, commented, "The recent run of mild, windy and wet winters, together with the hurricane force winds the country recently experienced may be a foretaste of what is to come. It represents one of the biggest threats we currently face and has the ability to impact on many aspects of how we live our daily lives."

The public can put forward their their views on climate change at the forum until February 18.

Motorists using the Churchill Barriers can expect to face disruption from this week, as work begins to install additional concrete blocks alongside the causeways.

The first, second and third barriers will be affected by the work, which is expected to last six weeks, depending on the weather. The project was due to begin on, Monday, but was delayed.

Drivers using the causeways are warned they might be subject to delays and speed restrictions.

Kirkwall police are continuing to clamp down on under-age drinking, with 28 tins of lager and two bottles of vodka were taken from youngsters on Saturday night.

The alcohol was confiscated from teenagers in Kirkwall's town centre. Parents were notified and inquiries are ongoing as to the supplier of the alcohol.

Sergeant Niall MacLean: "The quantities confiscated were quite alarming. The last thing we want is an underage alcohol-related death."

The first lift of the tower of the Groattie Hoose is due to take place this week at its new home in Tankerness House gardens.

The structure, which incorporates ballast from the Revenge, the ship of Pirate Gow, has been dismantled and transferred for reconstruction in a more visible area of Kirkwall.

The job is scheduled to finish by the end of February.

Archive story: Groattie Hoose removal under way
See also: John Gow - The Orkney Pirate

NorthLink's controversial new Pentland Firth timetable came into effect on Saturday.

The new timetable has scrapped the 3.45am from Stromness and 6am Scrabster sailings, replacing them with the later times of 6.30am and 8.45am, respectively.

Meanwhile, the Hamnavoe returned to service on Monday.

A team of young entrepreneurs from Orkney are through to the next round in a competition to become the inventors of the gadget of the future.

The Orkney team progressed through the initial competition stages using the video conferencing facilities at Orkney College to pitch their ideas to a panel of judges in Inverness.

The judges have now chosen the fifteen best teams to go forward into the next stage in March.

Health Minister, Andy Kerr, has announced a seven per cent increase in NHS Orkney's funding for 2005/06. But despite the board's ongoing cash problems, the increase remains in line with health boards across Scotland.

Orkney's £25 million cash allocation will, said Mr Kerr, help improve patient care and deliver care in better, faster ways.

He said that the investment would help the NHS in the drive to modernise services, delivering care to patients where and when they need it, driving up standards of service and driving down waiting times.