Barrier survey funding voted down

Orkney Islands councillors have voted not to shell out a further £100,000 on consultants as they seek out the best way to reinforce the Churchill Barriers.

A bid to update costs and carry out a new options appraisal on how to minimise weather-hit closures of the link between the Mainland and Burray,  South Ronaldsay, Lamb Holm and Glimps Holm was defeated by 12 votes to eight at a general council meeting today.

Instead, officials were instructed to step up efforts to persuade the Scottish Government to take over responsibility of the Barriers and commit funding towards its maintenance and improvement.

Read more on this story in this week’s edition of The Orcadain.