Orkney Council has eased some Covid restrictions – although questions remain for staffing and face-to-face meetings.
Scotland moved below level 0 restrictions on Monday.
Orkney Islands Council and associated bodies have announced a few welcome changes.
However, Monday has not signalled a complete return to normality and questions remain about how the authority will operate.
Asked about a return to the office for their own staff members, the council said it is keeping some measures in place in line with the advice from the Scottish Government and Public Health Scotland.
The council said discussions about long-term plans around the return of staff are ongoing.
A council spokeswoman said some staff will start to return to offices in line with “staff wellbeing discussions and business need”, but a hybrid model of home and office working is being considered.
As for a return to the council chamber for face-to-face meetings, councillors will decide on the best way forward when a review of the governance measures in place is discussed this autumn.
One change, sure to have been welcomed by the islanders when it came into effect on Tuesday this week, has seen restrictions on operating hours at the county’s Hatston, Garson & Bossack waste and recycling centres removed.
Restrictions on the materials accepted at Bossack have also been dropped.
Following suit, the Dounby recycling point will open next week on August 16.
Passengers limits and physical distancing on ferries operated by the council-owned Orkney Ferries have also been removed.
Previously, the inter-isles ferries had been operating at 50% capacity.
However, the council’s head of harbours and marine services, Jim Buck, acknowledged that there will be some disappointment that passengers will still have to phone up and pre-book their journey, at least until the council gets its new online booking system in place.
