View source for Local government areas of Scotland (1975–1996)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Local government areas of Scotland}}
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 council areas of Scotland|islands areas]], and this system completely replaced [[Local government of Scotland|local government]] [[Counties of Scotland|counties]] and [[burgh]]s in 1975.<ref name=lgsa73>Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, c.65</ref> 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]].
==Background==
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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fewer, Bigger Scots County Councils. Two-Tier Plan In White Paper  |work=[[The Times]] |page=10 |date=28 June 1963 }}</ref> The white paper was rejected by the Association of Large Burghs, and by the [[Scottish Labour Party]].<ref name="ReferenceA">{{cite news |title=Scottish White Paper "Unacceptable" |work=[[The Times]] |page=15 |date=17 September 1963 }}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=South-East Plan Attacked |work=[[The Times]] |page=6 |date=6 April 1964 }}</ref> At the [[1964 United Kingdom general election|1964 general election]] Labour came to power, and the scheme was not pursued.<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Instead a [[royal commission]] under the chairmanship of [[John Wheatley, Baron Wheatley|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".<ref>{{cite news |title=Tasks set for new planners of local government Members of royal commissions named |work=[[The Times]] |page=14 |date=25 May 1966 }}</ref>
The [[Wheatley Report|commission's report]] was delivered on 25 September 1969, and recommended a two-tier system of 7 regions and 37 districts.<ref>{{cite news |title=Pay for Scottish councillors urged |work=[[The Times]] |page=4 |date=26 September 1969 }}</ref> The incoming [[Conservative Party (UK)|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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/lords/1971/mar/23/local-government-reform-in-scotland |title=Local Government Reform in Scotland |access-date=2009-03-12 |work=Hansard 1803-20005 |publisher=[[Parliament of the United Kingdom]] |date=23 March 1971 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://api.parliament.uk/historic-hansard/commons/1971/dec/22/local-government-reform |title=Local Government Reform |access-date=2009-03-12 |work=[[Hansard|Parliamentary Debates (Hansard)]] |date=22 December 1971 }}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite news |title=Mixed Labour fortine in Scottish poll |work=[[The Times]] |page=1 |date=9 May 1974 }}</ref>
==Structure==
===Regions===
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.<ref name=lgsa73/>
Each district had an elected district council. In the case of Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow, the districts had [[city status in the United Kingdom|city status]], although this did not confer any additional powers. District councils had responsibility for local services including local planning, housing, libraries and licensing.<ref name=lgsa73/>
===Islands areas===
The islands areas were unitary local government areas, exercising the powers of both a regional and district council.
== Regions and islands areas ==
Scotland was subdivided into regions and islands areas as follows:
[[File:Scotland1974Numbered.png|300px|right]]
{| class="sortable wikitable"
! scope="col" |No.<br />on map
! scope="col" |Region or islands area
! scope="col" |Headquarters<ref name=whitaker>{{cite book |title=Whitaker's Concise Almanack 1995 |year=1994 |publisher=J Whitaker & Sons Ltd |location=London |isbn=978-0-85021-247-1 |pages=570–571 }}</ref>
! scope="col" |Area<br />(hectares)<ref name=whitaker/>
! scope="col" |Population (1994)<br />estimate<ref name=whitaker/>
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 1
