Finance Officer/Manager

The Trust wishes to appoint a Finance Officer/ Manager who will have overall responsibility for the day to day finance operations of the organisation. The post-holder will form part of the Trust’s Senior Management Team, focusing on short and long-term strategic financial planning. The post-holder will have overall responsibility for budgetary planning and control; preparation of quarterly management accounts and reports for Trustees; preparation of the annual Financial Statements and dealing with external auditors; preparation and monitoring of cashflow information; ensuring the Trust is complying with all necessary accounting regulations; and dealing with Fund Managers in relation to the Trust’s Endowment Fund.

The post-holder would preferably be a qualified accountant with 2-3 years experience in a managerial or supervisory finance role. Experience of working in public finance or with charitable organisations would be an advantage.

The post is graded in the range AP5 to PO 5-8 (£26,768 – £35,927) plus Islands Allowance of £1,928 per annum based on qualifications and experience.

Caretaker/Custodian
Böd of Nesbister Camping Böd

Shetland Amenity Trust requires a seasonal part time Caretaker/Custodian for its Camping Böd at Nesbister. Duties include ensuring that the property remains in a clean and tidy state throughout the season and distribution of keys to guests. Rate of pay: £255.03 per annum, plus £2.04 per bed night.

Applicants for this position should have some experience in undertaking cleaning duties and a pleasant disposition. An interest in Shetland culture would be beneficial.

For full job descriptions and application forms please contact:

Shetland Amenity Trust,
Garthspool,
Lerwick,
Shetland,
ZE1 0NY.
Tel: 01595 694688,
Fax: 01595 693956,
E-mail: info@shetlandamenity.org.

Closing date for applications for both positions is Friday 27th February 2015.

This house site offers a truly outstanding panoramic view of the town, Breiwick Bay, the Knab, Bressay and also the Sands of Sound. There is Planning Permission in principle for the erection of a dwellinghouse. It extends to 534.8m² or thereby and connections to services are nearby.

To view: Simply visit the site or telephone the seller on 01595 693853 and 07831 838713 for more information.

We are all individual, but for some who never leave the comfort zone their concept of place and perspective is completely different to some who prefer and who enjoy being in the outdoor environment and in the more remote areas of Shetland, places such as the hills and lochs of Scallafield.

There are bound to be differences of opinion for that very reason alone and for some it matters not one jot if the whole of Shetland was covered in a turbine forest as far as the eye can see, just as long as it can be seen as potential for financial gain at any cost.

For individuals who do not find recreation in these kinds of remote areas can we say that out of sight is out of mind? If that is Shetland’s case then it becomes an even greater tragedy and one of blind ignorance from grey men in grey suits surrounded by grey concrete.

I would urge these individuals who are able to do so to walk into the hills and view the scene from the top of Scallafield and perhaps try to understand the loss that will be experienced by people who have an affinity with Shetland’s natural landscape and heritage.

The land and the landscape is deep rooted in the psyche. To drastically alter or change such a fundamental thing will induce a mental conflict with great sadness and tragedy for Shetlanders like myself. Nothing could be more painful than to watch helpless as blanket bog, heather and moorland fall before the bulldozers and metal monsters.

When the Viking Energy project was first mooted it was presented as a green project to help save the planet. Now it has grown fat on broken promises to mutate its true form, a subsidy derived money machine full of new uncertain promises to feed the gluttonous system and damn the consequences to either people or the environment.

Meanwhile we fight among ourselves while Viking Energy dangles gold carrots before greedy eyes and drooling mouths. For those who accept that, take time to reflect if you have a conscience that you have sacrificed both people, birds and wildlife for the sake of blood money.

Shetland Charitable Trust millions have been earmarked for the project and who knows at the end how much will be sucked from the cash cow before completion.

In short it is one extreme high-risk venture and could bankrupt Shetland. With a shift in governmental policy regarding wind-power subsidy we may be left with a colossal white elephant and environmental disaster rusting in the hills.

This project is all about making money, not saving the planet, and the green spin that has accompanied this development from day one is a disgrace and a slur on the intelligence of all Shetlanders.

All blanket bog is protected by legislation and destruction on the proposed scale for this colossal windfarm brings the question of negative carbon saving during its projected life.

No matter how the so called experts onboard try to spin the figures on carbon payback and benefit to the environment.

