The OIC is to receive an extra £28,000 as part of a £6 million Scottish Executive schools package.

Education Minister Hugh Henry said: "Headteachers in Orkney who receive a share of the additional money can spend it on whatever they wish - paper for the photocopier, library books or other essential supplies and equipment."

Helen Gardiner, the Scottish Conservative candidate for Orkney, has hit out at the “disgrace” of Orkney pensioners being charged to have food prepared in their homes.  

According to Ms Gardiner as much as £10.45 an hour is being charged to have food prepared in the homes of the elderly, with one Orkney pensioner claiming she pays £245 monthly for the preparation of a sandwich and a hot meal, six days a week.

Ms Gardiner said: "The Scottish Executive has to step in now and give clear guidance to Orkney Islands Council that the charges are illegal and that it will stump up the costs of a refund and ongoing costs."

The Scottish Conservative candidate for Orkney has added her voice to the ongoing saga of the funding imbalance between Scotland's three island authorities.

Helen Gardiner was commenting on the funding announcements for the three island authorities - £61.1 million for Orkney, £82.9 million for Shetland and £100.3 million for the Western Isles.

“How can we expect Orkney Islands Council to deliver the required level of services to people Orkney on this budget when the Western Isles budget is so much more?"

Scottish Water say household water and waste water bills in Orkney will increase by less than inflation in 2007-2008.

This year’s rise is pegged at just over three per cent  - 0.5 per cent less than the current rate of inflation of 3.67 per cent.

This means a band D property will have to pay £365.85.

Twenty-four people turned out to a public meeting in Stenness on the future of Happy Valley on Thursday night.

There they had the opportunity express their concerns at the condition of the house and surrounding grounds, and to make suggestions for the future. Among these was the formation of a management trust to facilitate charitable organisation grants and of a group to be known as the Friends of Happy Valley.

A meeting next month will consider a list of tasks in the garden for immediate action by volunteers but structural work on the house could still be a year away.

Archive story: Everything's not so happy in
overgrown Stenness valley

A special meeting of islands councillors has agreed the recommended three per cent rise in council tax, meaning the cost of living in a band D property will increase from £1,007 to £1,037 in 2007-2008.

The meeting also considered proposals to keep council spending within budget. Among these was a financial strategy for the next five years with recommendations that, within a two-year period, an additional £2 million be made available for elderly care provision.

The Norwegian cargo ship Sunna has left Orkney.

The vessel, which has lain in Lyness since running aground on Swona in early January, left Orkney under tow at 7pm on Wednesday night.

The Orkney Family History Society (OFHS) celebrated its tenth anniversary on Thursday.

Founded in 1997, the society now has over 1,000 members and encourages the study, collection, analysis and sharing of family history and genealogy in Orkney.

The world’s first ship-to-ship transfer of liquefied natural gas (LNG) at anchor took place in Scapa Flow over Thursday, and Friday.

Excelerate Energy undertook the transfer, which was being used by Orkney Harbours, and other regulators, as a test for allowing such transfers within port limits.

An NFUS pre-election hustings meeting was held in Kirkwall on Wednesday night.

Orkney farmer Stewart Wood is one of three candidates for the office of vice-president.

Mr Wood has been attending hustings meetings around Scotland in the run-up to the election, in Dunblane, on February 23.

Three motorists received fixed penalty fines during the speeding crackdown in Orkney on Tuesday.

One driver was caught travelling at 84mph on the Tankerness road, near the Quoyburray, while another was clocked doing 72mph just outside Finstown. A third was fined for driving at 42mph on Kirkwall¹s Bignold Park Road.

Sergeant Gordon Deans said the icy road conditions may have contributed to drivers slowing down, in general, during the national clampdown. "People may also have been heeding the warnings," he added.

Orkney schools are being encouraged to sign up for this year’s Y Vote mock elections, being held in the run up to the Scottish Parliamentary and Local Government Elections on May 3.

The mock elections aim to give pupils an introduction to the workings of an election, with results gathered from across Scotland before the winning party is announced shortly before the elections on May 3.

Kirkwall police have confirmed that a woman has been charged with a breach of the peace following an alleged incident at a school netball match in the Pickaquoy Centre at the end of January.

It is claimed that the incident involved a parent and a school netball coach.

As a result, Netball Orkney say that only netball players and immediate coaches will be allowed in the main arena. Spectators will be required to view games from the gallery.

