East Dunbartonshire
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-west of Glasgow and contains many of the suburbs of Glasgow 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.
East Dunbartonshire Aest Dunbartanshire Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn an Ear | |
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Location of East Dunbartonshire within Scotland | |
Coordinates: 55°56′N 4°13′W | |
Sovereign state | United Kingdom |
Country | Scotland |
Lieutenancy area | Dunbartonshire |
Admin HQ | Kirkintilloch |
Government | |
• Body | East Dunbartonshire Council |
• Control | SNP minority (council NOC) |
• MPs |
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• MSPs |
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Area | |
• Total | 67.4 sq mi (174.5 km2) |
Area rank | Ranked 27th |
Population (mid-2019 est.) | |
• Total | 108,330 |
• Rank | Ranked 20th |
• Density | 1,600/sq mi (620/km2) |
ONS code | S12000045 |
ISO 3166 code | GB-EDU |
Website | www |
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 (all areas except Chryston and Auchinloch, which became part of North Lanarkshire council area), within the wider Strathclyde region.
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.[1]
In a 2007 Reader's Digest poll, East Dunbartonshire was voted the best place in Britain to raise a family.[2] The area continually tops the Halifax Bank Quality of Life list. In 2010 East Dunbartonshire ranked 3rd in Scotland[3] and was the only Scottish area in the British Top 20 in 2008[4] 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.
Political composition
At the first election to East Dunbartonshire Council in April 1995, 26 councillors were elected for a four-year term. Labour gained an outright majority and formed a single-party administration, headed by Charles Kennedy and Michael McCarron as leader and depute leader, with John Dempsey and Ann Cameron taking the civic posts of Provost and Depute Provost. Cllr Kennedy was the then leader of Strathkelvin District Council, and continued to hold that post during the shadow year of East Dunbartonshire until the final abolition of the district council in April 1996.
The Liberal Democrats and Conservatives were the only other parties represented on East Dunbartonshire Council and sat in opposition for the next four years.
The number of councillors was reduced to 24 at the May 1999 election, when the Labour Party was again returned as the largest group, but without an overall majority. At the statutory meeting, Charles Kennedy and Rhondda Geekie were appointed as leader and depute leader of a minority Labour administration, but the Provost and Depute Provost roles were taken by Lib Dem councillor Robin McSkimming and Conservative councillor Anne Jarvis. Within a few months, the Labour administration fell, and with support from the Conservatives, the Lib Dem councillors Keith Moody and John Morrison took over as leader and depute leader of a new administration in which members of both the Lib Dem and Conservative groups held the various convenerships.
At the May 2003 election, the Liberal Democrats further increased their representation on the council, securing 12 out of the 24 seats. With the reduced Labour group declining to put forward nominations, Lib Dem councillors Pat Steel and Cathy McInnes became Provost and Depute Provost, and John Morrison and Fiona Risk leader and depute leader. For the next four years the Lib Dems ran a single party administration that relied, when necessary, on the casting vote of the chair. June 2004 saw the emergence of the East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance, when Jack Young and former council leader Charles Kennedy, who had been elected as Labour councillors the previous year, formed a fourth group on East Dunbartonshire Council.
As a result of the 2007 election, the Scottish Liberal Democrats were reduced to three councillors and lost control of East Dunbartonshire Council, with one of the primary grievances amongst the electorate being fortnightly waste collection, after the introduction of kerbside collections for recycling plastics, glass, metals and paper. Although the SNP were elected as the largest group (winning their first ever councillors on East Dunbartonshire Council), the administration became a Labour/Conservative coalition due to no single party having overall control. The leader of the council was Labour councillor Rhondda Geekie[5] and the position of provost (initially Labour councillor Alex Hannah) was subsequently held by Lib Dem councillor Eric Gotts.[6] The depute leader and depute provost were the Conservative councillors Billy Hendry and Anne Jarvis.
In December 2009, Lib Dem representation increased briefly to 4, following Ashay Ghai's win in the Bearsden South by-election caused by the resignation of the Conservatives' Simon Hutchison. However, their numbers reverted to 3 in June 2011, when Lib Dem councillor Duncan Cumming resigned from the party citing issues relating to the Liberal Democrats' role in the UK coalition government, sitting thereafter as an independent.
The 2012 election, again returned a council where no single party had overall control, and the administration became a three-way Labour/Lib-Dem/Conservative coalition.[7] The leader of the council remained Rhondda Geekie, but Labour councillor Una Walker became provost. The depute leader and depute provost were the Lib Dem councillor Ashay Ghai and the Conservative councillor Anne Jarvis. EDIA councillor Charles Kennedy, of the Campsie and Kirkintilloch North ward, died on 13 July 2012.[8] The subsequent by-election took place on 13 September, where Gemma Welsh (Scottish Labour) was elected.[9] Thereafter the EDIA was voluntarily deregistered, its remaining councillor, Jack Young, continuing as an independent for the remainder of his term, finally retiring from the council in May 2017.
