Dear Orkney News,

It was unfortunate that the recent attempt by Councillor Stephen Clackson to shorten the period that the OIC leader serves was voted down.

I would go further than Mr Clackson on this issue, and propose that the whole Orkney electorate get to vote on this issue, and if the vote is to shorten the time served as Council leader, then the Orkney electorate get to vote for the Council leader after the main election and again two and a half years later.

This would serve to force prospective Council leaders to actually have a plan as to where Orkney should be going, and how to get there.

Openness and accountability are the lifeblood of democracy, so let’s give democracy a major transfusion.

Yours, Jon Southerington, Orkney Green member