Scotland

This article is part of the series: Politics and government of Scotland Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Image File history File links Arms_Scot_Exec. ... Scotland is one of the four constituent nations of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. ...

Scots law Scots law (or Scottish law) is the law of Scotland. ...

Scottish Parliament For the national legislative body up to 1707, see Parliament of Scotland. ... Presiding Officer Members (MSPs) Constituencies

Scottish Executive The Presiding Officer (Oifigear-Riaghlaidh in Scots Gaelic) is the person elected by the Members of the Scottish Parliament to chair their meetings. ... Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) (Ball Pàrlamaid na h-Alba (BPA) in Gaelic) is the title given to any one of the 129 individuals elected to serve in the Scottish Parliament. ... The Scottish Parliament (Holyrood) has 73 constituencies, each electing one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and eight additional member regions, each electing seven additional member MSPs. ... The Executives logo, shown with English and Scottish Gaelic caption The term Scottish Executive is used in two different, but closely-related senses: to denote the executive arm of Scotlands national legislature (i. ... First Minister Crown Office Lord Advocate Solicitor General

Local government The First Minister (First Meinister in Scots; Prìomh Mhinistear in Scots Gaelic) is the leader of Scotlands national devolved government, the Scottish Executive, which was established in 1999 along with the reconvened Scottish Parliament. ... The Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service is a government department in Scotland that is responsible for the public prosecution of alleged criminals. ... Her Majestys Advocate, known as the Lord Advocate (Morair Tagraidh in Scots Gaelic), was the chief legal adviser of the United Kingdom Government and the Crown in Scotland for both civil and criminal matters until the passing of the Scotland Act 1998. ... Her Majestys Solicitor General for Scotland (Àrd-neach-lagha a Chrùin an Alba) is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, and the deputy of the Lord Advocate, whose duty is to advise the Crown and the Scottish Executive on Scots Law. ... Subdivisions of Scotland

Elections Political parties For local government purposes, Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as Council Areas which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as Councils. They have been in use since April 1, 1996, under the provisions of the Local Government etc. ... Wikipedia does not yet have an article with this exact name. ... Parties represented in the Scottish Parliament (in order of number of representatives): Labour Party - Centre-left, unionist - 50 MSPs Scottish National Party (SNP) - Centre-left, pro-independence- 27 MSPs Conservative and Unionist Party - Centre-right, unionist - 18 MSPs Liberal Democrats - Centre, federalist - 17 MSPs Scottish Green Party - Environmentalist, pro-independence...

UK Parliament: The Houses of Parliament, seen over Westminster Bridge The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative institution in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories (it alone has parliamentary sovereignty). ... Reserved matters Scotland Office Secretary of State for Scotland Advocate General

See also: History Politics of other countries

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The local government of Scotland is organised into 32 unitary authorities covering the mainland and islands of Scotland. Each local authority is governed by a council consisting of elected councillors, who are elected every four years by registered voters in each of the council areas. In the United Kingdom reserved matters, also referred to as reserved powers, are those subjects over which power to legislate is retained by Westminster, as stated by the Scotland Act 1998, Northern Ireland Act 1998 or Government of Wales Act 1998. ... The Scotland Office (Oifis na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a department of the United Kingdom government, responsible for reserved Scottish affairs. ... The Secretary of State for Scotland (Rùnaire Stàite na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is the chief minister in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilites for Scotland, at the head of the Scotland Office (formerly The Scottish Office). ... Her Majestys Advocate General for Scotland (Àrd-neach-tagraidh na Bànrighe airson Alba in Gaelic) is one of the Law Officers of the Crown, whose duty is to advise the Crown and UK Government on Scots law. ... Stirling Castle has stood for centuries atop a volcanic crag defending the lowest ford of the River Forth. ... Information on politics by country is available for every country, including both de jure and de facto independent states, inhabited dependent territories, as well as areas of special sovereignty. ... A unitary authority is a type of local authority, which has a single tier and is responsible for all local government functions within its area. ... Motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within Europe Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ... Local governments are administrative offices of an area smaller than a state. ... A council is a group of people who usually possess some powers of governance. ... A councillor is a member of a council (such as a city council), particularly in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia and other parts of the Commonwealth. ... The council areas of Scotland form the local government areas of Scotland, all of them unitary authorities. ...

Scottish councils co-operate through and are represented collectively by the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA). The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) is the representative association of Scottish local government and is the employers’ association on behalf of all Scottish councils. ...

