Glasgow City Council

Glasgow City Council Comhairle Baile Ghlaschu
Logo
Admin HQ	Glasgow
Government
• Body	Glasgow City Council
• Control	Labour
Area
• Total	68 sq mi (175 km^2)
Area rank	Ranked 27th
Population (2010 est.)
• Total	593,000
• Rank	Ranked 1st
• Density	8,800/sq mi (3,396/km^2)
ONS code	00QS
ISO 3166 code	GB-GLG
Website	http://www.glasgow.gov.uk/

Glasgow City Council, the local government body of the city of Glasgow in Scotland, became one of the newly created single tier local authorities in 1996, under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994,^[1] with boundaries somewhat different from those of the City of Glasgow district of the Strathclyde region: parts of the Cambuslang and Halfway and Rutherglen and Fernhill areas were transferred from the city area to the new South Lanarkshire council area.

The district had been created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 to include: the former county of the city of Glasgow and a number of areas previously within the county of Lanark: Cambuslang (Central and North, and South lying outwith East Kilbride), Rutherglen (including the burgh of Rutherglen), part of a Carmunnock area (that lying outwith East Kilbride) and Baillieston, Carmyle, Garrowhill, Mount Vernon and Springboig.

History

The early city was run by the old "Glasgow Town Council". In 1895, the Town Council became "The Corporation of the City of Glasgow" ("Glasgow Corporation" or "City Corporation"). It retained this title until local government re-organisation in 1975, when it became "City of Glasgow District Council". In 1996, following the dissolution of Strathclyde Regional Council and the transfer of its responsibilities to Glasgow District Council, the authority was renamed "Glasgow City Council".

The title Lord Provost of Glasgow, used now for the civic leader of the city council, has history dating from the 15th century.

During World War I, the council was unique in the United Kingdom in appointing an official war artist, Frederick Farrell.^[2]

Glasgow Corporation Transport was under the control of the Glasgow Corporation, and ran the local buses and Glasgow Trams, until it was superseded by the Greater Glasgow Passenger Transport Executive on 1 June 1973.

During the period of two tier local government (Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973), 1975 to 1996, Glasgow District Council was responsible for refuse collection, museums, libraries and housing, while Strathclyde Regional Council had responsibilities for policing, fire service, water, education, social work and transport.

The city council established in 1996 (Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994), took on the powers and responsibilities previously divided between councils of the Glasgow City district and the Strathclyde region.

The council area borders onto East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire and West Dunbartonshire.

Council control

Current political composition

^[3]

	Party	Councillors
	Labour	44
	Scottish National Party	28
	Scottish Green	4
	Conservative	1
	Liberal Democrat	1
	Independent	1

(Glasgow Corporation/District Council/City Council)

Controlling party		Years	Leader
	No overall control	1934–1945	1933 – 1934: George Smith (Labour) 1934 – 1938: Patrick Dollan (Labour) 1938 – 1941: Hector McNeil (Labour) 1941 – 1945: George Smith (Labour)
	Labour	1945–1949	1945 – 1948: George Smith (Labour) 1948 – 1949: Andrew Hood (Labour)
	No overall control	1949–1950	1949 – 1950: John Donald Kelly (Progressive)
	Progressives	1950–1952	1950 – 1952: John Donald Kelly (Progressive)
	Labour	1952–1968	1952 – 1955: Andrew Hood 1955 – 1957: Jean Roberts 1957 – 1958: Myer Galpern 1958 – 1963: Peter Meldrum 1963 – 1968: William Taylor
	No overall control	1968–1969	1968 – 1969: John Douglas Glen (Progressive)
	Progressives	1969–1970	1969 – 1970: Peter Gemmill (Progressive)
	No overall control	1970–1971	1970 – 1971: Peter Gemmill (Progressive)
	Labour	1971–1977	1971 – 1972: John Mains 1972 – 1973: Richard Dynes 1973 – 1974: Geoff Shaw 1974 – 1977: Richard Dynes
	No overall control	1977–1980	1977 – 1979: John Young (Conservative) 1979 – 1980: Jean McFadden (Labour)
	Labour	1980 – present	1980 – 1986: Jean McFadden 1986 – 1992: Pat Lally 1992 – 1994: Jean McFadden 1994 – 1996: Pat Lally 1996 – 1997: Bob Gould 1997 – 1999: Frank McAveety 1999 – 2005: Charlie Gordon 2005 – 2010: Steven Purcell 2010 – 2015: Gordon Matheson 2015 – present: Frank McAveety

Council structure

The council is ceremonially headed by the Lord Provost of Glasgow, who is elected to convene the council and perform associated tasks as a general civil leader. The current incumbent is Sadie Docherty.

