OIC chief executive to retire this year

As The Orcadian went to press on Tuesday evening, Orkney Islands Council confirmed that OIC chief executive Alistair Buchan announced his intentions to retire at the close of Tuesday’s policy and resources meeting.

Mr Buchan’s career in local government began in 1988, as a personnel officer with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, the Western Isles Council.

He joined OIC in 1992 and, five years later, was appointed as chief executive. He was the youngest person in Scotland to hold such a position at the time — a record which has never been broken. In 2014, Mr Buchan was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours List.

He is due to retire later this year, although the council said overnight that at this time, no formal decision has been made.