| [[Strathclyde]] (region)
| [[Glasgow]]
| style="text-align:right" | 1,350,283
| style="text-align:right" | 2,286,800
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 2
| [[Dumfries and Galloway]] (region)
| [[Dumfries]]
| style="text-align:right" | 639,561
| style="text-align:right" | 147,900
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 3
| [[Scottish Borders|Borders]] (region)
| [[Newtown St Boswells]]
| style="text-align:right" | 471,253
| style="text-align:right" | 105,300
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 4
| [[Lothian]] (region)
| [[Edinburgh]]
| style="text-align:right" | 171,595
| style="text-align:right" | 750,600
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 5
| [[Central Region, Scotland|Central]] (region)
| [[Stirling]]
| style="text-align:right" | 263,455
| style="text-align:right" | 272,900
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 6
| [[Fife]] (region)
| [[Glenrothes]]
| style="text-align:right" | 131,201
| style="text-align:right" | 351,200
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 7
| [[Tayside]] (region)
| [[Dundee]]
| style="text-align:right" | 749,650
| style="text-align:right" | 395,200
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 8
| [[Grampian]] (region)
| [[Aberdeen]]
| style="text-align:right" | 869,772
| style="text-align:right" | 528,100
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 9
| [[Highland (council area)|Highland]] (region)
| [[Inverness]]
| style="text-align:right" | 2,539,759
| style="text-align:right" | 206,900
|-
| style="text-align:center" | 10
| [[Comhairle nan Eilean Siar|Western Isles]] (islands area)
| [[Stornoway]]
| style="text-align:right" | 289,798
| style="text-align:right" | 29,600
|-
| ''Not shown''
| [[Shetland]] (islands area)
| [[Lerwick]]
| style="text-align:right" | 143,268
| style="text-align:right" | 22,522
|-
| ''Not shown''
| [[Orkney]] (islands area)
| [[Kirkwall]]
| style="text-align:right" | 97,581
| style="text-align:right" | 19,600
|}
== Districts ==
{{redirect|Districts of Scotland|districts of Scotland between 1930 and 1975|List of local government areas in Scotland 1930–75}}
[[File:Scotland 1974 Administrative Map.png|thumb|right|500px]]
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Region
! Districts
! Headquarters<ref name=whitaker/>
! Population<br />estimate<br />1994<ref name=whitaker/>
|-
| rowspan=4| [[Scottish Borders|Borders]]
| [[Berwickshire (district)|Berwickshire]]
| [[Duns, Scottish Borders|Duns]]
| 19,350
|-
|[[Ettrick and Lauderdale (district)|Ettrick and Lauderdale]]
| [[Galashiels]]
| 35,000
|-
|[[Roxburgh (district)|Roxburgh]]
| [[Hawick]]
| 35,350
|-
|[[Tweeddale (district)|Tweeddale]]
| [[Peebles]]
| 15,375
|-
| rowspan=3| [[Central Region, Scotland|Central]]
| [[Clackmannan (district)|Clackmannan]]
| [[Alloa]]
| 47,643
|-
|[[Falkirk (district)|Falkirk]]
| [[Falkirk]]
| 142,800
|-
|[[Stirling (district)|Stirling]]
| [[Stirling]]
| 81,630
|-
| rowspan=4| [[Dumfries and Galloway]]
| [[Annandale and Eskdale (district)|Annandale and Eskdale]]
| [[Annan, Dumfries and Galloway|Annan]]
| 37,130
|-
|[[Nithsdale (district)|Nithsdale]]
| [[Dumfries]]
| 57,220
|-
|[[Stewartry (district)|Stewartry]]
| [[Kirkcudbright]]
| 23,690
|-
|[[Wigtown Area|Wigtown]]<br />(originally named Merrick)<ref name="lgsa73"/>
| [[Stranraer]]
| 30,077
|-
| rowspan=3| [[Fife]]
| [[Dunfermline (district)|Dunfermline]]
| [[Dunfermline]]
| 129,830
|-
| [[Kirkcaldy (district)|Kirkcaldy]]
| [[Kirkcaldy]]
| 148,450
|-
| [[North East Fife (district)|North East Fife]]
| [[Cupar]]
| 69,930
|-
| rowspan=5| [[Grampian]]
| [[Aberdeen (district)|Aberdeen, City of]]
| [[Aberdeen]]
| 213,000
|-
| [[Banff and Buchan (district)|Banff and Buchan]]
| [[Banff, Aberdeenshire|Banff]]
| 88,020
|-
| [[Gordon (district)|Gordon]]
| [[Inverurie]]
| 77,080
|-
| [[Kincardine and Deeside (district)|Kincardine and Deeside]]
| [[Stonehaven]]
| 54,990
|-
