One area of Orkney will go without a community council until at least July next year after this summer’s election failed to produce the minimum number of candidates needed to set one up.
The elections results declared on August 10 showed that South Ronaldsay & Burray failed to find five people willing to put themselves forward for a community council.
In general, there seems to have been less enthusiasm to take up seats on the county’s community councils.
In 11 of Orkney’s 19 other community council areas, the minimum number of candidates to form the community councils was reached, but with empty seats remaining.
Across these areas, 19 seats are still to be filled in Orkney’s community councils – not taking South Ronaldsay & Burray into account. This is nearly three times more than the seven empty seats left after the 2017 election.
In total, the election sought to fill 149 seats on the county’s 20 community councils. Most of these have seven or eight seats. Kirkwall & St Ola is the exception with 12.
In 2017, votes were cast in eight areas, as a surplus of candidates put themselves forward in each.
Marked increase in the number of empty seats across Orkney’s community councils
This year, votes were only cast in two areas – Graemsay, Hoy & Walls, and, Rousay, Egilsay, Wyre & Gairsay.
Only eleven seats were filled on the Kirkwall & St Ola community council, leaving one empty. In 2017, 17 people sought to join the same community council.
In the four areas with the lowest population, an alternative voting system was used this year, whereby people can nominate anyone appropriate in their community. Those nominated can’t then either accept or reject the nomination. All seats in the four areas were filled.
This system was used in two areas in 2017.
Most of the areas with empty seats are missing just one or two members, aside from Firth & Stenness, which is missing three.
Orkney Islands Council says the empty seats will be filled at meetings in early 2023.
However, South Ronaldsay & Burray will have to wait for a completely new election to take place in July next year.
With the election commencing in May, by Julythose communities will have gone without a community council for over a year.
During the election period, the council extended the deadline for nominations by two weeks, asking more people to come forward.
Why less candidates?
Orkney Islands Council has called the result in the linked isles “disappointing” but says arrangements will be made.
A council spokesperson said: “We thank those who have stepped forward to take on community councillor roles. We look forward to working with them as councils get underway.
“There are some vacant seats. This is inevitable as busy folk find it more difficult to find the time to volunteer. But we’re confident of filling these seats in follow-up public meetings next year.
“It’s disappointing that we haven’t been able to fill enough seats to form a community council in South Ronaldsay and Burray.
“Arrangements will be put in place for community groups to access funding until a community council can be formed next year.”
David Woodcock, from Burray, sat on the South Ronaldsay & Burray community council after the 2017 election. However, he decided to give up his seat ahead of this summer.
He said: “I honestly don’t know why more people didn’t come forward.
“It’s not very exciting most of the time. You’re just finding a bit of money for school kids to go on trips. There’s not much you can actually do.
“It got to the stage where I went to several meetings and not enough people even bothered turning up to make a quorum. It makes it totally pointless.”
“But it’s a shame and doesn’t reflect well, that South Ronaldsay & Burray is the only place that didn’t get enough people to form a community council.”
Community Councils play ‘integral’ role, says Orkney council
In Orkney Council’s own words, the community councils play an integral role in the county. They often deal with grassroots issues affecting people’s lives.
They feed views into planning issues and the provision of services. Despite his misgivings, Mr Woodcock said the community council did play a role in halting the closure of the St Margaret’s Hope recycling centre.
Full results from Orkney’s 2022 Community Council elections are available at the OIC website here.
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