East Dunbartonshire

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East Dunbartonshire
Aest Dunbartanshire
Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear
East Dunbartonshire in Scotland.svg
East Dunbartonshire Logo.svg
Council logo
Coordinates: 55°56′N4°13′W / 55.933°N 4.217°W / 55.933; -4.217 Coordinates: 55°56′N4°13′W / 55.933°N 4.217°W / 55.933; -4.217
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Country Scotland
Lieutenancy area Dunbartonshire
Admin HQ Kirkintilloch
Government
 • Body East Dunbartonshire Council
 • Control Scottish National Party minority (council NOC)
 •  MPs
 •  MSPs
Area
 • Total67.4 sq mi (174.5 km2)
 • Rank Ranked 27th
Population
 (2021)
 • Total108,330
 • Rank Ranked 20th
 • Density1,600/sq mi (620/km2)
ONS code S12000045
ISO 3166 code GB-EDU

East Dunbartonshire (Scots : Aest Dunbartanshire; Scottish Gaelic : Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders the north of Glasgow and contains many of the affluent areas to the north of the city, including Bearsden, Milngavie, Milton of Campsie, Balmore and Torrance, as well as many of the city's commuter towns and villages. East Dunbartonshire also shares borders with North Lanarkshire, Stirling and West Dunbartonshire. The council area covers parts of the historic counties of Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire and Stirlingshire.

Contents

The council area was formed in 1996, as a result of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, from the former Bearsden and Milngavie district and most of the former Strathkelvin district, which had been part of Strathclyde region.

History

East Dunbartonshire was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which abolished the regions and districts which had been created in 1975, replacing them with unitary council areas. East Dunbartonshire covered the area of the abolished Bearsden and Milngavie and Strathkelvin districts (except the Chryston and Auchinloch area from the latter, which went to North Lanarkshire). Both former districts had been in the Strathclyde region. [1]

Both of East Dunbartonshire's predecessor districts had been created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Bearsden and Milngavie district had been created covering Milngavie, Bearsden and adjoining areas from Dunbartonshire. The Strathkelvin district had been created covering Kirkintilloch and adjoining areas from Dunbartonshire, Bishopbriggs and adjoining areas from Lanarkshire, and the parishes of Baldernock and Campsie from Stirlingshire. [2]

Demographics

East Dunbartonshire council area has low levels of deprivation, with relatively low unemployment and low levels of crime. The population is both declining and ageing. [3]

In a 2007 Reader's Digest poll, East Dunbartonshire was voted the best place in Britain to raise a family. [4] The area has generally performed well in the Halifax Quality of Life survey; in 2010 it was ranked third in Scotland, [5] and it was the only Scottish area in the British Top 20 in 2008. [6] A Legatum Prosperity Index published by the Legatum Institute in October 2016 showed East Dunbartonshire as the most prosperous council area in Scotland and the ninth most prosperous in the United Kingdom.

Communities

The area is divided into thirteen community council areas, twelve of which have community councils as at 2023 (being those with asterisks in the list below): [7]

Governance

East Dunbartonshire
East Dunbartonshire Logo.svg
Leadership
Gillian Renwick,
SNP
since 19 May 2022
Gordan Low,
SNP
since 19 May 2022
Chief Executive
Gerry Cornes
since January 2009
Structure
Seats22 councillors
SNP
8 / 22
6 / 22
4 / 22
3 / 22
1 / 22
Elections
Single transferable vote
Last election
 6 May 2022
Meeting place
Southbank Marina - geograph.org.uk - 3036373.jpg
12 Strathkelvin Place, Kirkintilloch, G66 1XT
Website
www.eastdunbarton.gov.uk

Political control

The first election to East Dunbartonshire Council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows: [8]

Party in controlYears
Labour 1996–1999
No overall control 1999–

Leadership

The first leader of the council, Charles Kennedy, had been the last leader of the old Strathkelvin District Council. The leaders of East Dunbartonshire Council since 1996 have been: [9]

CouncillorPartyFromToNotes
Charles Kennedy Labour 1 Apr 1996Oct 1999
Keith Moody Liberal Democrats Oct 1999May 2003
John Morrison Liberal Democrats 8 May 20033 May 2007
Rhondda Geekie [10] Labour 17 May 20074 May 2017
Gordan Low SNP 23 May 201721 Dec 2017
Vaughan Moody Liberal Democrats 20 Mar 2018May 2022Co-leaders
Andrew Polson Conservative
Gordan Low SNP 19 May 2022