The industrialisation of vast areas of blanket bog is slowly being recognised as one of mans greatest follies in the battle against global warming.

If the destructive windfarm is built, then for me they will have removed the desire to go and walk among these once peaceful hills and lochs they will have removed the choice that I once had.

They will have sanctioned the death of Shetland’s landscape. They will have placed in the midst of nature an unrelenting and hellish noise from grotesque man-made structures that have no place here and that is what I believe to be so tragic.

Ask yourself a question: if this vast and expensive project running into billions does not reduce fossil fuel usage and help prevent global warming then why are we doing it? If all the natural world had a choice what would they tell you? Mankind – the destructive force and the insatiable greed for gold.

Robert Sandison
Tripwell,
Whalsay.

Pictured at the former school are committee members (from left): Donna Cameron, Fiona Reid, Nicola Smith,Tracey Malcolmson,Kate Holt, Kristina Leask, Stephanie Bain, Shona Wishart and Susan Goodlad. Photo: Dave Donaldson

Plans for a new community cafe and soft play centre in Quarff have moved a step forward, after a meeting of the SIC’s policy and resources committee this week.

Quarff Primary School closed in 2003, but registered charity Shetland Community Cafe and Soft Play is wanting to transform the site, with a play area, a chance for a cuppa and accommodation for visitors.

Councillors on Monday agreed to give the cafe and soft play group a two-year lease for the building, and the group hopes to buy the site in future by attracting funding.

Group chairwoman Shona Wishart said the building has been unused for the last three or four years and was on the council’s list for disposal.

The group was formed in September 2013 with a view to taking over the building and has looked at various options, including an asset transfer from the SIC.

In order to enter into a lease agreement with the local authority the group needed to be a registered charity. In December it was given charitable status. The group has developed a business plan and is wanting to create something which will benefit the community.

Huts on the site would be demolished, if lottery funding was successful, and a cafe and soft play area would be built in its place.

It is hoped the school house building can be renovated and rented for use while the project progresses.

Funding is being applied for to carry out a feasibility study. On the back of that the group is then hoping to enter into the process of buying the whole site.

Mrs Wishart said this week’s decision was like getting a new lease of life for the project.

The former primary school at Quarff. Photo: Dave Donaldson

Thirteen members are on the committee and the charity has about 40 to 50 volunteers. They hope the cafe and soft play will bring in folk from all over Shetland, as well as tourists.

If the project comes to fruition the group hopes to use the school house as accommodation for holiday lets and for tourists and locals.

A play park and multicourt is also planned for the site.

Mrs Wishart said she had received “ a lot of positive feed­back” about the plans and there was a will in the community to see it kept as a community facility.

The group will hold its annual meeting on Sunday 1st March at 8pm in Cunningsburgh School. Mrs Wishart is hoping to recruit new members and also plan a schedule for fund-raising this year.

About £5,000 has been raised by the group so far, with fund-raising events ranging from fish and chip nights to Sunday teas and most recently a soup and sweet afternoon in Quarff Hall which raised a further £350 for the group’s coffers.

A Garriock Bros lorry toppled off the road at Levenwick last month. Photo: Dave Donaldson

Verge improvements, new signs and road markings will be introduced on the notorious stretch of road above Levenwick to help improve safety.

It is hoped the short-term measures will cut down on the potential for accidents at a blind summit on the main A970 to and from the busy Sumburgh Airport.

The road has been causing concern among motorists for years. It came under the spotlight last month when a Garriock Bros low-loader carrying a digger tumbled over the lower side.

The issue was raised at yesterday’s meeting of the Community Safety and Resilience Board by Shetland South councillor Allison Duncan.

Shetland Islands Council roads manager Dave Coupe said the three-pronged approach would see:
• Road verge improvements introduced.
• A second blind summit sign to warn motorists of the nature and lay-out of the road.
• “Slow” markings in the approach to the summit.

Mr Duncan welcomed the decision, adding he had been pressing for action on the road improvements in the area since 2007. He said he hoped further upgrades would be made in the future if the budgets allowed.

“For the first time we’ve got progress on the blind summit there,” he said. “Not before time.

“It’s a short time arrangement but hopefully, if the money can be found in the finance budgets, I hope we can see, in the longer term, the Levenwick road being improved.”

