The reorganisation of local government in Scotland was a matter of political debate from the mid-1960s. In June 1963 the Scottish Office published a white paper titled The Modernization of Local Government in Scotland (Cmnd.2067). This proposed a large decrease in the number of local authorities in the country. There was to be a reduction from thirty-three county councils to between ten and fifteen. At the same time, new "second-tier councils" were proposed, with burghs being merged with the surrounding "landward" rural areas. The minimum population for the areas of these councils was to be 40,000. It was hoped that the reforms could be carried out quickly, with existing authorities agreeing to amalgamation and boundary alterations prior to legislation being passed.[2] The white paper was rejected by the Association of Large Burghs, and by the Scottish Labour Party.[3][4] At the 1964 general election Labour came to power, and the scheme was not pursued.[3] Instead a royal commission under the chairmanship of Lord Wheatley was appointed in 1966 to enquire into local administration. Wheatley commented that "Our terms of reference are far-reaching: we have a free hand to recommend whatever arrangement of authorities, boundaries and functions seem likely to be right for a long time to come".[5]
The commission's report was delivered on 25 September 1969, and recommended a two-tier system of 7 regions and 37 districts.[6] The incoming Conservative government accepted the broad principles of the commission's report in their white paper Reform of Local Government in Scotland (Cmnd. 4583), published in February 1971. The number of regions was increased to 8, and of districts to 49. Also Orkney and Shetland were to become "most-purpose" authorities, separated from the Highland Region.[7] Following consultation, the structure was modified. The Western Isles, which was to have formed four districts of the Highland Region, became an islands area, with the same status as Orkney and Shetland. The number of districts was to remain at 49 in number, but with considerable boundary changes.[8] These were the areas included in the Local Government (Scotland) Bill as introduced to parliament in 1973. Considerable changes were made during the passage of the legislation. Fife, which was to have been divided between the South-East and East Regions, was to become a region on the same boundaries as the existing county. This increased the number of regions to nine. The number of districts was increased to 53, numerous boundary changes were made and regions and districts renamed.
The first elections to the new district and regional councils were held on 7 May 1974, with the councillors sitting as "shadow authorities" until 16 May 1975 when they came into their powers.[9]
StructureEdit
RegionsEdit
Regions had a two-tier system of local government, with each region divided into districts, varying from 3 to 19 in number.
The top tier of local government was the regional council. Services provided at the regional level were those needing greater finance or resources, or best exercised over a wide area. These included police, fire services, consumer protection, education and transport.[1]
Each district had an elected district council. In the case of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, the districts had city status, although this did not confer any additional powers. District councils had responsibility for local services including local planning, housing, libraries and licensing.[1]
Islands areasEdit
The islands areas were unitary local government areas, exercising the powers of both a regional and district council.
Regions and islands areasEdit
Scotland was subdivided into regions and islands areas as follows:
The 1994 Act created 29 new unitary local government areas, which completely replaced the regions and districts on 1 April 1996. The islands council areas continued in use and, therefore, Scotland now has 32 council areas.
^"Mixed Labour fortine in Scottish poll". The Times. 9 May 1974. p. 1.
^ abcdeWhitaker's Concise Almanack 1995. London: J Whitaker & Sons Ltd. 1994. pp. 570–571. ISBN978-0-85021-247-1.
