Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (c. 65) is an act of Parliament of the United Kingdom that altered local government in Scotland on 16 May 1975.

The act followed and largely implemented the report of the Royal Commission on Local Government in Scotland in 1969 (the Wheatley Report), and it made the most far-reaching changes to Scottish local government in centuries. It swept away the counties, burghs and districts established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6. c. 65),Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947. which were largely based on units of local government dating from the Middle Ages, and replaced them with a uniform two-tier system of regional and district councils (except in the islands, which were given unitary, all-purpose councils).

In England and Wales, the Local Government Act 1972 established a similar system of two-tier administrative county and district councils.

The act The act abolished previous existing local government structures and created a two-tier system of regions and districts on the mainland and a unitary system in the islands. The former counties remained in use for land registration purposes.

The act also established the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland, with the remit to make proposals to the Secretary of State for effecting changes which it thought desirable in the interests of effective and convenient local government. The Act also abolished the use of Fiars Prices for valuing grain.

The new local government areas

Regions RegionComposed ofHighlandThe county of Caithness. The county of Inverness (except the districts of Barra, Harris, North Uist, South Uist). The county of Nairn. The county of Ross and Cromarty (except the burgh of Stornoway; the district of Lewis). The county of Sutherland. In the county of Argyll—the district of Ardnamurchan; the electoral divisions of Ballachulish, Kinlochleven. In the county of Moray—the burgh of Grantown-on-Spey; the district of Cromdale.GrampianThe county of the city of Aberdeen. The county of Aberdeen. The county of Banff. The county of Kincardine. The county of Moray (except the burgh of Grantown-on-Spey; the district of Cromdale).TaysideThe county of the city of Dundee. The county of Angus. The county of Kinross. The county of Perth (except the burghs of Callander, Doune, Dunblane; the Western district (except the electoral division of Ardoch); the parish of Muckhart).FifeThe county of Fife.LothianThe county of the city of Edinburgh. The county of East Lothian. The county of Midlothian (except the electoral division of Heriot and Stow). The county of West Lothian (except the burgh of Bo'ness; the district of Bo'ness).BordersThe county of Berwick. The county of Peebles. The county of Roxburgh. The county of Selkirk. In the county of Midlothian—the electoral division of Heriot and Stow.CentralThe county of Clackmannan. The county of Stirling (except the burgh of Kilsyth; Western No. 3 district; the electoral division of Kilsyth West; the polling district of Kilsyth East (Banton)). In the county of Dunbarton—the village of Croftamie. In the county of Perth—the burghs of Callander, Doune, Dunblane; the Western district (except the electoral division of Ardoch); the parish of Muckhart. In the county of West Lothian—the burgh of Bo'ness; the district of Bo'ness.StrathclydeThe county of the city of Glasgow. The county of Ayr. The county of Bute. The county of Dunbarton (except the village of Croftamie). The county of Lanark. The county of Renfrew. The county of Argyll (except the district of Ardnamurchan; the electoral divisions of Ballachulish and Kinlochleven). In the county of Stirling—the burgh of Kilsyth; Western No. 3 district; the electoral division of Kilsyth West; the polling district of Kilsyth East (Banton).Dumfries and GallowayThe county of Dumfries. The county of Kirkcudbright. The county of Wigtown.

Island areas Island areaComposed ofOrkneyThe county of Orkney.ShetlandThe county of Zetland.Western IslesIn the county of Inverness—the districts of Barra, Harris, North Uist, South Uist. In the county of Ross and Cromarty—the burgh of Stornoway; the district of Lewis.

