Also in the news / Interfaith visits to schools in Shetland, new register for land owners, folk music and more…
SHETLAND Islands Council’s environmental health team no longer offers a gulls nesting removal service.
Due to changes in legislation, the management of gulls nesting on buildings is now being overseen by NatureScot.
It is now the responsibility of a property’s owner to apply for their own licence to undertake this work and to oversee nest or egg removal, and carry out any proofing works required for their property. Information on how to apply can be found here.
As the nesting season is fast approaching, any person in charge of premises which could be affected by nesting gulls are strongly advised to make contact with the licensing team at NatureScot.
INTER Faith is visiting schools in Shetland to offer pupils the opportunity to encounter people from various faiths and ask them questions about their beliefs and practices.
Thanks to the joint effort of Shetland Inter Faith and Interfaith Scotland, these school visits have been organised for pupils from primary one to secondary six across many local schools.
After having visited the students in religious, moral and philosophical studies at the Anderson High School on Monday morning, the team joined pupils from secondary one and two in Aith Junior High School. On Tuesday they travelled to Cullivoe Primary School and Baltasound Junior School.
Today (Wednesday) they will be in the Sandness, Happyhansel and Aith primary schools, while on Thursday they will visit primary schools in Scalloway and Dunrossness before closing their tour with vistas at Sound Primary School and Mid Yell Junior School on Friday.
SCOTTISH contemporary folk duo Norman Willmore and Corrie Dick will be performing at Mareel on Saturday 6 April.
With a unique set up of drums, saxophone and organ foot pedals, they will be exploring ancestral melodies and giving them renewed meaning in the present.
As a culmination of their residency in Shetland, they will be creating a live recording of their debut album of lesser-known local fiddle music during the show.
Tickets cost £15 and are available to purchase online or at the box office in Mareel.
THE NEXT Althing debate is set to take place at Lerwick Town Hall on Saturday (16 March).
The theme will be “the school year is too short”, with Caroline Henderson and Joe Smith debating for it, and Chris Horrix and Barbara Dinnage against.
The event will kick off at 7.30pm, with admission £2.
OWNERS and long-term tenants of land and property are required to submit entries to a new register before 1 April 2024.
The Register of Persons Holding a Controlled Interest in Land (RCI) was launched on 1 April 2022 to understand who controls land in Scotland.
Individuals and organisations have been urgently asked to check if they are legally required to submit to the register before the deadline of 1 April 2024, to avoid being fined up to £5,000. Owners and long-term tenants can check or register here.
Cabinet secretary for rural affairs, land reform and islands, Mairi Gougeon said: “The Register was designed to provide greater transparency over who has control over decision making in relation to land and property and the two-year transitional period to make an entry is now coming to an end.”
