The Orkney Islands Council is the local authority for Orkney, Scotland. It was established in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of the mid-1990s. The council consists of 21 members, all of whom are independent, that is they do not stand as representatives of a political party. The council is also the harbour authority for Orkney and its Marine Services division manages the operation of the islands' 29 piers and harbours.