News / In brief for 10 October 2011
New hope for Faroe flights
SHETLAND Islands Council convener Sandy Cluness has said he will approach Faroe’s Atlantic Airways anew to encourage them to reopen air links between the two island groups.
The move follows last week’s revelation that the Scottish government’s 40 per cent air discount scheme also covers direct Loganair flights from Sumburgh to Bergen.
It has emerged that the European Commission has ruled that the discount scheme should apply to all direct routes from airports in the Scottish islands and northern Scotland.
Mr Cluness said he hoped the development would persuade Atlantic Airways to reinstate the summer twice weekly service they operated until a few years ago, citing a lack of business which they partly blamed on the absence of the ADS on routes.
Central ward by election
A BY election will be held on Thursday 15 December in Shetland Islands Council’s central ward following the resignation of veteran councillor Iris Hawkins.
The election follows the surprise resignation of Mrs Hawkins, who shocked her colleagues and constituents last month when she suddenly announced she was standing down on 30 September prior to her marriage to former shepherd Magnus Hughson.
On Monday returning officer Jan Riise announced the date of the election, saying that forms for potential candidates would be available from 4 November. The closing date for nominations will be 22 November.
The successful candidate will be in post for five months prior to the local elections next May.
Sullom Voe manager departs
LINDSAY Boswell, the first manager at the Sullom Voe oil terminal to hail from the islands, is to leave his post to take up a new job in South America.
Mr Boswell took over as terminal manager almost four years ago and is expected to elave before the end of the year to become BP’s area manager for exploration and production in the rapidly expanding oil region of Brazil.
Click Shetland
DROP in sessions to help people use computers have begun at Shetland library, on Lerwick’s Hillhead.
The twice weekly sessions dubbed “Click Shetland” are for beginners and more experienced computer users who want help in a particular area.
They take place on Monday evenings from 6pm t0 7.30pm and on Wednesday mornings from 10am to 11.30am on the library’s mezzanine floor.
Click Shetland is funded with a £6510 grant from the Scottish government, which the library hope to use to offer some one-to-one sessions and outreach events, as well as extra laptops.
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