Time to take stock

SHETLAND’S constitutional future in the wake of the Scottish independence referendum will be under the spotlight at a special meeting of the full council on Friday morning.

The islands authority clubbed together with its counterparts in Orkney and the Western Isles for the Our Islands Our Future campaign during the campaign ahead of the 18 September poll.

After the Scottish people voted 55-45 against independence, SIC convener Malcolm Bell said it was important to keep pressing for promises made by both governments in a “fluid and fast moving” constitutional landscape.

“We expect both Westminster and Holyrood to make good on their pre-referendum promises made as part of the Our Islands Our Future campaign and we also now have to consider possible new opportunities emerging through the Smith Commission,” Bell said.

“It is vital that Shetland Islands Council elected members have an early opportunity to take stock and debate the situation and I therefore decided to call a special full council meeting on Friday.”