The snow may now be disappearing but farmers and crofters are count­ing the cost of extra feed they have had to buy for their livestock during the long-lasting cold spell.

Councillors have agreed to force people who drop litter or allow their dogs to foul the streets to attend classes or face a fine.

People who drop litter or allow their dogs to foul the streets could be spared a fixed penalty fine if councillors agree to recommendations in a report before Tuesday’s infrastructure committee.

MSPs were told absenteeism among Shetland crofts is virtually non-existent when they met at the Town Hall on Tuesday.

NorthLink’s new freight and livestock vessel Hildasay broke down 20 miles off Orkney at the weekend – just two weeks after an official ceremony was held to mark her introduction as cargo ship for the isles.

Teachers in the isles took fewer days off sick than their mainland colleagues last year, councillors were told on Monday.

Fewer people than expected people turned up at the Market Cross in Lerwick on Saturday to protest against the £250,000 payoff for chief executive David Clark to leave Shetland Islands Council.

Shetland’s sail training ship the Swan could soon be touting for busi­ness as a classy dinner venue or an unusual suite for executive functions.

A speedy resolution is being sought to the planning wrangle over the proposed new housing development in Scalloway which is threatening the future of building firm JHB, although the chairman of the SIC’s planning board said no special case can be made for the company.

Highland Airways is accepting bookings for March as negotiations with a potential purchaser for the troubled “paper plane” operator enter an important new stage.