Speaking about yesterday’s meeting, Mr Duncan said: “The result was that he [Dave Coupe] has agreed now to do work on that blind summit. That would involve signage, painted markings on the road, and verge markers.”

The road had never been busier, Mr Duncan said: “Look at the number of vehicles last year that carried stones to the airport for the runway.

“You’ve also to remember when Scatsta Airport is closed for weather, you get bus-loads of folk going down to Sumburgh, and then they are taking bus-loads back again.

“If you look at the statistics for HIAL, it’s one of the fastest growing airport in Scotland at the moment. I think it’s imperative that we get things done there.”

At the Kalmar barge presentation are (from left): challenge winner John Coward, 73; Brae High School ASN and pupils support principal teacher and participant Logan Nicolson; Bell’s Brae ASN department deputy head Julia McGinlay; CADSS board member and participant Sylvia Moncrieff; organiser and trainer David O’Sullivan; CADSS chairwoman Jackie Diamond; CADSS manager Gill Hession; Kalmar barge master Ian Wignall. Photo: Dave Donaldson

Fitness trainer David O’Sullivan has raised £15,000 from his fitness classs this year which is all going to local charities.

Representatives from the ASN departments of Bell’s Brae Primary School, Anderson High School and Brae High School, as well as MS Shetland and drugs agency CADSS, were on the barge Kalmar in Lerwick on Friday night to receive cheques for a share of the money.

Last year Mr O’Sullivan, who is a rigger with Petrofac, raised money for the Bell’s Brae and Anderson High ASN departments through “Challenge Shetland”, comprising sponsored classes for Shetland Gas Plant workers who lived on the barges.

Over the two years he has raised a total of £37,500. This year members of the public are to be invited to his classes, held on the Kalmar barge three nights a week. Participants will pay £1 per session, to go to local charities.

A woman was killed in a vehicle collision earlier today on the main A970 road between Lerwick and Hillswick.

Another passenger in the car, believed to be an elderly woman, has been taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital.

The incident occurred just south of the Halfway House at Sandwater and the road is currently closed between the South Nesting and Weisdale junctions.

Police said the road would likely remain closed overnight. Diversions were currently in place via Nesting and Kergord.

A police accident investigation team is understood to be travelling to Lerwick on the ferry tonight after being unable to fly north.

Having just had the opportunity to study Jonathan Wills’ letter I now feel the need to apologise for all the grief I’ve apparently caused him, the Shetland Charitable Trust and the entire Shetland community.

I had no idea that by trying to protect my health, the value of my property and the wild unspoiled areas of Shetland would cause him and his cohorts Bobby Hunter and Drew Ratter so much upset.

The fact that my opposition to this project has cost me a four-figure sum appears to be of no consequence to him. How much personal expense has been incurred by all the windfarm proponents?

The fact that I have had absolutely no political representation at a local, Scottish or national level appears to be of no importance to him.

The fact that Dr Wills, Chris Bunyan et al now expect me to roll over and have my belly tickled like a “traeshin dug” defies belief.

Think on boys, think on.

Donnie Morrison
Setter,
Weisdale.

Ever since the Viking Energy project was first mooted it has been my considered opinion that it had the potential to be a financial disaster for the people of Shetland.

As time passes all I see is loss of income and the likelihood of crippling debt.

Leaving aside all other considerations, the destruction of a unique landscape, the impact on all the folk unfortunate to live in proximity to a massive wind turbine, the loss of value in their homes, health considerations and the impact on wildlife, just consider the picture of a pot of gold waiting to be picked up virtually without any Shetlander lifting a finger to gain enormous wealth without effort.

This is the picture as presented by the supporters of the scheme. It is more likely that the pot of gold will turn out to be just that, a mythical pot at the end of a rainbow.

Consider the facts. To date the Shetland Charitable Trust has spent, I cannot say invested, around £12 million of the people of Shetland’s money into Viking Energy.

It is still possible to achieve an income from stock market shares of four per cent net of tax. With £12 million at four per cent = £480,000 a year, therefore Shetland has already lost, say in five years, almost £2.5 million.

And how long is it going to be before Viking Energy produces a profit if the windfarm is ever built? And that is a very big “if”.

Has it escaped the notice of the charitable trust that quietly all over the world more and more electricity is being produced from turbines mounted on the seabed using the utterly dependable source of tidal power?