Following a disagreement between the Liberal Democrats and their administration colleagues, the ruling three-party coalition reverted to a minority two-party Labour/Conservative coalition in January 2016, and the Conservatives' Billy Hendry resumed the role of depute council leader.
The number of seats on the local council was reduced to 22 at the 2017 election, where a number of long-standing councillors from all parties announced their intention to stand down. No single party gained overall control, with the SNP being elected as the largest group and the Conservatives gaining their highest ever number of councillors. Rhondda Geekie, former Labour councillor and leader of the council since 2007, and Ian Mackay, former SNP Group Leader, lost their seats.
Party | Councillors | ||||||||||
April 1995 |
May 1999 |
May 2003 |
June 2004 |
May 2007 |
Dec 2009 |
June 2011 |
May 2012 |
Sept 2012 |
May 2017 | ||
Scottish National Party | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 7 | |||||
Labour | 15 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 9 | 2 | |
Conservative | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 6 | |
Liberal Democrat | 9 | 10 | 12 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 6 | |
ED Independent Alliance | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||||||
Independent | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | |||||||
Total | 26 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 24 | 22 |
Council Leadership
Provosts
John Dempsey | (Labour) | (April 1995 – May 1999) |
Robin McSkimming | (Lib Dem) | (May 1999 – May 2003 |
Pat Steel | (Lib Dem) | (May 2003 – May 2007) |
Alex Hannah | (Labour) | (May 2007 – April 2009) |
Eric Gotts | (Lib Dem) | (August 2009 – May 2012) |
Una Walker | (Labour) | (May 2012 – May 2017) |
Alan Brown | (Conservative) | (May 2017 – present) |
Depute Provosts
Ann Cameron | (Labour) | (April 1995 – May 1999) |
Anne Jarvis | (Conservative) | (May 1999 – May 2003) |
Cathy McInnes | (Lib Dem) | (May 2003 – May 2007) |
Anne Jarvis | (Conservative) | (May 2007 – May 2017) |
Gary Pews | (Lib Dem) | (May 2017 – present) |
Council Leaders
Charles Kennedy | (Labour) | (April 1995 – October 1999) |
Keith Moody | (Lib Dem) | (October 1999 – May 2003) |
John Morrison | (Lib Dem) | (May 2003 – May 2007) |
Rhondda Geekie | (Labour) | (May 2007 – May 2017) |
Gordan Low | (SNP) | (May 2017 – December 2017) |
Co-Leaders
Vaughan Moody | (Lib Dem) | (March 2018 – present) |
Andrew Polson | (Conservative) | (March 2018 – present) |
Depute Council Leaders
Michael McCarron | (Labour) | (April 1995 – May 1999) |
Rhondda Geekie | (Labour) | (May 1999 – October 1999) |
John Morrison | (Lib Dem) | (October 1999 – May 2003) |
Fiona Risk | (Lib Dem) | (May 2003 – May 2007) |
Billy Hendry | (Conservative) | (May 2007 – May 2012) |
Ashay Ghai | (Lib Dem) | (May 2012 – January 2016) |
Billy Hendry | (Conservative) | (January 2016 – May 2017) |
Gillian Renwick | (SNP) | (May 2017 – December 2017) |
Group Leaders
Party | Leader | From | To | |
Scottish National Party | Ian Mackay | May 2007 | May 2017 | |
Gordan Low | May 2017 | present | ||
Labour | Charles Kennedy | April 1995 | May 2000 | |
Rhondda Geekie | May 2000 | May 2003 | ||
Alex Hannah | May 2003 | May 2007 | ||
Rhondda Geekie | May 2007 | May 2017 | ||
Alan Moir | May 2017 | present | ||
Conservative | Billy Hendry | April 1995 | May 2017 | |
Andrew Polson | May 2017 | present | ||
Liberal Democrat | Keith Moody | April 1995 | May 2003 | |
John Morrison | May 2003 | May 2007 | ||
Eric Gotts | May 2007 | August 2009 | ||
Vaughan Moody | August 2009 | October 2010 | ||
Ashay Ghai | October 2010 | May 2017 | ||
Vaughan Moody | May 2017 | present | ||
ED Independent Alliance | Charles Kennedy | June 2004 | July 2012 |
Depute Group Leaders
Party | Depute Leader | From | To | |
Scottish National Party | Gordan Low | May 2007 | May 2017 | |
Gillian Renwick | May 2017 | present | ||
Labour | Michael McCarron | April 1995 | May 1999 | |
Rhondda Geekie | May 1999 | May 2000 | ||
Tom Smith | May 2000 | May 2003 | ||
Rhondda Geekie | May 2003 | May 2007 | ||
Michael O'Donnell | May 2007 | May 2012 | ||
Alan Moir | May 2012 | May 2017 | ||
Stewart MacDonald | May 2017 | present | ||
Conservative | Ian Miller | April 1995 | May 1999 | |
Anne Jarvis | May 1999 | May 2007 | ||
Amanda Stewart | May 2007 | May 2012 | ||
Anne Jarvis | May 2012 | May 2017 | ||
Billy Hendry | May 2017 | present | ||
Liberal Democrat | Robert Duncan | April 1995 | May 1999 | |
John Morrison | May 1999 | May 2003 | ||
