“I got a good vote for my ward and I want to repay the faith that’s been put in me. The first weeks are very intense but very interesting.”
This is how new Orkney councillor Raymie Peace replied when asked about the experience of starting his new job as an elected member of the islands local authority.
He said: “The result of the vote was announced on the Friday, the elected members were handed a welcome pack to read, and we were in at 9.30am on the Monday morning.
“You don’t get a lot of time to think about things, but that’s okay – that’s why you’re there.”
Councillor Peace got a firm thumbs-up from voters in Orkney’s East Mainland, South Ronaldsay, and Burray ward during May’s council elections.
He earned 642 first preference votes, nearly doubling the 337 he needed to be elected.
Reading and responsibilities
Having worked for the Royal Mail for nearly 38 years, he retired just over one year before putting himself forward for the council.
Away from his job, he’s well-known in Orkney for his involvement with Kirkwall City Pipe Band. He served as the pipe major for many years and remains a piper with the group.
This week, it’s nearly two months since he became a councillor. He said that the decision to put himself forward all came down to timing.
Yes, he had recently retired, but the three councillors for his area were all standing down. He felt he had something to give to the community, so he decided to go for it.
The new Orkney councillor was asked if he’s found there to be any unexpected aspects to the job.
“For me, it all goes back to the word ‘responsibility’. You have a lot of that in this job.
“I thought I knew what the council was and what I’d be responsible for but I only had half of the picture. Maybe less.
“There’s a lot of reading in it and you’ve got to scrutinise the reports you’re given. I knew there was going to be a lot of reading but there’s even more than I thought. But, again, it’s really interesting.”
One of the first, and biggest challenges facing new councillors, is deciding how to vote on who will lead them and who should head up the committees.
‘Cliques and cabals? I haven’t seen that’
While this is officially decided at the first meeting of the new council, there are obviously plenty of rumours about the discussions taking place behind closed doors.
This year was no different, with plenty of speculation as to who would take on what role.
Mr Peace said: “You are very much into the unknown when you go in there. You don’t know how it all works.
“One of the elected members asked if we could have a meeting to tell us about the whole process.
“That’s something to be taken that forward from this council to the next. So there will be a bit more guidance as to what happens for the new councillors.
“There’s plenty of talk of cliques and cabals at Orkney council mentioned in the press. I’ve never seen that.
“There’s a lot of guidance and direction when you join the council, but you are very much your own person.
He added: “You are very much a rabbit in the headlamps for the first few weeks. I’d make a rough guess that there are 30 or 40 committees. There’s more that goes on than the public see.
“We’re going into recess now for six weeks and it’ll be fine to have that time to reflect on this last round of meetings.
“But we’ll be back before long and it’ll be intense again, I would imagine. You don’t mind that as much in the winter though.”
Speaking about the balance councillors have to find, he said he is trying to find some time to be retired and spend time with his family – he has four children and six grandchildren with one more grandchild on the way.
Plenty of challenges ahead
However, Orkney’s new council will have its work cut out for it. The county was already facing major pressures around fuel poverty and its ageing internal ferry fleet.
He and his two fellow ward councillors also have the ward-specific challenge of the second Churchill Barrier to contend with.
It has also been developing its own wind farms, which has proved to be contentious with the public. This is to name just a few issues it faces.
Add to this rising costs of fuel, food, and electricity and councillors could come into the public’s firing line.
The new Orkney councillor was asked if he found this list of challenges intimidating.
He said: “We have had pretty intense conversations about how to need to help people.
“With the wind farms, I wasn’t for that. My view has very much changed, being on the inside of the council looking out.
“We’ve got to try and generate some income for ourselves.
“Do I find these challenges intimidating? I have to say yes.
“At the moment, you’ve got to find equality in what we’re doing for people right now, and what we’re setting up for the next generation.
“That’s my big question, how do you find that balance?”
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