News
'Max' and Colin may enter into 'partnership' in Sanday
04/01/2007 10:19:00
ATTEMPTS by composer Sir Peter Maxwell Davies and his long-term partner
Colin Parkinson to enter into a Civil Partnership in Sanday may yet
find success.
Earlier in the week a council spokesperson issued a statement which
suggested that the authority was tied to a set process and that the
only registrar dealing with Civil Partnerships in Orkney was Patricia
Breck the Kirkwall Registrar.
The couple who live on Sanday want to 'tie the knot' on home ground.
Sanday Registrar Charlie Ridley was happy to assist and top musicians
from across the world, including clarinetist Dimitri Ashkenazy are keen
to perform at the ceremony.
The council initially said that "in common with all the other
home-based registrars in the Orkney Registration District the Sanday
Registrar was not authorised to carry out Civil Partnership ceremonies."
This was, however, mellowed on Wednesday with a follow up statement
which read: "Orkney Islands Council will be discussing this situation
with all those concerned to find an acceptable solution within council
procedure."
Delighted by what appeared to be a change of heart by the authority,
both Sir Peter and Colin told Orkney Today yesterday (Wednesday) that
they hoped that Charlie Ridley would be allowed to carry out the
ceremony.
"It is important to us that Charlie who is Sanday's Registrar carries
out the ceremony. What is the point of having a Sanday Registrar if he
can't," Sir Peter said. " We believe that a ceremony of this type
should be done in the place where we live that is important to us."
He added: "I think the whole issue behind who can or can't perform such ceremonies has to be regarded with great humour."
On learning of the council's initial reaction the couple were taking legal advice on the situation.