ORKNEY Islands Council has ended its investigation into leaving the UK after spending two years exploring opportunities for greater autonomy.
In July 2023, the local authority passed a motion that looked into various models for “alternative governance” after the former council leader said Orkney does not get fair funding with its current relationship within the UK.
Council officials explored changes which included changing Orkney's status in the UK or even potentially becoming a self-governing territory of Norway.
However, a report to councillors concluded that the proposals were too difficult and too expensive, and members agreed to investigate a single authority model to reform how public services are delivered instead.
The local authority is now mapping out a new direction with the Scottish Government to reform how local services may be delivered in future with preliminary talks already having been held.
Orkney's current council leader, Heather Woodbridge, assured members during their meeting that this was just the start of a more detailed appraisal and implementing the model was not a foregone conclusion.
Orkney’s bid to cut ties with the UK made the headlines two years ago after former council leader, James Stockan (below), said he wanted to explore a future for the area to be similar to Crown Dependencies like the Channel Islands and overseas territories like the Falkland Islands.
At the time, Stockan said many areas in Orkney were being “failed dreadfully” by both the UK and Scottish governments and that the islands have a “huge affinity” and a “deep cultural relationship” with Norway after previously being part of the Norse kingdom.
Orkney was gifted to Scotland, along with Shetland, by King Christian I of Denmark and Norway in 1472 as security for a wedding dowry.
The debt was never repaid, and the islands have remained part of Scotland ever since then.
Stockan’s motion was backed by his fellow councillors in 2023, who voted by 15 votes to six in favour of exploring “alternative models of governance”.
Stockan left his leadership role and stood down from the council in January last year.
