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Orkney Islands Council

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Information, updates and news from Orkney Islands Council

Our page is monitored during office hours. You can follow us on Twitter too

Please ensure you read our social media policy at www.orkney.gov.uk/SocialMedia If you need to report a problem or have a question the best place to do this is at www.orkney.gov.uk/MyOrkney or by calling our customer service team on 01856 873535 during office hours.

28/10/2026

We're looking for a Cook Supervisor to join the team at Dounby Primary School. 👩‍🍳🧑‍🍳

This role is all about helping make sure the bairns get a healthy, tasty hot meal each school day, while overseeing the day-to-day running of the school kitchen.

We're looking for someone with catering experience who's organised, enjoys working with people, and takes pride in serving good food.

Interested? Find out more and apply here: https://bit.ly/4yAmStg

For an informal chat about the role, contact Scott Pring on 01856 879238 or [email protected]

27/10/2026

⚠️ Winds easing, but flooding is still possible around tonight’s high tides

The Met Office has brought forward the end of its Yellow wind warning to 6pm today, rather than 9pm - gusts of 45-55mph are now forecast, though some exposed coastal areas could still see up to 70mph, with winds expected to ease later this evening.

High tides tonight could bring localised flooding, wave overtopping and short-term disruption on some roads, particularly in low-lying coastal areas. Approximate times are:

🕘 9pm (St Margaret’s Hope)
🕤 9:30pm (Stromness)
🕚 11pm (Kirkwall)

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Flood Warnings remain in place for Stromness, St Mary’s and Graemeshall, Burray and Ayre of Cara, the Churchill Barriers, St Margaret’s Hope, Longhope and Hoy, Sanday and Westray. You can check the latest information for your area at https://bit.ly/4yK4OwS

The Churchill Barriers and the roads closed this morning have reopened, but closures may be needed again around high tide, so please keep an eye on OIC Roads for the latest.

Please continue to take care near the shore and on coastal roads this evening - we’ll share any further updates here.

27/10/2026

📢 Notice of Cancellation

There will be no Digital Support Group this Wednesday, 28 October, at Kirkwall Library.

The next Digital Support Group will take place on Wednesday 11 November, 2pm – 3.30pm.

Anyone wanting support with their digital device, or want to be part of the group are welcome to attend regularly (fortnightly), or just pop along as and when you need support

27/10/2026

⚠️ Flood Warnings across Orkney, with the Churchill Barriers and roads in Holm and Scapa closing

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) now has Flood Warnings in place for Stromness, St Mary’s and Graemeshall, Burray and Ayre of Cara, the Churchill Barriers, St Margaret’s Hope, Longhope and Hoy, Sanday and Westray.

Police Scotland Highland & Islands have closed the Churchill Barriers, with road closures in place from the Loch of Ayre through to Graemeshall Farm due to flooding. A road closure is also in place along Scapa beach. Please avoid these areas, and check OIC Roads for the latest.

Flood defences have been deployed at St Margaret’s Hope and St Mary’s, and the situation in Kirkwall remains under review.

♻️ There will be no Area 7 recycling collections today for properties across the barriers, such as Northfield Road and Littlequoys Road, or for properties in Holm village affected by flooding.

🚌 Stagecoach has suspended all bus services until 12pm, except the 4 (Airport) and 9 (Kirkwall town service).

⛴️ A number of Orkney Ferries sailings have been cancelled today, so please check their updates before you travel. For external ferries and flights, please check with your operator.

⚡️ If you experience a power cut, you can report it to SSEN by calling 105.

For advice on what to do during and after a flood, visit https://www.orkney.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/preparing-for-emergencies/flooding

26/10/2026

⚠️ Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has issued a Flood Warning for St Margaret’s Hope, with flooding of low-lying land, roads and properties expected from around 9:30am tomorrow, Tuesday 27 October. There’s also a wider Amber flood risk for coastal and tidal flooding across Orkney, and a Met Office Yellow weather warning for wind from 3am to 9pm.