Premises

Since 2012 the council has been based at 12 Strathkelvin Place in Kirkintilloch, which forms part of the Southbank Marina development adjoining the Forth and Clyde Canal. Prior to 2012 the council was based at Tom Johnston House at the junction of Lenzie Road and Civic Way in Kirkintilloch. Tom Johnston House had been built in 1985 as the headquarters for the old Strathkelvin District Council and was named after Tom Johnston (1881–1965), who was born in Kirkintilloch and had served as Secretary of State for Scotland during the Second World War. [11] Tom Johnston House was demolished in 2015. [12] The new council chamber at Strathkelvin Place is called Tom Johnston Chamber. [13]

Elections

Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows: [8]

YearSeats SNP Liberal Democrats Labour Conservative Independent / Other Notes
1995 26091520
1999 241101030New ward boundaries. [14]
2003 24012930
2007 2483652 [lower-alpha 1] New ward boundaries. [15]
2012 2483823 [lower-alpha 2]
2017 2276261New ward boundaries. [16]
2022 2286431
  1. ↑ Both East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance
  2. ↑ Two being East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance

Wards

Map of the area's wards (2017 configuration) East Dunbartonshire UK ward map 2017 (blank).svg
Map of the area's wards (2017 configuration)

Since 2007, the council (as with all others in Scotland) has been elected using multi-member wards, each returning three councillors using a single transferable vote system of proportional representation. Initially this retained the number of councillors at 24 following on from the same number of single-member wards in previous elections, divided equally across eight wards. However, a national boundary and population review prior to the 2017 Scottish local elections led to the number of East Dunbartonshire wards being reduced to seven and the number of councillors being reduced to 22. These current wards are: [17]

#Ward NameSeatsPopulation

(2020)

1 Milngavie 313,572
2 Bearsden North 314,943
3 Bearsden South 313,318
4 Bishopbriggs North and Campsie 419,323
5 Bishopbriggs South 315,868
6 Kirkintilloch East and North and Twechar 318,251
7 Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South 313,475

Towns and villages

Places of interest

Education

There are 8 secondary schools and 33 primary schools in the area. [18] [19] The secondary schools are:

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopbriggs</span> Town in Scotland

Bishopbriggs is a town in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the northern fringe of Greater Glasgow, approximately 4 miles (6 km) from the city centre. Historically in Lanarkshire, the area was once part of the historic parish of Cadder - originally lands granted by King William the Lion to the Bishop of Glasgow, Jocelin, in 1180. It was later part of the county of Lanarkshire, and then an independent burgh from 1964 to 1975. Today, Bishopbriggs' close geographic proximity to Glasgow now effectively makes it a suburb and commuter town of the city. The town's original Gaelic name Coille Dobhair reflects the name of the old parish of Cadder, but modern Gaelic usage uses Drochaid an Easbaig, a literal translation of Bishopbriggs. It was ranked the 2nd most desirable postcode in Scotland to live in following a study by the Centre for Economic and Business Research in 2015 and 2016.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dunbartonshire</span> Historic county in Scotland

Dunbartonshire or the County of Dumbarton is a historic county, lieutenancy area and registration county in the west central Lowlands of Scotland lying to the north of the River Clyde. Dunbartonshire borders Perthshire to the north, Stirlingshire to the east, Lanarkshire and Renfrewshire to the south, and Argyllshire to the west.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bearsden and Milngavie</span> Former government district in the Strathclyde region of Scotland

Bearsden and Milngavie was, from 1975 to 1996, one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, covering an area north of the City of Glasgow.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbernauld and Kilsyth (district)</span>

Cumbernauld and Kilsyth was one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region of Scotland between 1975 and 1996.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strathkelvin</span>

Strathkelvin is the strath (valley) of the River Kelvin in west central Scotland, lying north-east of Glasgow. The name Strathkelvin was used between 1975 and 1996 for one of nineteen local government districts in the Strathclyde region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kirkintilloch</span> Human settlement in Scotland

Kirkintilloch is a town and former barony burgh in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. It lies on the Forth and Clyde Canal and on the south side of Strathkelvin, about 8 miles (13 km) northeast of central Glasgow. Historically part of Dunbartonshire, the town is the administrative home of East Dunbartonshire council area, its population in 2009 was estimated at 19,700 and its population in 2011 was 19,689.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">East Dunbartonshire (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

East Dunbartonshire is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (Westminster). It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election. The seat is possibly best known for formerly being the constituency of Jo Swinson, the former Leader of the Liberal Democrats who was defeated at the 2019 general election. The current MP for the constituency is Amy Callaghan of the Scottish National Party (SNP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 2005 onwards

Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It was created for the 2005 general election, replacing Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and part of Strathkelvin and Bearsden.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Clydebank and Milngavie (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Clydebank and Milngavie is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament covering part of the council areas of East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire. It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election.It is also one of ten constituencies in the West Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to the ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strathkelvin and Bearsden (UK Parliament constituency)</span> Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom, 1983–2005

Strathkelvin and Bearsden was a parliamentary constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1983. In 2005, the constituency was abolished, and the area is now represented by East Dunbartonshire and Cumbernauld, Kilsyth and Kirkintilloch East.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Strathkelvin and Bearsden (Scottish Parliament constituency)</span> Region or constituency of the Scottish Parliament

Strathkelvin and Bearsden is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament (Holyrood). It elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post method of election. Also, however, it is one of ten constituencies in the West Scotland electoral region, which elects seven additional members, in addition to ten constituency MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation for the region as a whole.

The East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance was a minor political party operating in East Dunbartonshire, Scotland, represented on East Dunbartonshire Council until October 2012 by Jack Young, one of the three councillors for Kirkintilloch East & Twechar, and until July 2012 by Charles Kennedy, one of the three councillors for Campsie & Kirkintilloch North.

Turnbull High School is a co-educational comprehensive Secondary School located in Bishopbriggs, East Dunbartonshire, Scotland. The school was named after William Turnbull, Bishop of Glasgow from 1448 to 1454, and founder of the University of Glasgow in 1451, of which he was the first Chancellor. Whilst enrollment is open to pupils of all religious denominations and none, the School's religious ethos emphasises practice of Roman Catholic moral values both in the church and in the community, with its own Chaplain and many associated charitable and community-based activities undertaken.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Stewart MacDonald</span>

Stewart MacDonald is a Scottish Labour Party local government councillor. He was elected to the East Kirkintilloch and Twechar Ward of East Dunbartonshire Council in the 2007 election. He is also a member of Kirkintilloch Community Council and the Bridgeton Burns Club, and was a director of the East Dunbartonshire Municipal Bank between 2007 and 2015 and the East Dunbartonshire Leisure and Culture Trust from 2010 to the present.

The Kelvin Valley Railway was an independent railway designed to connect Kilsyth, an important mining town in central Scotland, with the railway network. It connected Kilsyth to Kirkintilloch and thence over other railways to the ironworks of Coatbridge, and to Maryhill, connecting onwards to the Queen's Dock at Stobcross.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Torrance railway station</span> Former railway station in Scotland

Torrance railway station was opened in 1879 on the Kelvin Valley Railway and served the area of the village of Torrance in East Dunbartonshire until 1951 for passengers and 1959 for freight.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bishopbriggs North and Campsie (ward)</span> Local government ward of East Dunbartonshire

Bishopbriggs North and Campsie is one of the seven wards used to elect members of the East Dunbartonshire Council. It elects four Councillors.

References

  1. ↑ "Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1994 c. 39, retrieved 15 February 2023
  2. ↑ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 15 February 2023
  3. ↑ Controller of Audit to the Accounts Commission (May 2009). "The Audit of Best Value and Community Planning - East Dunbartonshire Council". Scottish Government. Retrieved 3 May 2012.
  4. ↑ "Scots areas top happy family poll". BBC News. 18 April 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  5. ↑ "BBC News - Aberdeenshire tops 'quality of life' list". BBC News. 27 December 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  6. ↑ "East Dunbartonshire is only Scottish area in UK top 20 for 'quality of life'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 28 March 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  7. ↑ "Community Councils". East Dunbartonshire Council. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  8. 1 2 "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  9. ↑ "Council minutes". East Dunbartonshire Council. Retrieved 15 February 2023.
  10. ↑ "New coalition moves to bring back weekly bin collections". The Herald. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
  11. ↑ "Strathkelvin District Council: Public Notice - Closure of Council Chambers, Kirkintilloch, and removal to new Civic Headquarters, Lenzie Road, Kirkintilloch". Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser. 19 July 1985. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  12. ↑ "Bulldozers move in to demolish landmark". Glasgow World. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  13. ↑ "Council agenda, 15 December 2022" (PDF). East Dunbartonshire Council. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  14. ↑ "The East Dunbartonshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998", legislation.gov.uk , The National Archives, SI 1998/3245, retrieved 15 February 2023
  15. ↑ Scottish Parliament. The East Dunbartonshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006 as made, from legislation.gov.uk .
  16. ↑ Scottish Parliament. The East Dunbartonshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2016 as made, from legislation.gov.uk .
  17. 1 2 Council Area | East Dunbartonshire, Scottish Government Statistics. Retrieved 21 April 2022
  18. ↑ "Secondary Schools". East Dunbartonshire Council. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
  19. ↑ "Primary Schools". East Dunbartonshire Council. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
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