History

Main article: History of the local government of Scotland

Between 1890 and 1975 local government in Scotland was organised with county councils (including four counties of cities) and various lower-level units. Between 1890 and 1929, there were parish councils and town councils, but with the passing of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929, the functions of parish councils were passed to larger district councils and a distinction was made between large burghs (i.e. those with a population of 20,000 or more) and small burghs. This system was further refined by the passing of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947. History of the local government of Scotland is an account of the history of local government in Scotland. ... 1890 (MDCCCXC) was a common year starting on Wednesday (see link for calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday of the Julian calendar). ... 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... The administrative counties of Scotland in 1974 The term Counties of Scotland can variously refer to the Traditional counties of Scotland The former administrative counties of Scotland, which were abolished in 1975. ... The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929 created two joint county councils covering Perthshire and Kinross-shire, and Morayshire and Nairnshire, but retained residual Nairnshire and Kinross-shire county councils. ... In 1930, the Scottish burghs were split into two types, large burgh and small burgh. ...

In 1975, the Conservative government of Edward Heath introduced a system of two-tier local government in Scotland (see Regions of Scotland), divided between large Regional Councils and smaller District Councils. The only exceptions to this were the three Island Councils, Western Isles, Shetland and Orkney which had the combined powers of Regions and Districts. The Conservative government of John Major decided to abolish this system and merge their powers into new unitary authorities. The new councils vary widely in size — some are the same as counties, such as Clackmannanshire, some are the same as former districts, such as Inverclyde and some are the same as the former regions, such as Highland. The changes took effect in 1996. 1975 (MCMLXXV) was a common year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1975 calendar). ... The Conservative Party is one of the two largest political parties in the United Kingdom and the most successful party in political history based on election victories. ... Sir Edward Richard George Heath, KG, MBE (9 July 1916 – 17 July 2005), soldier and politician, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1970 to 1974 and leader of the Conservative Party from 1965 to 1975. ... The nine Regions of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 as the uppermost tier of local government in Scotland. ... The Western Isles are an archipelago in Scotland. ... See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... The Orkney Islands form one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and are a Lieutenancy Area. ... Sir John Major, KG, CH (born 29 March 1943) is a British politician who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1990 - 1997. ... A unitary authority is a term used in a two-tier local government system to describe a unit of local government that operates as a single tier. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Inverclyde (Inbhir Chluaidh in Gaelic) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. ... The Highland area (Roinn na Gàidhealtachd in Gaelic) is a unitary authority area in the Scottish Highlands and the largest administrative region in Scotland. ... 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar, and was designated the International Year for the Eradication of Poverty. ...

Governance and administration

The power invested in these authorities is administered by elected councillors. There are currently around 1,200 in total, each paid a part-time salary for the undertaking of their duties. Each authority elects a Provost or Convenor to chair meetings of the authority's council and act as a figurehead for the area. The office of Provost or Convenor is roughly equivalent to that of a Mayor, though they are elected for the duration of a council (4 years). A provost (introduced into Scots from French) was the leader of a Scottish burgh council, the equivalent of a mayor in other parts of the English-speaking world. ... Convener or Convenor is a Scots, and Scottish English, gender-neutral word that approximates chairman. ... A mayor (from the Latin māior, meaning larger,greater) is the politician who serves as chief executive official of some types of municipalities. ...

The four main cities of Scotland, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee have a Lord Provost rather than a Provost, who have the additional duty of being Lord Lieutenant for their respective city. For other uses, see Glasgow (disambiguation). ... Edinburgh (pronounced ; Dùn Èideann () in Scottish Gaelic) is the second-largest city in Scotland and the countrys capital city. ... This article is about the Scottish city. ... For other uses see Dundee (disambiguation) Dundee is Scotlands fourth largest city, population 154 674 (2001), situated on the North bank of the Firth of Tay. ... A Lord Provost is the Scottish equivalent of a Lord Mayor. ... Flag of a Lord-Lieutenant The title Lord-Lieutenant is given to the British monarchs personal representatives around the United Kingdom. ...

The councillors are elected every four years.

Each council has a chief executive who is similar in function to a city manager, though certain councillors have executive authority and there is no clear division of powers. The council is both executive, deliberative and legislative in nature. Chief Executive may refer to: Chief Executive of Hong Kong Chief Executive of Macau Chief Executive Officer This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists other pages that might otherwise share the same title. ... The council-manager government is one of 2 main variations of representative municipal government (for contrast, also see Mayor-Council government). ... A federation (from the Latin fÅ“dus, covenant) is a state comprised of a number of self-governing regions (often themselves referred to as states) united by a central (federal) government. ... A legislature is a governmental deliberative assembly with the power to adopt laws. ...