The HMIE follow-through inspection report on Stromness Academy has confirmed the school is making good progress in improving provision.

The report details the progress made by the Academy in addressing the outstanding points for action in the original February 2004 inspection.

A spokesman for the OIC’s education department said: “The school has now addressed all the main points for action in the original report. The education authority will continue to work with, and support the school in continuing to develop and improve provision for our young people.”

The OIC’s transportation committee has approved a draft Local Transport Strategy for public consultation and now wants to hear people’s views on the document.

They want as many comments as possible to help ensure that issues raised in the earlier consultations have been appropriately considered in the draft strategy’s interventions.

NorthLink Ferries is helping gather weather data from the North Sea, in partnership with the Met Office.

An Automatic Weather Station (AWS) has been installed on the MV Hjaltland, which serves the route between the Scottish mainland and Orkney and Shetland.

The installation of an identical AWS on Hjaltland’s sister ship MV Hrossey is currently being considered.

Police inquiries are continuing following an alleged incident on board the Glasgow to Kirkwall flight on Monday afternoon.

A male was detained and questioned in connection with an allegation of “inappropriate behaviour” made by a member of the cabin crew. The man, from Glasgow, was later released.

Passengers on board the flight are asked to contact Kirkwall police on 872241.

OIC Convener, Councillor Stephen Hagan has issued a statement following Friday’s visit of Depute Finance Minister George Lyon MSP.

He said: “As anticipated, as there is an election pending there is no likelihood of immediate financial assistance from the Executive for additional care home provision. 

"However, the Depute Minister and the Council representatives discussed a number of financial measures which will be pursued following the elections in May to more specifically direct funding to the Council to support spending on care of the elderly, transport and housing. “

Orkney's Lazy Boy Chair has been named as one of the six winners of the Danny Kyle Open Stage event at Celtic Connections in Glasgow.

The eight piece band formed to perform at the 2004 Orkney Folk Festival, which they went on to headline in 2006.

Every year, the cream of new musical talent perform at the event before a diverse panel of judges pick just six winners from the eighty-two performing acts.

Two motorists were arrested for alleged drink driving over the weekend.

A 26-year-old man was due to appear from custody at Kirkwall Sheriff Court today after being stopped by police in Kirkwall in the early hours of Saturday morning.

A store adjacent to the Empire Chinese restaurant in Kirkwall’s Junction Road was broken into overnight on Saturday.

A quantity of alcohol was stolen between 11.30pm on Saturday and 11am on Sunday morning.

NHS Orkney has appointed Iain Crozier to the post of chief executive.

Mr Crozier joined NHS Orkney in 2004 as director of finance and has been acting chief executive for the past five months.

Police removed a woman from the Aberdeen to Kirkwall ferry on Saturday after an alleged attempt to jump from the boat.

Kirkwall Sergeant Gordon Deans explained that the woman had purchased a one way ticket from Aberdeen and that passengers and crew on board the MV Hjaltland became concerned about her behaviour en route.

“They found her on a precarious position on the deck and managed to get her back,” he added.

Police would like to speak to a man in relation to an alleged incident in Fusion on Friday night.

It is claimed the male, described as being aged 20 to 25, 5ft 8in tall with short ginger hair, approached a woman on a number of occasions displaying “over amorous” behaviour.

The boat user, who had lost an oar and was in danger of drifting out to sea, phoned the Coastguard who contacted the RNLI just after 1.30pm.

The OIC will be carrying out some roadworks in the coming months.

The upgrading of street lighting in Victoria Street, Stromness will start next week, lasting for approximately three months. Sections of the road will be closed at times but alternative routes will be available via adjoining streets.

Work improving coastal defences in the vicinity of Isegarth and Little Isegarth begins on February 19.  The project will last until the end of April and the road will be closed during the day. Alternative routes will be available via Airfield Road and Otterswick Road.

NHS Orkney is to get an extra £1.7 million from the Scottish Executive in 2007-08.

The budgets for Scotland’s health boards were announced by Health Minister Andy Kerr on Friday.

Orkney’s initial allocation is £28.7 million, compared to £33.9 million for Shetland and £53.6 million for the Western Isles - whose increases are £1.9 million and £3 million respectively.

Orkney’s additional £1.7 million represents an increase of 6.24 per cent.

Two local organisations are to benefit in the latest round of lottery grants from the Awards for All scheme.

The Eday Partnership is to receive £5,875 to go towards the cost of consultants, research, printing, delivery and copyright fees.