Districts RegionDistrictComposed ofHighlandCaithnessThe county of Caithness. In the county of Sutherland—the district of Tongue and Farr.SutherlandThe county of Sutherland (except the district of Tongue and Farr). In the county of Ross and Cromarty—the electoral division of Kincardine.Ross and CromartyIn the county of Ross and Cromarty—the burghs of Cromarty, Dingwall, Fortrose, Invergordon, Tain; the districts of Avoch, Dingwall, Fearn, Fortrose, Gairloch, Invergordon, Lochbroom, Lochcarron, Muir of Ord; the electoral division of Edderton and Tain.Skye and LochalshIn the county of Inverness—the district of Skye. In the county of Ross and Cromarty—the South West district.LochaberIn the county of Argyll—the district of Ardnamurchan; the electoral divisions of Ballachulish, Kinlochleven. In the county of Inverness—the burgh of Fort William; the district of Lochaber.InvernessIn the county of Inverness—the burgh of Inverness; the districts of Aird, Inverness.Badenoch and StrathspeyIn the county of Inverness—the burgh of Kingussie; the district of Badenoch. In the county of Moray—the burgh of Grantown-on-Spey; the district of Cromdale.NairnThe county of Nairn.GrampianMorayThe county of Moray (except the burgh of Grantown-on-Spey; the district of Cromdale). In the county of Banff—the burghs of Aberlour, Buckie, Cullen, Dufftown, Findochty, Keith, Portknockie; the districts of Buckie, Cullen (except the electoral division of Fordyce), Dufftown, Keith.Banff and BuchanIn the county of Banff—the burghs of Aberchirder, Banff, Macduff, Portsoy; the districts of Aberchirder, Banff; the electoral division of Fordyce. In the county of Aberdeen—the burghs of Fraserburgh, Peterhead, Rosehearty, Turriff; the districts of Deer Turriff; the electoral division of Cruden.GordonIn the county of Aberdeen—the burghs of Ellon, Huntly, Inverurie, Kintore, Oldmeldrum; the districts of Aberdeen (except the electoral divisions of Bucksburn, Newhills Landward, Old Machar, Stoneywood and the parishes of Drumoak, Dyce, Peterculter), Alford, Ellon (except the electoral division of Cruden), Garioch, Huntly.City of AberdeenThe county of the city of Aberdeen. In the county of Aberdeen—the electoral divisions of Bucksburn, Newhills Landward, Old Machar, Stoneywood; the parishes of Dyce, Peterculter. In the county of Kincardine—the electoral division of Nigg.Kincardine and DeesideIn the county of Aberdeen—the burgh of Ballater; the district of Deeside; the parish of Drumoak. In the county of Kincardine—the burghs of Banchory, Inverbervie, Laurencekirk, Stonehaven; the districts of Laurencekirk, St. Cyrus, Stonehaven, Upper Deeside; the electoral divisions of Banchory-Devenick, Maryculter.TaysideAngusIn the county of Angus—the burghs of Arbroath, Brechin, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, Montrose; the districts of Brechin, Carnoustie, Forfar, Kirriemuir, Montrose; the parish of Newtyle.City of DundeeThe county of the city of Dundee. In the county of Angus—the burgh of Monifieth; the district of Monifieth (except the electoral division of Newtyle and Kettins). In the county of Perth—the electoral division of Longforgan.Perth and KinrossThe county of Kinross. In the county of Angus—the parish of Kettins. In the county of Perth—the burghs of Aberfeldy, Abernethy, Alyth, Auchterarder, Blairgowrie and Rattray, Coupar Angus, Crieff, Perth, Pitlochry; the districts Central (except the parish of Muckhart), Eastern Highland, Perth (except the electoral division of Longforgan); the electoral division of Ardoch.FifeKirkcaldyIn the county of Fife—the burghs of Buckhaven and Methil, Burntisland, Kinghorn, Kirkcaldy, Leslie, Leven, Markinch; the districts of Glenrothes, Kirkcaldy (except that part of the electoral division of Auchtertool within the Gray Park polling district), Wemyss; the electoral divisions of