SHETLAND’s council tax rise of 4.5 per cent is among the lowest in Scotland, according to chief executive Maggie Sandison. A rise of 10 per cent, for example, has now been approved in Orkney, while Western Isles council will increase its fee by five per cent – the same as Aberdeen. Some other local authorities […] Shetland News …
COUNCIL tax and housing rent in Shetland is set to rise by 4.5 per cent in the next financial year. The decision was made at a meeting of the full Shetland Islands Council (SIC) on Wednesday. It comes at a time when SIC grapples with significant budget challenges for 2023/24, with changes to services likely […] Shetland News …
SCOTTISH finance secretary John Swinney has confirmed that the revenue gap required to run Shetland’s inter-island ferries – estimated to be nearly £6 million – will be covered by the government. Shetland Islands Council runs ferry services to nine islands, carrying around 750,000 passengers every year on its 12 ferries. During the next financial year, […] Shetland News …
A COUNCILLOR says he believes parts of a document released by the SIC listing some of the options due to be considered in the upcoming budget setting process “read like scaremongering”. Tom Morton, who is a Labour councillor for Shetland North, also said introducing a public survey following a series of private councillor seminars “flies […] Shetland News …
SHETLAND Islands Council’s education and families committee has voiced its disagreement with a recommendation not to press ahead with a proposal to realign the criteria for free school meals amid budget worries. No final decision was made at Tuesday’s meeting, however, as the matter will now go to the policy and resources committee and full […] Shetland News …
“THE SCALE of investment required to transition to a net zero community is challenging and we cannot do this alone.” That is the message from Shetland Islands Council leader Emma Macdonald following the publication of a Scottish Parliament committee report which called for greater support for local authorities in the push to net zero. On […] Shetland News …
GREEN candidate for the Shetland West by-election Debra Nicolson says she will be “going out to win” the contest. She said she “won’t be sit back and think it’s a foregone conclusion”. In something of a streamlined re-run of May’s main election, Nicolson will again come up against the independent Mark Robinson and SNP candidate […] Shetland News …
LOCAL government workers in Scotland have been offered a pay increase of five per cent – but no breakthrough has been reached with the unions. It comes after the Scottish Government pledged another £140 million for council workers’ pay on a recurring basis. The five per cent pay offer, which was increased from 3.5 per […] Shetland News …
SHETLAND Islands Council says concerns over the number of parking spaces being mooted for the redevelopment of the former Anderson High School site will be considered before a planning application is submitted. It comes after concern from local residents and the chairman of Lerwick Community Council that there will not be enough parking spaces for […] Shetland News …
A COUNCILLOR says some of his constituents who work for the SIC have alleged they have been bullied by managers. Alex Armitage, who represents the Shetland South ward, raised the matter at a meeting of the full council on Wednesday. He said he heard the allegations from constituents during the recent election campaign. The Green […] Shetland News …