The highest risk is around high tide. Approximate high tide times tomorrow are:

🕘 9:30am and 9pm (St Margaret’s Hope)
🕘 9:20am and 9:30pm (Stromness)
🕙 10:50am and 11pm (Kirkwall)

Our Roads team will be on standby tomorrow to deploy flood defences in Kirkwall and St Margaret’s Hope if conditions worsen. As a precaution, please move any cars from the Waterfront West-Shapinsay Slip car park in Kirkwall and the Cromarty Slip and Front Road area in St Margaret’s Hope by 8am.

Sandbags will be available to collect from outside our depots at Hatston in Kirkwall and Garson in Stromness, and from the amenity site at St Margaret’s Hope.

Disruption is expected at the Churchill Barriers, where there is an additional Flood Warning in place, so please check OIC Roads before you travel. For updates to internal ferry services, check in with Orkney Ferries, and bus services from Stagecoach may be affected at short notice. For external ferries and flights, please check with your operator.

Please take care near the shore, avoid coastal routes around high tide, and secure loose items outside your home. We would also encourage folk to sign up to SEPA’s Floodline for flood alerts by calling 0345 988 1188 or at https://bit.ly/4BzTXZ9

Full details are available at the link in the comments 👇

26/10/2026

Monday 26 October marks the start of Care Experienced Week across Scotland, celebrating every child, young person and adult with experience of care and their supporters.

This year’s theme is , celebrating the hopes and ambitions of Care Experienced people and looking ahead to what comes next.

To mark the week in Orkney, an Artivism campaign created by young people will be displayed across Kirkwall. The main installation, created with Orkney Builders, is unveiled today behind the Travel Centre.

Handmade notebooks made by Care Experienced young people, in partnership with Soulisquoy Printmakers, will be on sale at Kirkwall Town Hall from Tuesday 27 to Friday 30 October, 12 to 1pm each day.

The week will culminate on Friday 30 October, when St Magnus Cathedral will be lit in the colours of Scotland’s Promise.

26/10/2026

🏆 Nominations are now open for the Orkney Sports Awards 2026!

Who’s inspired you in sport this year? Whether they’re competing, coaching or helping behind the scenes, we want to hear about them.

There are 11 categories this year: Sportsperson, Young Sportsperson, Team, Young Team, Coach, Official, Volunteer, Young Volunteer, School Sports Volunteer, Performance and Club of the Year.

Nominations close at midnight on Sunday 15 November - nominate now at www.orkney.gov.uk/sportsawards

23/10/2026

⚠️ Yellow wind warning for Orkney this weekend

Storm Boelo will bring strong winds from 6pm Saturday 24 October until 9pm Sunday 25 October. Gusts of 65-75mph are likely, with conditions expected to worsen on Sunday.

Stagecoach may need to suspend public bus services at short notice, so please check their service updates before you travel and keep our roads emergency phone line free for urgent calls.

For ferry updates, please check Orkney Ferries. For external ferry services and flights, check with your operator for the latest details.

Updates on the status of the Churchill Barries will be posted on OIC Roads.

Please secure loose items outside your home, including bins, garden furniture and trampolines, and avoid unnecessary visits to the coast while conditions are at their worst.

Read more in the comments below 👇

23/10/2026

Road closure and X1 bus diversion: Church Road / Back Road, St Margaret’s Hope

Resurfacing works are planned on Church Road / Back Road, St Margaret’s Hope, starting in the week commencing Monday 26 October 2026.

The works are expected to take around 3 weeks and will be carried out under road closure conditions, affecting all traffic in the area.

For the duration of the works, the X1 bus service will travel via St Margaret’s Road in both directions.

The Council thanks the public for their patience while these improvements are carried out.

You can view current and upcoming roadworks along with diversions here: https://bit.ly/4ywhc3l

Address

School Place
Kirkwall
KW151NY

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 5pm
Tuesday	9am - 5pm
Wednesday	9am - 5pm
Thursday	9am - 5pm
Friday	9am - 5pm

Telephone

+441856873535

Website

https://www.orkney.gov.uk/

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