News / In brief for 9 February 2011
Milk in a bottle
ISLANDERS will soon buy their local milk in plastic bottles rather than the old style cartons after the Scottish government awarded almost £60,000 to Shetland Farm Dairies, in Lerwick.
The grant covers half of the investment of £120,000 into the installation of a rotary plastic bottle liquid milk filling line as well as a ice builder.
The modernisation will allow the company to deliver all its milk in plastic bottles as of spring this year.
The installation of the ice builder to cool down cream, yogurt and buttermilk will follow later in the year.
Candidates
FOUR budding politicians, all from the Anderson High School, have put their name forward to contest Shetland’s two seats in the Scottish Youth parliament.
The candidates, Barry Meheut from Quarff, Nicole Mouat from Scalloway, Emily Shaw from Lerwick, and Cameron Stevenson from Whalsay are currently busy writing their manifestos which will be distributed to schools and youth clubs as of the end of the month.
The elections to the youth parliament will be held online at a later date.
The council’s spokesperson for young people, Bill Manson said: “Well done to all those who have put their names forward.
“It is good to see enough candidates to have a real contest without so many that the vote is fragmented. Let the hustings begin.”
New COPE board members
LOCAL charity COPE Ltd has appointed John Tait and John Hunter, both from Scalloway, as new members to its board.
Mr Tait, a retired school teacher and businessman, most recently owned Whalsay Fish Processors.
Mr Hunter, a recently retired accountant, has wide experience of business and community development in Shetland.
Board chairman Jim Smith said: “John Tait and John Hunter are respected throughout Shetland and beyond and I am delighted to announce they have joined our Board.
The next few years are going to be challenging for any organisation and it’s essential that we have the strongest board possible in place to meet those challenges, support our senior management team and ensure we continue doing what we do best; creating and delivering meaningful work opportunities for adults with disabilities in Shetland”.
Tobacco register
RETAILERS in Shetland have been urged to prepare for new tobacco register which will came into force on 1 April.
Around 100 retailers in then isles are required to register to sell cigarettes under new rules designed to make cigarettes less available to under 18n year olds.
All retailers will be posted registration packs during the week commencing 7 March with instructions on how to register and will also receive a selection of signs for staff and customers that they can display within their stores.
Public health minister Shona Robison said: “I’d urge retailers now to make a date in their diary and ensure that they join the register from April 1 onwards.”
Those found to be selling tobacco after 1 October without having registered could be fined up to £20,000 and sent to prison for six months.
Cowboy builders
THE BBC’s popular Cowboy Trap series wants hear from islanders whose lives and properties are in a state of chaos thanks to ‘cowboy’ builders.
Presenter Clive Holland said: “We’re looking for more stories from people who have been victim of bad workmanship that for example hasn’t passed basic building standards or work that has never been completed or botched with builders refusing to return and remedy the bad workmanship; or people who have paid money up front to the builder who hasn’t finished the job and walked off leaving the owner out of pocket.”
To get in touch with the programme’s production team contact Mentorn Media on 020 7258 6724 or email cowboytrap@mentorn.com
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