^According to minutes of district council meetings on 21 May and 27 August 1974 the name of the Argyll district was scheduled to change to Argyll and Bute on 1 September 1974, in accordance with the terms of section 23 of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
October 21, 2023
local, government, areas, scotland, 1975, 1996, local, government, areas, scotland, were, redefined, local, government, scotland, 1973, redefined, again, local, government, scotland, 1994, 1973, created, system, nine, tier, regions, three, islands, areas, this. The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Scotland Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Scotland Act 1994 The 1973 Act created a system of nine two tier regions and three islands areas and this system completely replaced local government counties and burghs in 1975 1 The new regions were generally very different from the counties which had been in use since the Local Government Scotland Act 1889 Also the districts were very different from the subdivisions of counties also called districts which had been in use since the Local Government Scotland Act 1929 Contents 1 Background 2 Structure 2 1 Regions 2 2 Islands areas 3 Regions and islands areas 4 Districts 5 Abolition 6 See also 7 Notes and referencesBackground EditThe reorganisation of local government in Scotland was a matter of political debate from the mid 1960s In June 1963 the Scottish Office published a white paper titled The Modernization of Local Government in Scotland Cmnd 2067 This proposed a large decrease in the number of local authorities in the country There was to be a reduction from thirty three county councils to between ten and fifteen At the same time new second tier councils were proposed with burghs being merged with the surrounding landward rural areas The minimum population for the areas of these councils was to be 40 000 It was hoped that the reforms could be carried out quickly with existing authorities agreeing to amalgamation and boundary alterations prior to legislation being passed 2 The white paper was rejected by the Association of Large Burghs and by the Scottish Labour Party 3 4 At the 1964 general election Labour came to power and the scheme was not pursued 3 Instead a royal commission under the chairmanship of Lord Wheatley was appointed in 1966 to enquire into local administration Wheatley commented that Our terms of reference are far reaching we have a free hand to recommend whatever arrangement of authorities boundaries and functions seem likely to be right for a long time to come 5 The commission s report was delivered on 25 September 1969 and recommended a two tier system of 7 regions and 37 districts 6 The incoming Conservative government accepted the broad principles of the commission s report in their white paper Reform of Local Government in Scotland Cmnd 4583 published in February 1971 The number of regions was increased to 8 and of districts to 49 Also Orkney and Shetland were to become most purpose authorities separated from the Highland Region 7 Following consultation the structure was modified The Western Isles which was to have formed four districts of the Highland Region became an islands area with the same status as Orkney and Shetland The number of districts was to remain at 49 in number but with considerable boundary changes 8 These were the areas included in the Local Government Scotland Bill as introduced to parliament in 1973 Considerable changes were made during the passage of the legislation Fife which was to have been divided between the South East and East Regions was to become a region on the same boundaries as the existing county This increased the number of regions to nine The number of districts was increased to 53 numerous boundary changes were made and regions and districts renamed The first elections to the new district and regional councils were held on 7 May 1974 with the councillors sitting as shadow authorities until 16 May 1975 when they came into their powers 9 Structure EditRegions Edit Regions had a two tier system of local government with each region divided into districts varying from 3 to 19 in number The top tier of local government was the regional council Services provided at the regional level were those needing greater finance or resources or best exercised over a wide area These included police fire services consumer protection education and transport 1 Each district had an elected district council In the case of Aberdeen Dundee Edinburgh and Glasgow the districts had city status although this did not confer any additional powers District councils had responsibility for local services