I suggest that the future sources of renewable energy, guaranteed and totally reliable as long as there are tides, will represent the future, not wind power which is becoming more and more discredited on grounds of cost and dependancy.

Dreams can be attractive and the wish for a pot of gold to solve all problems has been around for a long time. But remember that some dreams turn into horrendous nightmares.

I suggest that the charitable trust offers its stake in Viking Energy for sale on the open market and find out how attractive their investment actually is to worldwide professionals, not local amateurs, however well their intentions.

Allan Pring
(formerly Dunrossness)
Eastbourne,
Kent.

Guizer Jarl Richard Mouat in front of his burning galley. Photo: John Coutts

Friday 13th was certainly lucky for Guizer Jarl Richard Mouat and his squad at this year’s Uyeasound Up-Helly-A’.

Some forecasts of poor weather came to nothing, the day staying dry and the wind falling away to give perfect conditions for the evening procession along the picturesque shoreline at Uyeasound.

The Jarl’s Squad was composed of 19 guizers and the jarl’s three daughters Maisy, Kathryn and Freya (who the galley was named after) and his son Archie.

The squad cut a dash, dressed in black kirtles with silver trimmings, “one shade of grey” furry cloaks and boots. black and silver shields were shaped to resemble a darts flight with an impreesive stainless steel motif of Unst. All this was topped of with a  black and silver helmet with goose feathers, the jarl having a gold and a fine set of “corbie” wings.

After a hearty breakfast at the galley shed the squad and the galley, steered and towed by impressible festival veterans John Hunter and Brian Hunter, toured the isle.

They visited the Baltasound school, the Isleshavn care centre and the Uyeasound hall before mustering back at the galley shed with the other 16 squads for the torchlit procession and burning. This year saw 170 guizers taking part, the most for several years.

It took a few hours for the squads to get through a packed programe of the usual standard of hilarious skits on stage at a packed Uyeasound hall. Featured in several squads this year were the musical exploits of local councillor Gary “Cleavage” and MBE recipient Elizabeth Johnson.

The night was finished off with the Alan Nicolson Band producing a rip-roaring set and the Unst folk dancing and revelling with their usual enthusiasm into the wee small hours.

•

Full report and photos by John Coutts in Friday’s Shetland Times.

Tonight’s southbound sailing of Serco NorthLink’s Hrossey will be delayed until tomorrow morning because of high southerly winds.

The ferry was due to leave Lerwick at 7pm tonight but will not now depart until 5.30am tomorrow. She is expected to arrive at Aberdeen at 6pm on Monday and leave again on for the return trip north at 9pm.

The northbound sailing of the Hjaltland tonight will leave Aberdeen at the usual Sunday time of 5pm, NorthLink said, but was likely to be delayed in getting to Kirkwall for between one and one and a half hours. However, she should be on time for arrival in Lerwick at 7.30am tomorrow.

Police Scotland have named the woman who died in yesterday’s single-vehicle road accident in Shetland as Brenda Hay, 47, of Skerries.

Mrs Hay was the driver of the vehicle, a Mitsubishi Lancer, while a passenger was taken to the Gilbert Bain Hospital in Lerwick with what the police called minor injuries.

The accident happened at about 11.30am on the main A970 road between Lerwick and Hillswick, just south of the Halfway House at the Sandwater junction.

Following the incident the road was closed overnight between the South Nesting and Weisdale junctions. Diversions were put in place via Nesting and Kergord.

Road policing officers travelled north on the boat from the Dingwall Road Policing Unit and undertook a collision investigation of the scene. Following their examination the road was reopened to traffic earlier today.

Police Scotland thanked the public for their assistance and understanding during the tragic incident. Anyone who may have witnessed the collision was asked to contact Police on 101.

Valentine’s night saw the second of the two Ragged Wood concerts featuring Orkney folk legend Ivan Drever (father of Kris) and hip dude Blue Rose Code which I guess is more mysterious than his real name Ross Wilson.

Blue Rose Code overcame his early nerves for a tasteful performance. Photo: Stephen Gordon

They say its “aawis a fine day in Voe” and on this occasion it was a fine night at the Voe Hall as well as the candlelit venue held court to fair-sized crowd at caberet style seating.

Drever and the hip dude, the old and the new, certainly entertained but the stars of the evening for this old codger were local “post punk pop” jangly jaunters, the Trookers, not so peerie noo.

