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Following the Full Council decision during December 2022 to launch a financial support scheme to help folk meet the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis, officers are finalising the detail of how the scheme will be administered.

Further details will be announced later this month, with payments made from February onwards.

An exciting opportunity has arisen thanks to the Orkney Local Employability Partnership (OLEP) delivery of a one-off grant scheme aimed at further tackling employability barriers. 

The Innovation Challenge Fund of up to £2,000 is open to Third Sector organisations delivering employability services to folk in the county – as part of Scottish Government funding in support of No One Left Behind.

Further industrial action by teaching unions is expected to impact Orkney schools next week (10/11 January)

Parents are being contacted directly by schools to inform them of individual school arrangements today (6 January)

The Westray Swimming Pool will reopen in January for the first time since the pandemic, with a special open day for the community on 7 January organised by the Westray Community Association

Orkney Islands Council is reminding households that all young people aged under 22 can travel on public buses for free in Orkney and right across Scotland.

A reminder of service changes and opening hours over the festive period from 24 December 2022 to 9 January 2023:

A summary of opening hours and contact numbers for over the 2022/23 festive period:

Views are being sought for two draft documents which will help set the course for public services in Orkney for the next five years and beyond.

Remedial works worth a total of around £70k are underway at the much-loved Kirbuster Museum.

Four rare guns from the decks of WWI warships will soon be back on display at Scapa Flow Museum, following agreement from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to release leftover contingency funds from the Museum’s £4.4m redevelopment towards the move.