Auchterderran, Denend, Kinglassie, New Carden.North East FifeIn the county of Fife—the burghs of Auchtermuchty, Crail, Cupar, Elie and Earlsferry, Falkland, Kilrenny, Anstruther, Easter and Wester, Ladybank, Newburgh, Newport-on-Tay, Pittenweem, St. Andrews, St. Monance, Tayport; the districts of Cupar, St. Andrews.DunfermlineIn the county of Fife—the burghs of Cowdenbeath, Culross, Dunfermline, Inverkeithing, Lochgelly; the districts of Dunfermline, Lochgelly (except the electoral divisions of Auchterderran, Denend, Kinglassie, New Carden); that part of the electoral division of Auchtertool within the Gray Park polling district.LothianWest LothianIn the county of West Lothian—the burghs of Armadale, Bathgate, Linlithgow, Whitburn; the districts of Linlithgow, Torphichen and Bathgate, Uphall, Whitburn and Livingston; the electoral divisions of Abercorn, Winchburgh East and Winchburgh West. In the county of Midlothian—the districts of East Calder, West Calder.City of EdinburghThe county of the city of Edinburgh. In the county of West Lothian—the burgh of Queensferry; the district of Kirkliston and Winchburgh (except the electoral divisions of Abercorn, Winchburgh East and Winchburgh West). In the county of Midlothian—the district of Currie and the parish of Cramond.MidlothianIn the county of Midlothian—the burghs of Bonnyrigg and Lasswade, Dalkeith Loanhead, Penicuik; the districts of Gala Water (except the electoral division of Heriot and Stow), Lasswade, Musselburgh (except the parish of Inveresk), Newbattle, Penicuik.East LothianThe county of East Lothian. In the county of Midlothian—the burgh of Musselburgh; the parish of Inveresk.CentralClackmannanThe county of Clackmannan. In the county of Perth—the parish of Muckhart.StirlingIn the county of Dunbarton—the village of Croftamie In the county of Perth—the burghs of Callander, Doune, Dunblane; the Western district (except the electoral division of Ardoch). In the county of Stirling—the burghs of Bridge of Allan, Stirling; the districts Central No. 1, Western No. 1. Western No. 2.FalkirkIn the county of Stirling—the burghs of Denny and Dunipace, Falkirk, Grangemouth; the districts Eastern No. 1, Eastern No. 2, Eastern No. 3, Central No. 2 (except the electoral division of Kilsyth West; the polling district of Kilsyth East (Banton)). In the county of West Lothian—the burgh of Bo'ness; the district of Bo'ness.BordersTweeddaleThe county of Peebles.Ettrick and LauderdaleThe county of Selkirk. In the county of Berwick—the burgh of Lauder; the West district (except the electoral divisions of Gordon, Hume and Nenthorn, Westruther). In the county of Midlothian—the electoral division of Heriot and Stow. In the county of Roxburgh—the burgh of Melrose; the district of Melrose (except that part of the parish of Roxburgh which lies within this district).RoxburghIn the county of Berwick—the parish of Nenthorn. In the county of Roxburgh—the burghs of Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso; the districts of Hawick, Jedburgh, Kelso; that part of the parish of Roxburgh within the district of Melrose.BerwickshireIn the county of Berwick—the burghs of Coldstream, Duns, Eyemouth; the East district, the Middle district; the electoral divisions of Gordon, Westruther; the parish of Hume.StrathclydeArgyllIn the county of Argyll—the burghs of Campbeltown, Dunoon, Inveraray, Lochgilphead, Oban, Tobermory; the districts of Cowal, Islay, Jura and Colonsay, Kintyre, Mid Argyll, Mull, North Lorn (except the electoral divisions of Ballachulish, Kinlochleven), South Lorn, Tiree and Coll. In the county of Bute—the burgh of Rothesay; the district of Bute.DumbartonIn the county of Dunbarton—the burghs of Dumbarton, Cove and Kilcreggan, Helensburgh; the districts of Helensburgh, Vale of Leven; the electoral divisions of Bowling, Dunbarton.City of GlasgowThe county of the city of Glasgow.