Council appoint new head of service

Jan Falconer has started her new job with Orkney Islands Council this week as head of strategic development and regeneration.

Originally from New Zealand, for the past eight years Jan has been a senior officer with Aberdeen City Council where she was involved in a number of innovative projects.

As strategist sustainable development she lead the authority’s environmental and sustainable development policies in service improvement, carbon management and environmental services.

As a manager for projects partnerships and funding, Jan lead a successful team that developed and delivered major programmes such as the Aberdeen City Centre Regeneration Tax Incremental Financing Business Case; Strategic Hydrogen Project; Accelerate Aberdeen Digital Programme and AECC Redevelopment.

Jan has moved to Orkney with her husband Don and says she is “looking forward to working with her team to ensure that Orkney has the best developments and opportunities – economic and physical for its people and is seen by the world as the ‘go to’ place for innovation and development.”

• Last August Orkney Islands Council confirmed that former head of strategic development and regeneration Evelyn Mathershaw no longer worked for the local authority.

Although it is understood that Mrs Mathershaw resigned, the council  remained tight-lipped over the circumstances of her departure.

It is also understood that Mrs Mathershaw was suspended in April, while the council carried out an investigation into tendering procedures.