Constitutional reform – Council looks ahead for Orkney

Orkney Islands Council is considering the implications for the county that might arise from the constitutional reform debate in Scotland and possible outcomes of the independence referendum in 2014.

A new working group, made up of eight councillors, met for the first time this week to consider the impact constitutional reform could have on Orkney, as well as potential opportunities for the OIC and the wider community.

OIC convener, Councillor Steven Heddle, the chairman of the working group, said: “With the independence debate under way in the run up to next year’s referendum, it’s timely and essential that we think carefully about the range of issues that are likely to have an effect on Orkney, with a full awareness of the facts.

“The referendum is a once-in-many-generations event and it is important that we in Orkney develop and present the case for the best way forward for our community, whatever the outcome in 2014.”

Areas the working group will look at include:

• Threats and opportunities for Orkney arising from constitutional reform
• What Orkney should seek if constitutional reform takes place, or not
• Opportunities to work with Shetland and the Western Isles to ensure the requirements of island communities are presented strongly during the independence debate, where our interests are shared

“We’ll also look at the lessons that can be learned from island groups with different constitutional arrangements to our own, such as the Faroes and Falkland Islands and the Isle of Man,” Councillor Heddle said.

“The working group is made up of councillors with a range of views on the independence debate. Our shared goal is to ensure that Orkney retains local control of our destiny when it comes to the future needs and development of our community, whether or not the referendum results in constitutional reform in Scotland.

“There will be many voices heard in the ongoing debate and we must make sure that a clear voice comes from the Council that genuinely represents the aspirations of the county, rather than have other aspirations projected upon us.”

The deliberations of the working group will be presented to a meeting of the OIC policy and resources committee later this year.