OIC vote for St Rognvald House upgrade

At a full meeting of the Orkney Islands Council this morning, elected members voted in favour of upgrading and extending the St Rognvald House care home in Kirkwall, at an estimated cost of £5.6 million.

The upgrade of the council-run home will involve a 24-place extension and refurbishment of 16 non en-suite places to create eight en-suite places, resulting in a 60-place care unit.

The council had previously considered building a new care home, priced in the region of £12.9 million, as part of a ‘care campus’ in partnership with NHS Orkney.

Although this option failed to find support at last week’s meeting of the policy and resources committee, several councillors at today’s meeting felt that more information was needed before making a decision.

However, an amendment recommending a deferment of the decision, to hold a public seminar and to allow NHS Orkney to present their case in favour of the care campus, was defeated in favour of the St Rognvald’s upgrade.

At a recorded vote the motion was carried 11 votes to eight.