strength
Build on homes already completed
Walliwall 9A has delivered both rented and shared-equity homes.
A mix of tenures serves different households.
What could help →Orkney Islands, in numbers
Issues and SWOT
Orkney Islands council area. Every figure carries its own date.
Strengths to build on. Pressures to address. Choices to make.
These assessments connect evidence with proposed responses. They are not ratings of council performance.
Strengths
Weaknesses
weakness
Keep pier equipment renewal visible
Four North Isles piers need control and hydraulic-equipment upgrades.
Lifeline services depend on shore equipment as well as vessels.
What could help →weakness
Make room for homes people can afford
The average home price is £214,000 (July 2026) in Orkney Islands council area. This is about £18,000 higher than the Scotland average for the same month.
Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.
What could help →Opportunities
opportunity
Support homes where island communities need them
Development trusts have housing projects on five islands.
Small schemes can matter greatly to local services and employment.
What could help →opportunity
Plan homes and care around an older population
24.8% of people in Orkney Islands council area were aged 65 or over (20 March 2022). People aged 65 or over ranged from 22.1% in Kirkwall East to 30.9% in North Isles — a gap of 8.8 percentage points.
Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.
What could help →opportunity
Connect local skills to local opportunities
31.8% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or higher (20 March 2022) in Orkney Islands council area. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 14% in East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray to 22.3% in North Isles — a gap of 8.3 percentage points.
Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.
What could help →opportunity
Target safety work where problems repeat
Recorded-crime figures cover the whole Orkney Islands council area; they do not identify individual wards.
These are police-recorded crimes under Scottish counting rules. They cannot be ranked alongside the mapped incidents shown for other UK nations.
What could help →opportunity
Turn published plans into visible progress
3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.
A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.
What could help →Threats
threat
Prepare for the winter works programme
The linkspan works are planned for winter 2026–27.
Weather or access disruption could affect the timetable; this is a delivery risk.
What could help →| Evidence and response | Who could lead | Related published plans |
|---|---|---|
| Build on homes already completedJune 2026 housing partnership review. | Orkney Islands Council | |
| Keep pier equipment renewal visibleJune 2026 contract award. | Orkney Islands Council | |
| Support homes where island communities need themMarch 2026 project review. | Orkney Islands Council | |
| Prepare for the winter works programmeContract timetable in June 2026. | Orkney Islands Council | |
| Make room for homes people can affordThe average home price is £214,000 (July 2026) in Orkney Islands council area. | The housing and planning authorities, housing associations and developers | |
| Plan homes and care around an older population24.8% aged 65 or over; 20 March 2022. People aged 65 or over ranged from 22.1% in Kirkwall East to 30.9% in North Isles — a gap of 8.8 percentage points. 20 March 2022; 6 of 6 current wards have comparable figures. | Adult social care, local health services, housing providers and transport authorities | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Connect local skills to local opportunities31.8% with a degree or higher; 20 March 2022. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 14% in East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray to 22.3% in North Isles — a gap of 8.3 percentage points. 20 March 2022; 6 of 6 current wards have comparable figures. | Employers, colleges, universities and the relevant skills authority | No reviewed project is linked yet. This remains a proposal, with funding and delivery to establish. |
| Target safety work where problems repeatUse the dated, complete periods shown in Crime and safety; keep anti-social behaviour separate. | The local police force, council community safety team and relevant services |