Shetland Islands Council

(Redirected from Shetland Council)

The Shetland Islands Council is the local authority for the Shetland Islands, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It was established by in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of 1996.

Shetland Islands Council
Full council election every 5 years
Coat of arms or logo
Coat of arms
Logo
Council logo
History
Founded16 May 1975
Leadership
Andrea Manson,
Independent
since 23 May 2022
Emma Macdonald,
Independent
since 23 May 2022
Maggie Sandison
since 28 February 2018[1]
Structure
Seats23 councillors
Results of the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections in 2022:[2]
Political groups
  Independent (20)
  Greens (1)
  SNP (1)
  Labour (1)
Elections
Single transferable vote
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Motto
Með lögum skal land byggja (Old Norse: "By law shall the land be built up")
Meeting place
Council Chamber, Lower Hillhead, Lerwick, Shetland, ZE1 0EL
Website
www.shetland.gov.uk Edit this at Wikidata

It provides services in the areas of Environmental Health, Roads, Social Work, Community Development, Organisational Development, Economic Development, Building Standards, Trading Standards, Housing, Waste, Education, Burial Grounds, Port and Harbours and others. The council collects Council Tax. The Fire Service is part of the Highlands and Islands division of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

History

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Shetland had been administered by Commissioners of Supply from 1667 and then by Zetland County Council from 1890 to 1975. The county council was abolished in 1975 and replaced by the Shetland Islands Council, which also took over the functions previously exercised by Shetland's lower-tier authorities, being the town council of the burgh of Lerwick and the councils of the area's landward districts.[3] The new council created in 1975 was an islands council of an area legally called Shetland.[4]

Further local government reform in 1996 introduced single-tier council areas across all of Scotland. The councils of the three island areas created in 1975, including Shetland, continued to provide the same services after 1996, but their areas were re-designated as council areas. The geographic area's legal name was changed from Shetland to 'Shetland Islands' as part of the 1996 reforms, allowing the council to retain the name 'Shetland Islands Council'.[5] The council has been a member of the Islands Forum since 2022.

Political control

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The first election was held in 1974, with the council initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A majority of the seats on the council have been held by independent councillors since 1975.[6]

Party in control Years
Independent 1975–present

Leadership

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In 2011, structural reforms saw the creation of the Political Leader position, with the Convener becoming a civic leadership post.[7]

No. Political Leader Party Period in office Election
1 Josie Simpson Independent 2011 - 2012 2007
2 Gary Robinson Independent 2012 - 2017 2012
3 Cecil Smith Independent 2017 - 2018 2017
4 Steven Coutts Independent 2018–2022 2017
5 Emma Macdonald Independent 2022–present 2022

Conveners

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The conveners have been:[8]

No. Convener Party Period in office Election
1 Alexander I. Tulloch Independent 1974 - 1986 1974
1978
1982
2 Edward Thomason Shetland Movement 1986 - 1994 1986
1990
3 Lewis Shand Smith Independent 1994 - 1999 1994
4 Tom Stove Independent 1999 - 2003 1999
5 Sandy Cluness Liberal Democrat[a]
Independent
2003 - 2012 2003
2007
6 Malcolm Bell Independent 2012–2022 2012
2017
7 Andrea Manson Independent 2022–present 2022

Composition

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Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections later in 2022, the composition of the council was:

Party Councillors
Independent 20
Scottish Green 1
Labour 1
SNP 1
Total 23

The next election is due in 2027.[9]

Elections

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Since the last boundary changes in 2022, the council has comprised 23 councillors representing 7 wards, with each ward electing two, three or four councillors. Elections are held every five years.[10]

Premises

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North Ness, Lerwick: Council offices being the white building in the middle.

Council meetings are held at the Council Chamber on Lower Hillhead in Lerwick. The building was formerly St Ringan's Church and was built in 1886.[11] After the church closed the building was used as a library for some years, before being converted to become the council chamber in 2022. Council meetings were previously held at Lerwick Town Hall.[12]

The council's main offices are at 8 North Ness in Lerwick, overlooking the harbour. The building was completed in 2012 to bring together the council's departments in one building.[13]

See also

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Notes

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  1. ^ Sandy Cluness was first elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor in 2003 but stood as an independent candidate in 2007.

References

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  1. ^ Davidson, Jenni (28 February 2018). "Maggie Sandison appointed chief executive of Shetland Islands Council". Holyrood. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Ballotbox Scotland, 2022 Local Elections, Shetland Islands Council 2022".
  3. ^ "Quarter-inch Administrative Areas Maps: Scotland Sheet 1, 1969". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  4. ^ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 17 April 2023
  5. ^ "Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 39, retrieved 17 April 2023
  6. ^ "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. 4 March 2016. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  7. ^ "Josie Takes the Helm". Shetland News. 7 March 2011.
  8. ^ Stewart, James. "Politics". Shetland History Online.
  9. ^ "Shetland Islands". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  10. ^ Scottish Parliament. The Shetland Islands (Electoral Arrangements) Regulations 2021 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  11. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Lower Hillhead and Union Street, St Ringan's Church (United Free Church of Scotland), including church hall, boundary walls, and gatepiers (Category B Listed Building) (LB37269)". Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  12. ^ Cope, Chris (11 March 2022). "From church to library to council chamber: St Ringan's latest evolution". Shetland News. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  13. ^ "New council headquarters open". Shetland News. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
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