There are in total 32 unitary authorities, the largest being the City of Glasgow with more than 600,000 inhabitants, the smallest, Orkney, with less than 20,000 people living there. The City of Glasgow Council (Mòr-bhaile Ghlaschu in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Scottish unitary authorities, formerly Glasgow District Council and Glasgow Corporation in Glasgow, Scotland. ...

Council areas

The 32 unitary authorities are controlled as follows. The figures incorporate the results from the 2003 local government election, plus gains and losses from subsequent local by-elections, and party defections.

The 32 council areas of Scotland form the local government areas of Scotland, all of them unitary authorities. ... The Labour Party has, since the early twentieth century, been the principal left wing political party in the United Kingdom (see British politics). ... In Scotland, the Scottish National Party (SNP) (Pàrtaidh Nàiseanta na h-Alba in Scottish Gaelic) is a centre-left political party which campaigns for Scottish independence. ... The Liberal Democrats, often shortened to Lib Dems, are a liberal political party based in the United Kingdom. ... The Conservative Party is one of the two largest political parties in the United Kingdom and the most successful party in political history based on election victories. ... City of Aberdeen crest City of Aberdeen (Mòr-bhaile Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... Aberdeenshire (Siorrachd Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ... Angus (Aonghas in Gaelic) is one of the traditional counties and also one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland and a Lieutenancy area. ... Argyll and Bute (Earra-Ghaidheal agus Bòd in Gaelic) is both one of 32 unitary council areas; and a Lieutenancy Area in Scotland. ... This article is in need of attention. ... Dumfries and Galloway (Dùn Phris agus Gall-Ghaidhealaibh in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland. ... City of Dundee (Mòr-bhaile Dhùn Dèagh in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... Logo of East Ayrshire Council East Ayrshire (Siorrachd Inbhir Àir an Ear in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... East Dunbartonshire (Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary authority areas in Scotland. ... East Lothian (Lodainn an Ear in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. ... East Renfrewshire (Siorrachd Rinn Friù an Ear in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... City of Edinburgh (Mòr-bhaile Dhùn Èideann in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... Western Isles redirects here. ... Falkirk (an Eaglais Bhreac in Gaelic) is one of the 32 council areas in Scotland. ... Fife (Fìobh in Gaelic) is a council area of Scotland, situated between the Firth of Tay and the Firth of Forth, with landward boundaries to Perth and Kinross and Clackmannanshire. ... The City of Glasgow Council (Mòr-bhaile Ghlaschu in Gaelic) is one of the 32 Scottish unitary authorities, formerly Glasgow District Council and Glasgow Corporation in Glasgow, Scotland. ... The Highland unitary authority area (Roinn na Gàidhealtachd in Gaelic) is a local government area in the Scottish Highlands and the largest local government area in Scotland. ... Inverclyde (Inbhir Chluaidh in Gaelic) is one of 32 council areas in Scotland. ... The central portions of the old province of Lothian in Scotland, centred around Edinburgh, became known as Midlothian, Scotland. ... Moray (Moireibh in Gaelic), one of the 32 unitary council regions (or areas) of Scotland, lies in the north-east of the country and borders on the regions of Aberdeenshire and Highland. ... North Ayrshire (Siorrachd Inbhir Àir a Tuath in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... North Lanarkshire (Siorrachd Lannraig a Tuath in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland. ... The Orkney Islands form one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and are a Lieutenancy Area. ... Perth and Kinross (Peairt agus Ceann Rois in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council areas in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy Area. ... Renfrewshire (Siorrachd Rinn Friù in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary authority regions in Scotland. ... Scottish Borders (often referred to locally as The Borders or The Borderland) is one of 35 local government unitary council areas of Scotland. ... See Shetland (disambiguation) for other meanings. ... South Ayrshire (Siorrachd Inbhir Àir a Deas in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. ... A provost (introduced into Scots from French) was the leader of a Scottish burgh council, the equivalent of a mayor in other parts of the English-speaking world. ... South Lanarkshire (Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, covering the southern part of the traditional county of Lanarkshire. ... Stirling (Sruighlea in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland with a population of about 85,000. ... West Dunbartonshire (Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Iar in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary authority areas in Scotland. ... West Lothian or Linlithgowshire (Lodainn an Iar in Gaelic) is one of 32 unitary council regions in Scotland, and a Lieutenancy area. ...

Community Councils

Community councils represent the interests of local people. Local authorities have a statutory duty to consult Community Councils on planning, development and other issues directly affecting that local community. However, the Community Council has no direct say in the delivery of services. In many areas they do not function at all, but some work very effectively at improving their local area. Community councils (CCs) are the most local official representative bodies in Scotland and Wales. ...

Elections for Community Councils are determined by the Local Authority but the law does state that candidates cannot stand on a party-political ticket.

See also

• Local government in the United Kingdom