Orkney Council’s College Management Council (CMC) has a new chairwoman – but only on an interim basis.
The appointment of a permanent chairman or woman will have to wait until three more business or community members come forward to join the sub-committee.
The CMC has been left with three empty seats since the beginning of the new council, as some of the previous representatives decided to stand down.
Over the summer, the council put out adverts, seeking two more community reps and one more business representative.
However, some councillors are concerned about the roles.
At a previous council meeting, John Ross Scott said there was disillusionment among reps.
He also said the reps needed to be given more to do.
There are six seats in total for such representatives on the sub-committee. Half of these have been filled.
Seats still to be filled
Following the council’s adverts, anyone who wants to come forward has to do so by August 31.
At Monday’s meeting of the CMC – the first since May’s council elections – the current sole community representative on the sub-committee, Beverly Clubley, was elected interim chair in the meantime.
Mrs Clubley also served as the CMC’s chair prior to May’s council elections.
Members took part in a secret ballot, on Monday, to choose the interim chair. They cast votes for either Mrs Clubley or councillor Gwenda Shearer, chairperson of the CMC’s parent committee, the Education, Leisure, and Housing committee.
The members voted 5 to 4 in favour of Mrs Clubley.
Mrs Clubley remarked that it was nice to see everyone face-to-face again after many meetings via video calls.
Councillors Jean Stevenson was then elected interim vice chair of the CMC.
The CMC is responsible for the management Orkney College UHI on behalf of Orkney Islands Council.
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