They opened the night with a playful rolling sound that uplifted the evening, with the snappy harmonies of Robert Balfour and Chris Thomson’s vocals and guitars ably anchored by the tight but minimalist rhythm section of Chris Cope on bass and Erik Peterson on drums.

Next on was Blue Rose Code who ironically was tense and nervous pre-gig with his voice threatening to disappear. But this didn’t impact on a very competent performance but gave a husky edge to many of this singer/songwriter’s tuneful ditties.

He was joined on stage all too shortly for two numbers by local musos Lois Nicol on fine fiddle and Bryan Peterson on upright double bass.

There was another highlight in the supper of macaroni cheese and chips.

Orcadian Ivan Drever on stage at Voe. Photo: Stephen Gordon

Then Ivan Drever, Orkney’s answer to Ralph McTell, closed the evening with a mixture of self-penned songs and instrumentals which put him very much in the traditional folk camp. It endede a fine evening, refreshingly out in the sticks at a change of venue away from Lerwick.

• See full review in The Shetland Times on Friday.

Difficult choices lie ahead for Shetland Amenity Trust as the pot of money used to maintain old buildings such as camping böds and lighthouses could be cut by 25 per cent.

That is the view of amenity trust chairman Brian Gregson who admitted some work would have to be delayed if the “pretty draconian” cut was to go ahead.

He said the trust had a large and varied range of buildings, and it would be difficult to maintain them with the budget being reduced by a quarter in 2015/16.

The decision is due to be made when Shetland Charitable Trust holds its next meeting on Thursday.

The charitable trust provides money for the budget and it is understood that it could be cutting its planned maintenance budget by a quarter.

The planned maintenance programme “ensures that certain buildings, equipment and other assets that the Shetland Charitable Trust have invested in are well maintained and in good working condition,” according to the charitable trust.

It is not clear whether the proposed maintenance cuts will affect Shetland Recreational Trust and Shetland Arts, which also receive budgets from the charitable trust.

Shetland Arts general manager Graeme Howell did not wish to comment on the matter, nor did recreational trust chairman Bryan Leask.

Charitable trust chief executive Ann Black was asked by The Shetland Times about the reduction in money for planned maintenance.

She said the charitable trust was due to discuss the budget report on Thursday and chairman Bobby Hunter would be in a position to comment on the decisions “after the meeting”.

Click on image to enlarge.

Mr Gregson said the amenity trust was aware of the charitable trust reducing its spending and said he understood that was the charitable trust’s decision.

But he said there were no signs of the budget being maintained and described the possible 25 per cent cut as “pretty draconian”.

He said: “Are we going to do the roof on this building or repaint that one? … You can’t do everything like we used to and there’s going to be some pretty difficult choices along the way.”

Mr Gregson said there was a danger of building up problems for the future if maintenance wasn’t upheld. When you cut a budget by a quarter, you could only do three quarters of what you planned to.

He said: “The concern for the amenity trust as far as this is concerned is that it means some of our heritage and heritage buildings are definitely under threat.”

Asked about looking to external funding to help with planned maintenance, Mr Gregson said for things like painting camping böds and lighthouses, that money had to be “Shetland money”.

He added: “Unless you can make something a project that can attract external funding then it’s something that has to be paid for within Shetland.

• This week’s newspaper will include a report from the charitable trust meeting.

Ferry mates who are members of trade union Unite will continue their strike action this week.

There will be a six-hour stoppage on Shetland Islands Council ferries on Wednesday from 5.45am to 11.45am.

Details of services affected by the industrial action can be found on the council website or message boards at ferry terminals.

Ways of getting retained firefighters on the books have been streamlined to dramatically cut recruitment times, which could help bring staffing levels at rural stations back up to “optimum levels”.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service has introduced changes which should see willing candidates hired within 16 weeks.

That should mark a dramatic reduction on the nine-months it has typically taken until now to bring in new blood to the service.

Problems with recruitment have been felt acutely in Fetlar, where the fire tender is off the run because of a shortfall in retained staff. Any fire incidents that happen there currently need to be dealt with by crews from outwith the isle.

Vice-chairman of Shet­l­and community safety board Allison Duncan has welcomed the move. He said the time had come for Fetlar to be prioritised at last week’s meeting of the community safety and resilience board at the town hall.

