A motion to explore some of the different ways Orkney could be governed – including looking towards the county’s Nordic links – has won the backing of its council.
The motion was brought by the council leader James Stockan in front of the council’s full roster of 21 councillors this morning.
It proposed that the council “explore options for alternative models of governance”.
It passed by a margin of 15-6.
The background to this, as was unanimously acknowledged by councillors, is frustrations over the council’s treatment by government.
Specific issues such as the lack of Road Equivalent Tariff for Orkney and the council’s requests for aid in replacing the county’s internal ferry fleet.
Why has Orkney taken this step?
Councillor Stockan began by telling councillors he was “speaking from the heart, not the head” today.
During the meeting, councillor Stockan said he has “lost faith” in the Scottish and UK Governments.
He said he had “believed that, if you went to government with the facts they would deal with it equitably”.
However, the council leader no longer believes that to be the case as he told his council colleagues “the governments have failed us”.
Many who spoke gave their feelings on the significant amount of media attention Mr Stockan’s motion attracted.
While the vote went in favour of the leader’s motion, some spoke passionately against it.
Councillor David Dawson cited the experience of Brexit as a reason for the council not to start looking at cutting ties with Scotland and the UK.
The fact that the proposed investigations would take a substantial commitment – in terms of officer time and money – from the staff and cash-strapped islands council, wasn’t lost on councillor Dawson.
The Orkney Islands councillor remarked that the leader’s motion ranged from the “arguably reasonable” scenarios to the “frankly bizarre fantasy” of becoming a self-governing territory of Norway.
Mr Dawson said, to spend public money on the investigations could be seen as “fiddling while Rome burns”.
‘Fed up living off crumbs’
Councillors Steven Heddle and Lindsay Hall also spoke out against the council leaders motion.
Mr Heddle said the councillors had been “kept in the dark” regarding the motion.
A particular point of contention between Orkney Islands Council and the Scottish Government is the lack of meetings of a ferry taskforce set up to look at the business case for getting the islands new ferries.
However, Mr Hall pointed out that the Constitutional Reform Group within the council itself to look at issues around the local authority’s governance hasn’t met at all since he was elected back in May last year.
Others argued caution, with councillor Rachael King appealing for discussions to “slow down” on any issue related to self-governance.
Backing Mr Stockan’s motion, councillor Gillian Skuse said “we have to do something”.
Councillor Duncan Tullock also backed the motion, said he is “fed up of the council living off crumbs”.
He said the council had to look for more support than it was getting “whether it comes from London, from Edinburgh, or from Timbuktu”.
‘Nothing off the table’ as Orkney council explores alternative governance
Mr Stockan repeatedly stressed this his motion is proposing an investigation of all options for the council’s future.
“Nothing off the table”, as the council leader put it.
The outcome of the meeting was six councillors wanted there to be no more movement from the council on this issue.
However, that left 16 councillors backing the proposal from Mr Stockan.
Following the main debate an amendment was added by Mr Heddle, who asked for the council’s own Constitutional Reform Group to be “reinvigorated”.
This, he said, would continue to test governments of previous commitments they’ve made to the islands council.