Falkirk (council area) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Falkirk Fawkirk An Eaglais Bhreac
Coat of arms
Sovereign state	United Kingdom
Country	Scotland
Lieutenancy area	Stirling and Falkirk
Admin HQ	Falkirk
Government
• Body	Falkirk Council
Area
• Total	114.8 sq mi (297.4 km2)
Area rank	Ranked 22nd
Population  (2020)
• Total	160,340
• Rank	Ranked 11th
• Density	1,396.36/sq mi (539.14/km2)
ONS code	S12000014
ISO 3166 code	GB-FAL

Falkirk is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It's a special area that manages its own local services. This area was officially created on 1 April 1996. Before that, it was known as Falkirk District.

The Falkirk area shares its borders with North Lanarkshire, Stirling, and West Lothian. Across the Firth of Forth to the northeast, you'll find Clackmannanshire and Fife. The biggest town in the area is also called Falkirk. Other towns nearby include Bo'ness, Bonnybridge, Denny, Grangemouth, Larbert, Polmont, Shieldhill, Camelon, and Stenhousemuir.

The local government, called the Falkirk Council, is currently led by the Scottish National Party (SNP). They won 12 seats in the 2022 Council Election. The main leader of the council is Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn. The provost, who is like a ceremonial head, is Robert Bissett. The deputy provost is David Balfour.

History of Falkirk's Government

The town of Falkirk became a special kind of town called a burgh in 1600. A burgh had its own town council to manage local affairs. This system lasted until 1975.

Changes in Local Government

In 1975, a new law changed how Scotland was governed locally. Old counties and burghs were replaced with larger "regions" and smaller "districts." Falkirk became one of three districts within the Central Region. This new Falkirk District was much bigger than the old Falkirk burgh. It included many smaller areas that were abolished at the same time.

The new Falkirk District, along with its neighbour Stirling, formed a new lieutenancy area called Stirling and Falkirk. A lieutenancy area is a place where the King's or Queen's representative, called a Lord-Lieutenant, carries out duties.

Modern Council Area

Local government changed again in 1996. The regions and districts created in 1975 were removed. Instead, new "unitary council areas" were formed. This meant that each area, like Falkirk, became responsible for all its local services. So, the Falkirk District became the Falkirk Council area we know today.

Towns and Villages in Falkirk

This map shows the main towns and villages in the Falkirk area.

Here are the largest towns and villages in Falkirk by population:

How Falkirk is Governed

The Falkirk Council is in charge of local services for the area. This includes things like schools, roads, and waste collection.

Falkirk
Leadership
Provost	Robert Bissett, Labour Since 25 May 2022
Leader	Cecil Meiklejohn, SNP Since 25 May 2017
Chief Executive	Kenneth Lawrie Since August 2018
Structure
Seats	30 councillors
Political groups	SNP (11)      Labour (9)      Independents (6)      Conservatives (4)
Elections
Voting system	Single transferable vote
Last election	5 May 2022
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Falkirk

Council Leaders

The council has a leader who guides its work. Here are the leaders since 2001:

Where the Council Meets

From 1975, the council met at the Municipal Buildings in Falkirk. This building was opened in 1966. It also had a courthouse and a town hall.

The council decided in 2020 that the 1966 building was too old and expensive to fix. They moved out, and the building is now being taken down. The council's offices are currently in different buildings around the area. They are still planning for a new main office.

Council Elections

Elections for the Falkirk Council happen every five years. People vote using a system called single transferable vote. This system helps make sure that different groups get a fair number of seats.

Here are the results of past elections:

Council Wards

Map of the area's wards (2017 configuration)

For elections, the Falkirk area is split into smaller sections called "wards." Each ward chooses three or four councillors to represent them. This system helps make sure that people from different parts of the area have a voice.

Here are the wards in Falkirk:

Ward number	Name	Location	Seats
1	Bo'ness and Blackness		3
2	Grangemouth		3
3	Denny and Banknock		4
4	Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst		4
5	Bonnybridge and Larbert		3
6	Falkirk North		4
7	Falkirk South		3
8	Lower Braes		3
9	Upper Braes		3

Local Communities

The Falkirk area is divided into 23 smaller "community council areas." These are local groups that help represent the views of people in their specific neighbourhood. As of 2023, eleven of these areas have active community councils (marked with an asterisk).