| [[Moray (district)|Moray]]
| [[Elgin, Moray|Elgin]]
| 83,616
|-
| rowspan=8| [[Highland (council area)|Highland]]
| [[Badenoch and Strathspey (district)|Badenoch and Strathspey]]
| [[Kingussie]]
| 10,399
|-
| [[Caithness (district)|Caithness]]
| [[Wick, Caithness|Wick]]
| 26,710
|-
| [[Inverness (district)|Inverness]]
| [[Inverness]]
| 62,245
|-
| [[Lochaber (district)|Lochaber]]
| [[Fort William, Scotland|Fort William]]
| 19,195
|-
| [[Nairn (district)|Nairn]]
| [[Nairn]]
| 10,600
|-
| [[Ross and Cromarty (district)|Ross and Cromarty]]
| [[Dingwall]]
| 49,184
|-
| [[Skye and Lochalsh (district)|Skye and Lochalsh]]
| [[Portree]]
| 11,870
|-
| [[Sutherland (district)|Sutherland]]
| [[Golspie]]
| 13,190
|-
| rowspan=4|[[Lothian]]
| [[East Lothian (district)|East Lothian]]
| [[Haddington, East Lothian|Haddington]]
| 85,140
|-
| [[Edinburgh (district)|Edinburgh, City of]]
| [[Edinburgh]]
| 418,914
|-
| [[Midlothian (district)|Midlothian]]
| [[Dalkeith]]
| 79,910
|-
| [[West Lothian (district)|West Lothian]]
| [[Bathgate]]
| 146,430
|-
| rowspan=19| [[Strathclyde]]
| [[Argyll and Bute (district)|Argyll and Bute]]<br />(originally Argyll)<ref>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.</ref>
| [[Lochgilphead]]
| 63,350
|-
| [[Bearsden and Milngavie (district)|Bearsden and Milngavie]]
| [[Bearsden]]
| 41,000
|-
| [[Clydebank (district)|Clydebank]]
| [[Clydebank]]
| 47,500
|-
| [[Clydesdale (district)|Clydesdale]]<br />(originally named Lanark: renamed 1980)<ref name=lgsa73/>
| [[Lanark]]
| 58,290
|-
| [[Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (district)|Cumbernauld and Kilsyth]]<br />(originally named Cumbernauld)<ref name=lgsa73/>
| [[Cumbernauld]]
| 63,930
|-
| [[Cumnock and Doon Valley (district)|Cumnock and Doon Valley]]
| [[Cumnock]]
| 42,954
|-
| [[Cunninghame (district)|Cunninghame]]
| [[Irvine, North Ayrshire|Irvine]]
| 139,020
|-
| [[Dumbarton (district)|Dumbarton]]
| [[Dumbarton]]
| 77,222
|-
| [[East Kilbride (district)|East Kilbride]]
| [[East Kilbride]]
| 82,777
|-
| [[Eastwood (district)|Eastwood]]
| [[Giffnock]]
| 60,600
|-
| [[City of Glasgow (1975–1996)|Glasgow, City of]]
| [[Glasgow]]
| 681,470
|-
| [[Hamilton (district)|Hamilton]]
| [[Hamilton, South Lanarkshire|Hamilton]]
| 105,202
|-
| [[Inverclyde (district)|Inverclyde]]
| [[Greenock]]
| 90,103
|-
| [[Kilmarnock and Loudoun (district)|Kilmarnock and Loudoun]]
| [[Kilmarnock]]
| 79,861
|-
| [[Kyle and Carrick]]
| [[Ayr]]
| 112,658
|-
| [[Monklands (district)|Monklands]]
| [[Coatbridge]]
| 102,379
|-
| [[Motherwell (district)|Motherwell]]
| [[Motherwell]]
| 143,730
|-
| [[Renfrew (district)|Renfrew]]
| [[Paisley, Renfrewshire|Paisley]]
| 201,000
|-
| [[Strathkelvin (district)|Strathkelvin]]<br />(originally named Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch)<ref name=lgsa73/>
| [[Kirkintilloch]]
| 85,191
|-
| rowspan=3| [[Tayside]]
<small>[[List of places in the Tayside region of Scotland|List of places]]</small>
| [[Angus (district)|Angus]]
| [[Forfar]]
| 96,500
|-
| [[Dundee (district)|Dundee, City of]]
| [[Dundee]]
| 171,520
|-
| [[Perth and Kinross (district)|Perth and Kinross]]
| [[Perth, Scotland|Perth]]
| 129,070
|}
==Abolition==
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 of Scotland|council areas]].
==See also==
*[[List of burghs in Scotland]]
*[[Counties of Scotland]]
*[[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland]]
*[[Subdivisions of Scotland]]
*[[List of places in Scotland]]
*[[Local government in the United Kingdom]]
==Notes and references==
{{reflist}}
{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Scottish subdivisions}}{{Geography of Scotland}}{{DEFAULTSORT:Local government areas of Scotland 1973-96}}
[[Category:Former subdivisions of Scotland|1973]]
[[Category:Regions of Scotland|.]]
[[Category:Districts of Scotland]]
[[Category:History of local government in Scotland]]
[[Category:Scottish history-related lists]]