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Orkney Islands Council recently determined that it must remain part of the United Kingdom after investigating options for greater autonomy over the past two years. Various models for “alternative governance” were explored by officials, including changing their status within the UK or potentially becoming a self-governing territory of Norway. Ultimately, a report presented to councillors concluded that these proposals were too costly and complex, leading to a decision to investigate a single authority model to reform public service delivery instead.
The bid by Orkney to loosen its ties with the UK gained international attention two years ago, with former council leader James Stockan even suggesting that Orkney could rejoin Norway. The islands were originally gifted to Scotland, along with Shetland, by King Christian I of Denmark and Norway in 1472 as collateral for a wedding dowry. Despite the debt never being repaid, the islands have since remained part of Scotland. Mr. Stockan’s push for constitutional change reflected his frustration with the financial support Orkney received from both the Westminster and Holyrood governments, leading to a vote among councillors to explore alternative governance models.
Following the presentation of the report to councillors, the conclusion that Orkney had no viable options for changing its relationship with the UK was accepted without further discussion. Instead, the council is working with the Scottish government to revamp how local services are delivered through the single authority model, bringing health boards and councils closer together in service provision. Orkney’s current council leader, Heather Woodbridge, emphasized that the process of implementing this model is in its early stages and not yet a certainty. The Scottish government is considering extending this model to other regions such as Argyll and Bute and the Western Isles, with plans to publish more details and a timeline for implementation by the end of the upcoming year
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