Speaking after the meeting, he told this newspaper: “They’ve reduced the recruitment time down from 15 months to four months. That’s a very positive response, there.

“It’s not only a massive improvement, but it would hopefully benefit recruitment throughout the whole of Shetland where there are some stations where there are vacancies for fire stations in the communities.

SFRS area manager, Billy Wilson, said he hoped the streamlining process would make the job of a retained firefighter more attractive to potential applicants.

“What we find historically is the recruitment process can take nine months, and sometimes longer than that. But we’ve done a lot of work since we’ve become the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, and we’ve refined that process to make it much more efficient and much more effective.”

• Full story in this week’s Shetland Times.

A new exhibition has been unveiled at Shetland Museum with two displays showcasing finds from the wreck of the Drottningen af Swerige.

Wrecked in 1745 off the Knab and within the confines of Lerwick harbour, the Drottningen af Swerige (Queen of Sweden) offers a fascinating snapshot of life onboard an 18th century trading vessel.

The Drottningen af Swerige was the flagship of the Swedish East Company. Sailing with the Stockholm both vessels left Gothenburg on 9th January 1745. They quickly ran into trouble a few days later, as the weather deteriorated.

Cannon from the Drottningen af Swerige, photographed on the seabed by Donald Jefferies.

With high winds, blizzard conditions and poor visibility the ships struggled to maintain course. The Stockholm floundered and was lost off Braefield, Dunrossness – nothing remains of the ship.

The Drottningen af Swerige continued and her captain made the decision to run for the safety of Lerwick.

Unfortunately, as she came into sight of safety, the weather deteriorated and she struck rock just hours after the Stockholm. All the crew from both vessels made it to shore safely.

The Swedish East India Company, established in 1731, following several failed attempts, was inspired by the success of the Dutch East Company. Sweden was the last prominent European nation to become involved in the Eastern trade. The company was the largest in Sweden and was dissolved in 1813.

Under the command of Captain Carl Johan Treutiger, the Drottningen af Swerige, at 147 feet and 950 tons, carried 130 men and boasted 32 guns.

Built in Stockholm in 1741 for £12,500 (over £1 million today) she was the largest vessel in the company’s fleet. She was a trading vessel to China for the Swedish East India Company.

The Drottningen af Swerige was partially loaded, en route to Cadiz (Spain) for more supplies before heading to Canton in China.

The display also features an extremely rare chart, dating to the 1740s, which was created by Dutch cartographer

Chart by Joannes Van Keulen

Joannes Van Keulen. Used as a navigational aid, this chart contains information about the sea and coast, including tides, anchorages and dangerous rocks.

Charts, unlike maps contained hill profiles to help mariners recognise landmasses. Marine atlases adorned the chart table onboard vessels such as the Drottningen af Swerige.

Dutch cartographers were prolific map-makers – unlike the British, they made many maps of Shetland and this recent acquisition is one of the rarest of all Shetland charts.

The exhibition is set to run throughout 2015.

Lerwick Port Authority has awarded a £11.95 million contract which will see the quay at Dales Voe South extended to 130 metres long.

The Scottish business unit of civil engineering contractor BAM Nuttall has won the contract and the port authority says the developments in Lerwick Harbour will increase the deep-water facilities for the offshore oil and gas industry.

The extended quay will provide deep-water, versatile berthing and heavy load capacity to take an offshore structure in a single lift, with a substantial, expanded laydown area.

Port authority harbourmaster and deputy chief executive Calum Grains said the contract marked an important step in further developing Lerwick’s role as a leading centre of offshore industry operations. The news comes weeks after Shell confirmed that work on the decommissioning project for its Brent Alpha platform was not coming to Shetland, but would be carried out in Teesside.

Capt Grains said: “Dales Voe South is another value-added expansion and reflects our confidence in future activity, including ongoing subsea projects, particularly west of Shetland, and the developing decommissioning and offshore renewable markets.”

The Scottish government Highlands and Islands Enterprise are providing £2.39 million in grant for the project, with the Bank of Scotland supporting the port authority’s investment.

Work will begin in April with completion due in April next year. BAM expects up to 40 worker to be employed directly in the construction at its peak, with wider benefits spreading to local suppliers and sub-contractors.

