Local government areas of Scotland 1973–96 facts for kids
Scotland's local government areas are like different zones or districts that help manage the country. These areas were changed by two important laws: the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994.
The 1973 law created a new system in 1975. It set up nine large areas called regions and three special islands areas. This new system completely replaced the older ways Scotland was divided, like the old counties and burghs (towns). The new regions were very different from the old counties that had been used since 1889.
Contents
Why Local Government Changed
For a long time, people in Scotland talked about how to make local government better. In 1963, the Scottish Office (a government department) suggested making fewer local councils. They wanted to go from 33 county councils down to about 10 to 15. They also suggested combining towns with the countryside around them.
However, these ideas were not fully accepted. So, in 1966, a special group called a royal commission was set up. It was led by Lord Wheatley. This group's job was to study local government and suggest the best way to organize it for the future.
The Wheatley Report
The commission's report, known as the Wheatley Report, came out in 1969. It suggested a system with two levels: 7 large regions and 37 smaller districts.
The government then looked at these ideas. They decided to have 8 regions and 49 districts. They also decided that Orkney and Shetland would be special areas, managing most of their own affairs. Later, the Western Isles also became a special islands area, just like Orkney and Shetland.
During the process of making the new law in 1973, more changes happened. Fife became its own region, which increased the total number of regions to nine. The number of districts also grew to 53. Many boundaries were changed, and some regions and districts were given new names.
The first elections for these new councils happened in May 1974. The new councils officially started their work on 16 May 1975.
How Local Government Worked
Regions
The regions had a two-tier system. This means there were two levels of local government working together. Each region was divided into several districts, from 3 to 19 districts in each region.
The top level was the regional council. These councils handled bigger services that needed more money or resources, or that were better managed over a large area. This included things like:
- Police
- Fire services
- Education
- Public transport
Districts
Each region also had smaller district councils. These councils were responsible for local services closer to people's homes. These included:
- Local planning (deciding what can be built where)
- Housing
- Libraries
- Licensing (giving permission for certain activities)
Some districts, like Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow, were given city status. This meant they were officially recognized as cities, but it didn't give them extra powers.
Islands Areas
The islands areas (Orkney, Shetland, and the Western Isles) were different. They were unitary local government areas. This means they had only one council that handled all the services, both regional and district level. They managed everything themselves.
Regions and Islands Areas of Scotland (1975-1996)
Scotland was divided into these regions and islands areas:
| No. | Region or Islands Area | Main Office | Area (hectares) | People (estimate) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | Strathclyde (region) | Glasgow | 1,350,283 | 2,286,800 |
| 02 | Dumfries and Galloway (region) | Dumfries | 639,561 | 147,900 |
| 03 | Borders (region) | Newtown St Boswells | 471,253 | 105,300 |
| 04 | Lothian (region) | Edinburgh | 171,595 | 750,600 |
| 05 | Central (region) | Stirling | 263,455 | 272,900 |
| 06 | Fife (region) | Glenrothes | 131,201 | 351,200 |
| 07 | Tayside (region) | Dundee | 749,650 | 395,200 |
| 08 | Grampian (region) | Aberdeen | 869,772 | 528,100 |
| 09 | Highland (region) | Inverness | 2,539,759 | 206,900 |
| 10 | Western Isles (islands area) | Stornoway | 289,798 | 29,600 |
| Not shown | Shetland (islands area) | Lerwick | 143,268 | 22,522 |
| Not shown | Orkney (islands area) | Kirkwall | 97,581 | 19,600 |
Districts of Scotland (1975-1996)
The End of the Regions and Districts
In 1994, another law was passed: the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994. This law created 29 new unitary local government areas. These new areas completely replaced the old regions and districts on 1 April 1996.
The three islands areas (Orkney, Shetland, and Western Isles) continued to exist as they were. So, today, Scotland has 32 council areas.
