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Act of Parliament | |
Long title | An Act to enable local authorities in Scotland to take Gaelic names; and for connected purposes. |
---|---|
Citation | 1997 c.6 |
Introduced by | Tommy Graham (Private member's bill) |
Territorial extent | Scotland |
Dates | |
Royal assent | 27 February 1997 |
Commencement | 27 April 1997 |
Status: Current legislation | |
Text of statute as originally enacted | |
Text of the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk. |
The Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 enables local councils in Scotland to rename the areas for which they are responsible with Gaelic names. It enables them also to revert to names in English. The act was passed by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The act added subsections1A and 1B under section 23 (change of name of local government area) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 states that the name of a council (in Gaelic) shall be "Comhairle" with the addition of the name of their area.
The only council to date (2024) that has taken up the new right is Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (formerly Western Isles Council), meaning that the former Western Isles are now officially named Na h-Eileanan Siar, even in English-language contexts.
The Outer Hebrides or Western Isles, sometimes known as the Long Isle or Long Island, is an island chain off the west coast of mainland Scotland. The islands are geographically coextensive with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, one of the 32 unitary council areas of Scotland. They form part of the archipelago of the Hebrides, separated from the Scottish mainland and from the Inner Hebrides by the waters of the Minch, the Little Minch, and the Sea of the Hebrides.
Balivanich is a village on the island of Benbecula in the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland. It is the main centre for Benbecula and the adjacent islands of North Uist, South Uist and several smaller islands. Balivanich is within the parish of South Uist.
Alasdair Morrison is a Scottish Labour Party politician. He was the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for the Western Isles constituency from 1999 to 2007.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar council area of Scotland. It is based in Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis.
Na h-Eileanan an Iar, formerly Western Isles, is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created in 1918. It elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election.
Gravir, is a village on the shore of Loch Odhairn in the Park district of the Isle of Lewis. Gravir is within the parish of Lochs. There is a Free Church, a school and a voluntary fire station in the village. There is also a pier. Most of the plots of land used to be used for crofting, but this has declined in the last 50 years. The road leading to the village is the B8060, and continues on to Orinsay and Lemreway.
Stornoway Town Hall is a former municipal building on South Beach in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, Scotland. The town hall, which was the headquarters of Stornoway Town Council, is a Category B listed building.
Ceann a' Ghàraidh is the location of the ferry terminal on the south-western side of the island of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland. It provides a service across the Sound of Barra to Ardmore on the island of Barra The placename literally means "The head of the garden". This location is so called due to the presence of the old crofting boundary walls, which can no longer be seen.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election was the second one using the 9 wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward elected three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system: a form of proportional representation. A total of 31 Councillors were elected.
An election to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar was held on 6 May 1999 as part of the wider 1999 Scottish local elections.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar were held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election was the third one using the nine wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward elected three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system: a form of proportional representation. A total of 31 Councillors were elected.
Barraigh, Bhatarsaigh, Eirisgeigh agus Uibhist a Deas is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Beinn Na Foghla agus Uibhist a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Sgir’ Uige agus Ceann a Tuath Nan Loch is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Sgire an Rubha is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Steòrnabhagh a Deas is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Steòrnabhagh a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects four Councillors.
Loch a Tuath is one of the nine wards used to elect members of the Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. It elects three Councillors.
Elections to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar took place on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election was the first to use the nine wards created under the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018 which allowed for single and dual member wards, with 29 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 2, 3 or 4 members, using the Single Transferrable Vote electoral system, a form of proportional representation. Following a boundary review the number of wards will increase from nine to 11 while the number of councillors elected will fall from 31 to 29.
The Vatersay Causeway is a 250-metre-long causeway that links the Scottish Hebridean Islands of Vatersay and Barra across the Sound of Vatersay.