Isles registrars to be retained

OIC councillors have voted to retain the isles-based registrars.

The issue was due to be discussed behind closed doors by the policy and resources committee yesterday, Tuesday.

However, North Isles member Councillor Stephen Clackson’s proposal to consider the item in public found favour among the committee, despite warnings from local authority officials.

Chief executive Alistair Buchan said that reports on staffing matters were usually discussed in private, and called for “consistency”.

However, Councillor Clackson said that, following a consultation, the information was already in the public domain.

Last year’s consultation put forward three options:

• Retain the status quo, meaning registrars would be phased out through natural turnover.
• Centralise all island registration offices to Kirkwall.
• Retain the manual, home-based offices in Westray, Sanday, Stronsay and Hoy, and close the smaller island offices.

However, following an analysis of the consultation responses, a fourth option was put forward which would retain all the isles-based registrars.

OIC executive director of corporate services Gillian Morrison told the committee: “The feedback was: people didn’t want to see the service go.”