The Chair of Shetland Heat Energy and Power Ltd, Andrew Blackadder, has decided to stand down from the board after three years.

My purpose in this article is to clear up some of the misunderstandings that have arisen in public and media discussion of the latest reforms to Shetland Charitable Trust.

Trustees will be free to accept or reject recommendations made in a report following a review of Shetland Charitable Trust’s governance arrangements.

Trustees of Shetland Charitable Trust will debate proposals for the future governance of the Trust at their meeting next month.

Shetland Islands Council (SIC) and Shetland Charitable Trust (SCT) have been working closely with Shetland Islands Citizen’s Advice Bureau (SICAB) over recent months, and have now been successful in putting together a sustainable funding package for SICAB’s core services.

Shetland Charitable Trust has agreed a new investment strategy that seeks to generate more money for the benefit of the community.

Shetland Charitable Trust Chairman Bobby Hunter said: “The Trust is content that it has acted in accordance with charity and company law with respect to its relationship with SLAP.

Shetland Charitable Trust has given its full backing to the directors of SLAP over their handling of the sale of the site at Commercial Road in Lerwick.

Shetland Charitable Trust today approved disbursements of more than £6 million in 2016-17 for the arts, leisure, sport and heritage, and for voluntary and other groups in the isles.

Shetland Charitable Trust has agreed to reduce spending in 2016-17 by just under £400,000 as it continues to bring the amount it hands out into line with its income.