Views sought on isles registrar services

Orkney Islands Council is asking for public views on the provision of registrar services in the county’s isles communities.

Currently isles residents can register a birth or death with a home-based registrar. The registrars in the isles do this in a handwritten format. However, since 2008, all handwritten registrations carried out by the isles registrars then have to be sent to Kirkwall for checking and entry on the electronic registration system.

This, said the OIC, has led to a significant duplication of work and the council now needs to look at whether isles-based registrars are still the best option for the service.

In 2014, the total number of registrations carried out on the isles were:

• North Ronaldsay: two.
• Papa Westray: two.
• Westray: 11.
• Sanday: five.
• Eday: two.
• Stronsay: 12.
• Hoy: seven.
• Flotta: two.

By comparison, 47 were carried out in Stromness and 397 in Kirkwall.

Since 2002, Orkney has been classed as one district. Wherever people register in the county, the registration district is described as “Orkney Islands” rather than as an individual island or parish.

Gillian Morrison, the OIC’s executive director of corporate services, said: “We are looking at a number of options for the future of the registration service in the isles.

“We need to consider which option makes the most sense for each island. It’s important that the public are given the opportunity to put their own views forward on this and so I hope that people take the time to fill in the survey.”

The consultation, which is available here, closes on December 11. Paper copies of the survey are available, on request, by phoning the OIC on 873535.