Europe’s islands support Our Islands — Our Future

Orkney Islands Council and their Shetland and Western Isles counterparts have received backing from Europe’s islands for their joint initiative Our Islands — Our Future.

At a meeting of the EU Islands’ Commission last week a resolution on behalf of the three councils on the campaign for more powers for island areas received unanimous support.

OIC convener, Councillor Steven Heddle, said: “Europe’s island regions, representing 15 million people, have unanimously given support to our principled campaign to ensure our islands have an appropriate say in our future.

“This endorses our own firm belief that Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles require constitutional recognition of the local authority in each island group, with increased powers to ensure that decision-making is as local as possible and appropriate for our special circumstances, if our islands are to prosper as they should.”