Fiona Risk | May 2003 | May 2007 | ||
Vaughan Moody | May 2007 | August 2009 | ||
Duncan Cumming | August 2009 | June 2011 | ||
Vaughan Moody | June 2011 | May 2017 | ||
Susan Murray | May 2017 | present | ||
ED Independent Alliance | Jack Young | June 2004 | October 2012 |
Independents
Designation | Councillor | From | To | |
Independent | Duncan Cumming | June 2011 | present | |
Jack Young | October 2012 | May 2017 |
Chief Executives
Cornelius Mallon | (April 1995 – June 1999) |
Vicki Nash | (June 1999 – February 2004) |
Sue Bruce | (August 2004 – November 2008) |
Gerry Cornes | (January 2009 – present) |
Towns and villages
Places of interest
- Campsie Fells
- West Highland Way
- Forth and Clyde Canal
- Antonine Wall
- Mugdock Country Park
- Tom Johnston House
- Milngavie water treatment works
- River Kelvin
- Lillie Art Gallery
- Auld Kirk Museum
- Huntershill Village
- The Fort Theatre
- The Turret Theatre
- The Gadloch
- Thomas Muir
- Thomas Muir Cairn - Erected by John SL Watson and unveiled by East Dunbartonshire's Provost John Dempsey (1997)
- Scottish Political Martyrs Gate - Erected by John SL Watson and unveiled by East Dunbartonshire's Provost John Dempsey (1997)
- Miners of the world memorial hutch - created by John SL Watson and unveiled by leader of East Dunbartsonshire Council John Morrison (2003)
- Finger Post marking the Old Glasgow-Stirling postal road
- Huntershill Village Mile Stone
- Southwest view across Gadloch Towards the distant Red Road Flats.
Education
Secondary schools
School | School roll | Founded | Area Served |
Bearsden Academy | 1186 | 1911 | Northern Bearsden and Baljaffray |
Bishopbriggs Academy | 1229 | 2006 | Bishopbriggs and Auchinairn |
Boclair Academy | 943 | 1976 | Southern Bearsden and Torrance |
Douglas Academy (incorporating Douglas Academy Music School) | 1062 | 1967 | Milngavie, Craigton and Baldernock |
Kirkintilloch High School | 639 | 2009 | Kirkintilloch and Twechar |
Lenzie Academy | 1296[10] | 1886 | Lenzie, South Kirkintilloch and Auchinloch |
St Ninian's High School, Kirkintilloch | 760 | 1874 | Kirkintilloch, Milngavie, Lenzie, Lennoxtown, Twechar and Milton of Campsie |
Turnbull High School | 673 | 1976 | Bishopbriggs |
Closed schools
Bishopbriggs High School
Thomas Muir High School
Auchinairn Primary School
Gask House Primary School
Lenzie Primary School
Lenzie Moss Primary School
St Agatha's Primary School
St Flannan's Primary School
St Joseph's Primary School
Woodhill Primary School
Primary schools
School |
Baldernock Primary |
Baljaffray Primary |
Balmuildy Primary |
Bearsden Primary |
Castlehill Primary |
Clober Primary |
Colquhoun Park Primary |
Craigdhu Primary |
Craighead Primary |
Gartconner Primary |
Harestanes Primary |
Hillhead Primary |
Holy Family Primary |
Holy Trinity Primary |
Killermont Primary |
Lairdsland Primary |
Lennoxtown Primary |
Lenzie Meadow Primary |
Meadowburn Primary Gaelic Unit |
Meadowburn Primary |
Millersneuk Primary |
Milngavie Primary |
Mosshead Primary |
Oxgang Primary |
St. Andrew's Primary |
St. Helen's Primary |
St. Machan's Primary |
St. Matthew's Primary |
Thomas Muir Primary |
Torrance Primary |
Twechar Primary |
Wester Cleddens Primary |
Westerton Primary |
References
- 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.
- "Scots areas top happy family poll". BBC News. 18 April 2007. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- "BBC News - Aberdeenshire tops 'quality of life' list". BBC News. 27 December 2010. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- "East Dunbartonshire is only Scottish area in UK top 20 for 'quality of life'". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 28 March 2008. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
- "New coalition moves to bring back weekly bin collections". The Herald. Archived from the original on 29 September 2007. Retrieved 22 May 2007.
- "Tributes after provost loses fight with cancer". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 15 April 2009. Retrieved 23 May 2009.
- "Labour do a deal with LibDems and Tories to seize control of East Dunbartonshire". Milngavie Herald. 10 May 2012. Retrieved 10 May 2012.
- "Councillor Charles Kennedy". 16 July 2012. Archived from the original on 26 June 2013. Retrieved 20 July 2012.
- "New Campsie and Kirkintilloch North Councillor Elected". 14 September 2012. Retrieved 15 September 2012.
- http://www.lenzieacademy.e-dunbarton.sch.uk/_files/S%20and%20Q%20Report%202010-11.pdf%5B%5D
External links
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