including local planning housing libraries and licensing 1 Islands areas Edit The islands areas were unitary local government areas exercising the powers of both a regional and district council Regions and islands areas EditScotland was subdivided into regions and islands areas as follows nbsp No on map Region or islands area Headquarters 10 Area hectares 10 Population 1994 estimate 10 1 Strathclyde region Glasgow 1 350 283 2 286 8002 Dumfries and Galloway region Dumfries 639 561 147 9003 Borders region Newtown St Boswells 471 253 105 3004 Lothian region Edinburgh 171 595 750 6005 Central region Stirling 263 455 272 9006 Fife region Glenrothes 131 201 351 2007 Tayside region Dundee 749 650 395 2008 Grampian region Aberdeen 869 772 528 1009 Highland region Inverness 2 539 759 206 90010 Western Isles islands area Stornoway 289 798 29 600Not shown Shetland islands area Lerwick 143 268 22 522Not shown Orkney islands area Kirkwall 97 581 19 600Districts Edit Districts of Scotland redirects here For districts of Scotland between 1930 and 1975 see List of local government areas in Scotland 1930 75 nbsp Region Districts Headquarters 10 Populationestimate1994 10 Borders Berwickshire Duns 19 350Ettrick and Lauderdale Galashiels 35 000Roxburgh Hawick 35 350Tweeddale Peebles 15 375Central Clackmannan Alloa 47 643Falkirk Falkirk 142 800Stirling Stirling 81 630Dumfries and Galloway Annandale and Eskdale Annan 37 130Nithsdale Dumfries 57 220Stewartry Kirkcudbright 23 690Wigtown originally named Merrick 1 Stranraer 30 077Fife Dunfermline Dunfermline 129 830Kirkcaldy Kirkcaldy 148 450North East Fife Cupar 69 930Grampian Aberdeen City of Aberdeen 213 000Banff and Buchan Banff 88 020Gordon Inverurie 77 080Kincardine and Deeside Stonehaven 54 990Moray Elgin 83 616Highland Badenoch and Strathspey Kingussie 10 399Caithness Wick 26 710Inverness Inverness 62 245Lochaber Fort William 19 195Nairn Nairn 10 600Ross and Cromarty Dingwall 49 184Skye and Lochalsh Portree 11 870Sutherland Golspie 13 190Lothian East Lothian Haddington 85 140Edinburgh City of Edinburgh 418 914Midlothian Dalkeith 79 910West Lothian Bathgate 146 430Strathclyde Argyll and Bute originally Argyll 11 Lochgilphead 63 350Bearsden and Milngavie Bearsden 41 000Clydebank Clydebank 47 500Clydesdale originally named Lanark renamed 1980 1 Lanark 58 290Cumbernauld and Kilsyth originally named Cumbernauld 1 Cumbernauld 63 930Cumnock and Doon Valley Cumnock 42 954Cunninghame Irvine 139 020Dumbarton Dumbarton 77 222East Kilbride East Kilbride 82 777Eastwood Giffnock 60 600Glasgow City of Glasgow 681 470Hamilton Hamilton 105 202Inverclyde Greenock 90 103Kilmarnock and Loudoun Kilmarnock 79 861Kyle and Carrick Ayr 112 658Monklands Coatbridge 102 379Motherwell Motherwell 143 730Renfrew Paisley 201 000Strathkelvin originally named Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch 1 Kirkintilloch 85 191Tayside Angus Forfar 96 500Dundee City of Dundee 171 520Perth and Kinross Perth 129 070Abolition EditThe 1994 Act created 29 new unitary local government areas which completely replaced the regions and districts on 1 April 1996 The islands council areas continued in use and therefore Scotland now has 32 council areas See also EditList of burghs in Scotland Counties of Scotland Lieutenancy areas of Scotland Subdivisions of Scotland List of places in Scotland Local government in the United KingdomNotes and references Edit a b c d e f g Local Government Scotland Act 1973 c 65 Fewer Bigger Scots County Councils Two Tier Plan In White Paper The Times 28 June 1963 p 10 a b Scottish White Paper Unacceptable The Times 17 September 1963 p 15 South East Plan Attacked The Times 6 April 1964 p 6 Tasks set for new planners of local government Members of royal commissions named The Times 25 May 1966 p 14 Pay for Scottish councillors urged The Times 26 September 1969 p 4 Local Government Reform in Scotland Hansard 1803 20005 Parliament of the United Kingdom 23 March 1971 Retrieved 12 March 2009 Local Government Reform Parliamentary Debates Hansard 22 December 1971 Retrieved 12 March 2009 Mixed Labour fortine in Scottish poll The Times 9 May 1974 p 1 a b c d e Whitaker s Concise Almanack 1995 London J Whitaker amp Sons Ltd 1994 pp 570 571 ISBN 978 0 85021 247 1 According to minutes of district council meetings on 21 May and 27 August 1974 the name of the Argyll district was scheduled to change to Argyll and Bute on 1 September 1974 in accordance with the terms of section 23 of the Local Government Scotland Act 1973 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Local government areas of Scotland 1975 1996 amp oldid 1176487079, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