The council's executive branch is headed by a Leader of the Council, who is the leader of the largest political grouping, currently the Labour Party.

Elections

The council consists of 79 councillors elected for a four-year term from 21 wards. These wards were introduced for the 2007 election and each returns three or four members by the single transferable vote system of election. This system was introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004,^[4] as a means of ensuring a reasonably proportionately representative outcome.

The most recent full council election took place on Thursday 3 May 2012. Labour retained overall majority control (45), with increased numbers for the Scottish National Party (27) and the Greens (5), while the Conservatives, Glasgow First and the Liberal Democrats each returned one councillor. No Scottish Socialist Party, Solidarity or independent councillors were returned.

Current multi-member ward system

A multi-member ward system was introduced for the 2007 council election:

Ward	Representation	Map
1. Linn (4 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP; 1 Lib Dem
2. Newlands/Auldburn (3 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP
3. Greater Pollok (4 members)	3 Lab; 1 SNP
4. Craigton (4 members)	2 Lab; 2 SNP
5. Govan (4 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP; 1 Glasgow First
6. Pollokshields (3 members)	1 Lab; 1 Con; 1 SNP
7. Langside (3 members)	1 Lab; 2 SNP;
8. Southside Central (4 members)	2 Lab; 2 SNP;
9. Calton (3 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP
10. Anderston/City (4 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP; 1 Green
11. Hillhead (4 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP; 1 Green
12. Partick West (4 members)	2 SNP; 1 LAB; 1 Green
13. Garscadden/Scotstounhill (4 members)	3 Lab; 1 SNP
14. Drumchapel/Anniesland (4 members)	3 Lab; 1 SNP
15. Maryhill/Kelvin (4 members)	2 Lab; 2 SNP
16. Canal (4 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP; 1 Green
17. Springburn (3 members)	2 Lab; 1 SNP
18. East Centre (4 members)	3 Lab; 1 SNP
19. Shettleston (4 members)	3 Lab; 1 SNP
20. Baillieston (4 members)	2 Lab; 2 SNP
21. North East (4 members)	3 Lab; 1 SNP

Previous single-member ward system

Prior to the 2007 election, there were 79 councillors elected from 79 single-member wards by the plurality (first past the post) system of election. The result from this system was 69 of the 79 councillors representing the Labour Party, although that party gained only around half the votes cast in the previous election to the council, and the Scottish National Party was represented by just four councillors, despite gaining some 20% of the votes. There were also three Liberal Democrat councillors, one Conservative councillor, one Scottish Socialist Party councillor, and one independent councillor.

Ward	Ward	Ward
Drumry Summerhill Blairdardie Knightswood Park Knightswood South Yoker Anniesland Jordanhill Kelvindale Scotstoun	Victoria Park Hayburn Hyndland Hillhead Partick Kelvingrove Anderston Woodlands North Kelvin Wyndford	Maryhill Summerston Milton Ashfield Firhill Keppochhill Merchant City Royston Cowlairs Springburn
Wallacewell Milnbank Dennistoun Calton Bridgeton/ Dalmarnock Parkhead Carntyne Robroyston Gartcraig Queenslie Greenfield Barlanark Shettleston Tollcross Park Braidfauld Mount Vernon Baillieston Garrowhill
Garthamlock Easterhouse Drumoyne Govan Ibrox Kingston Mosspark North Cardonald Penilee Cardonald	Pollok Crookston Nitshill Darnley Carnwadric Maxwell Park Pollokshields East Hutchesontown Govanhill Strathbungo	Battlefield Langside Pollokshaws Newlands Cathcart Mount Florida Toryglen Kings Park Castlemilk Carmunnock Glenwood

Footnotes

1. See also Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website (OPSI home page)
2. "Glasgow's forgotten war artist Fred Farrell". Herald Scotland. 24 May 2014. Retrieved 9 May 2015.
3. "Political Groups"
4. See also Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI) website