The Council’s political leaders, along with the Chief Executive and local ward members, will be hosting a series of public drop-in sessions around the isles in the coming months.
UPDATED Monday 15th December to include new dates for January 2026
These will help the Council plan for its future activities, with members of the public invited along to discuss their ideas for supporting and improving their local services.
Each session will run from late afternoon till early evening, to give everyone a chance to drop by for a chat, hear more about the challenges and opportunities facing the Council, and share their priorities for their community.
The sessions will begin on Monday 10th November in Cunningsburgh and continue through to early next year. So far, drop-ins have been scheduled as follows, with more to come. All sessions run from 4.30-7.30pm, except Baltasound.
- Monday 10th November – Cunningsburgh Hall
- Monday 24th November – Brae High School
- Tuesday 25th November – Scalloway Primary School
- Monday 1st December – Aith Junior High School
- Wednesday 10th December – Lerwick Town Hall
- Thursday 11th December – Baltasound Hall – 3-6pm
- Tuesday 16th December – Bressay Hall
- Tuesday 13th January 2026 - Whalsay School - 4.30 - 6.30pm
- Thursday 15th Jauary 2026 - Mid Yell Junior High - 4.30 - 7pm
An online session will also be arranged for Foula, Fair Isle, Skerries, Papa Stour and Fetlar. As further dates are firmed up, they’ll be shared with the local media and posted on the Council’s Facebook page.
Each session will focus on three key questions:
- What helps your community to thrive?
- What role should the Council take in making that a reality?
- If your community is a place of positive wellbeing – what does that look like for you?
For anyone who finds it difficult to attend and who’d like to share their thoughts on these three issues, a dedicated email address has been set up – CommunityConversation@shetland.gov.uk
Maggie Sandison, the Council’s Chief Executive, says: “We’re trying as much as possible to get around all our communities, with online sessions being planned for the outer islands. For mainland sessions, if you can’t attend one, you’re more than welcome to drop by another – or send us your thoughts on email.
“Our intention is to involve the community as much as possible in planning for the coming years. We regularly update our Corporate Plan, and this is an opportunity to bring focus to bear on the issues which are most important to individuals, families and community groups.
“We’re running these quite informally – it’s a chance to drop by, chat with myself and elected members, and share your thoughts on what makes your community thrive, and what the Council can do to support that.”