Lyall stands down from planning committee

Moraig Lyall has stood down from the council’s planning committee.

Health teams commended for excellence during the pandemic

Health teams have been awarded for making improvements amid the challenges of the pandemic.

Fishing association says offshore windfarms being rushed through

Plans to build offshore windfarms west of Shetland are being rushed through, according to the Shetland Fishermen’s Association.

Policy officer Sheila Keith said the industry “depends on these rich grounds” for catching.

She said fishermen were “hugely concerned” that proper assessments into how the offshore wind industry will affect fishing are not being made.

The concerns relate to the Innovation and Targeted Oil and Gas (INTOG) leasing round, under which developers are invited to apply for the right to build offshore windfarms specifically for the purpose of providing low carbon electricity to offshore oil and gas installations.

Ms Keith said that while fishermen supported the aim of lowering carbon emissions, the INTOG consultation was being “rushed through with scant attention to detail”.

“The whole process should be slowed down so that the industry can gather and fully assess fishing data from these areas,” she added.

MSP writes to council about ‘totally inappropriate’ survey

A Scottish Conservative MSP has written to the SIC to ask if pupils will be sent a controversial Scottish government census into health and wellbeing.

Jamie Halcro Johnston said he has written to the education department about the “totally inappropriate” survey.

Some councils have already refused to issue the survey, or raised questions about some of the questions – which ask children as young as 14 about their sexual habits.

Mr Halcro Johnston said it was “remarkable” that the government thought the survey was acceptable.

“I would hope that a decision has been made to either withdraw from the survey, or at the very least ensure that those inappropriate questions are removed and any concerns over privacy addressed.

“However, it is disappointing, given this survey comes directly from the Scottish government in Edinburgh, that SNP ministers themselves have not listened to the concerns of parents and taken the decision to withdraw it.”

The SIC has been asked to comment.

Mobile theatre will allow patients to undergo surgery closer to home 

A mobile operating theatre will arrive this week to address the surgical backlog that has grown during the pandemic.

NHS Shetland said the temporary Gilbert Bain Hospital facility would enable around 100 patients to undergo orthopaedic treatments, including joint replacements, locally, rather than on the mainland.

Cataract surgery and ear, nose and throat procedures will also be provided.

Following four weeks of testing and preparation, the procedures will be provided by a visiting healthcare team, between January and April. 

Director of nursing and acute services Kathleen Carolan said it was “great news” Shetland patients would receive treatment safely, quickly and without unnecessary travel.

“Our local teams have worked hard over the last six months to support the visiting healthcare teams to put these new pathways in place,” she added.

“The project is a pilot and we would really welcome patient feedback to help with our evaluation of the visiting services, particularly patient experience of joint replacement surgery.”

The Scottish government has funded the theatre to help tackle a backlog in elective procedures. 

Warning of possible ferry disruption

NorthLink has warned that both of Tuesday’s passenger sailings are under review with a “high probability” of cancellation.

Both north and southbound sailings are under review due to a forecast of high winds.

The northbound freight sailing of the MV Helliar is also under review.

The ferry operator said that an update on the situation would follow on Tuesday morning.

Two vehicle crash at Black Gaet

Police were called to a two-vehicle crash at the Black Gaet junction on Saturday night.

Officers attended the incident, involving a car and a van, at around 5.20pm.

Police said the road was cleared a short time later.