BAM Nuttall business unit manager Dougie Grant said: “We’ve been tracking the proposals for Dales Voe for over a year now and we’re delighted to have been chosen by the port authority as their construction partner.

“We understand the positive impact this scale of investment can have locally and we look forward to engaging proactively with the Shetland community to ensure this benefit is fully realised.”

Civil engineers Arch Henderson are responsible for design and project management of one of the largest infrastructure developments in recent years in the port authority’s ongoing programme.

The contract will extend the quay by around 75 metres, with a load-bearing capacity of 60 tonnes per square metre, making it unique in Scotland.

It will have 12.5 metres water depth alongside, like the existing quay, among the deepest of its type in Scotland. The extension will be complemented by increased, adjacent laydown for equipment and materials. A phased expansion under way in recent years will total 45,000 square metres by 2016.

Part of the Dutch construction group Royal BAM, BAM Nuttall specialises in complex marine construction, with a track record working around Scotland and on the Western and Northern Isles.

Lerwick has been servicing the offshore industry for over 50 years and has a growing reputation as a location for decommissioning.

The latest round of ferry mates’ strikes scheduled to take place tomorrow morning have been postponed, according to a joint statement issued by Unite the union and the SIC.

Council and union representatives have met today at a meeting organised by Cosla, the local government organisation.

The industrial action centred around the mates’ pay grades and the way they were categorised by a recent job evaluation scheme. The SIC and Unite have jointly agreed to appoint an independent assessor in the Job Evaluation Scheme to review the evaluation of the ferry mates’ posts.

With that agreement in place the mates have suspended the six hours of industrial action planned for tomorrow, 18th February.

Talks will continue with the aim of agreeing the details of the independent review. It is hoped that will see planned strikes Wednesday 25^th February and Wednesday 4^th March suspended as well.

Ambulance emergency call-outs and the routine workload is as high in Shetland as other rural and island locations across Scotland.

However, according to MSP Tavish Scott the Lerwick ambulance station is under resourced, has inadequate training and puts local staff under increasing pressure.

Mr Scott is writing to the Scottish health minister demanding that Shetland and the local staff get a fair deal. He has met the Scottish Ambulance Service management to press for more training, more staff and a full time, 24/7 ambulance service that is operated by fully trained paramedics.

Mr Scott said he had been told by the Unite union that the service was meant to save £436,000 in the current financial year.

He said: “Shetland’s local ambulance staff are being put under pressure by their own management. The SAS have failed to invest in enough fully trained staff. Management have institutionalised on-call cover. That means in Shetland a 24/7 emergency call out is only achieved by staff overtime.

“Unlike other areas of Scotland paramedics are routinely called out to emergencies with a less trained member of staff. In evenings and weekends additional cover is provided by first responders, with only basic medical training. This puts an intolerable burden on the less qualified staff which is simply unacceptable.

MSP Tavish Scott is concerned about the lack of investment in the ambulance service. Photo: Dave Donaldson

“Local staff are operating under a ‘fatigue policy’ as a result of working overtime. But their workload has risen by 45 per cent since 2006 based on the SAS’s own figures. The Unite union point out that management propose to cut £436,000 from the budget covering the area including Shetland.

“Far from cuts the staff, the community and I want to see investment in Shetland. The service needs two or three new fully trained paramedics. That would then mean Shetland would have the same level of emergency cover as other island and rural areas.

“It is a testament to the efforts and commitment of the Shetland staff that the service runs as well as it does. But the ambulance service in Shetland fails both clinical and staff standards that the management expect in every other part of Scotland. So I want the Scottish health minister to intervene. The current situation is not safe, fair on staff or acceptable.”

Mr Scott said the local station based at Montfield in Lerwick failed staff and safety standards. He had met staff at the station and was concerned that management had dragged their feet on moving staff to a new location.

Mr Scott added: “A 999 emergency call out means the ambulances hurtling through a busy workplace car park and out onto Burgh Road. I have repeatedly asked the SAS whether they have done a risk assessment of this. They refuse to answer.

“The staff conditions are lamentable. So staff have been pressing for a new location on safety grounds. I am very disappointed how long it is talking SAS to do anything to move this forward.

“The sensible location would be at the Lerwick Fire Station. That is new, well-built and in an excellent location. Instead of endless delay, the SAS management must resolve this issue now.”

• For more on this story, see Friday’s Shetland Times.