Wikipedia

West Lothian Council

West Lothian Council (Scottish Gaelic: Comhairle Lodainn an Iar) is the local government authority for West Lothian council area.

West Lothian Council

Comhairle Lodainn an Iar
West Lothian Coat of Arms
Coat of Arms
Council logo
West Lothian Council logo
Type
Type
History
Succeeded byWest Lothian District Council (1975-1996)
Leadership
Cathy Muldoon,
Labour
since 24 May 2022[1]
Lawrence Fitzpatrick,
Labour
since 25 May 2017[2]
Graham Hope
since September 2010
Structure
Seats33 councillors
Political groups
Administration (11)
  Labour (11)
Other parties (22)
  Scottish National Party (15)
  Conservative (4)
  Liberal Democrats (1)
  Independent (1)
  Vacant (1)
Elections
Single transferable vote
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
West Lothian Civic Centre, Howden South Road, Livingston, EH54 6FF
Website
www.westlothian.gov.uk

History

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West Lothian District Council

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Local government across Scotland was reorganised in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which replaced the counties and burghs with a two-tier structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. West Lothian became a district within the Lothian region. Under that system, the authority was named West Lothian District Council. West Lothian district took its name from the historic county of West Lothian, which had covered a similar but not identical area.[3]

West Lothian Council

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Local government was reorganised again in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which abolished the regions and districts created in 1975 and established 32 single-tier council areas across Scotland, one being West Lothian.

Political control

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The council has been under no overall control since 2007, with a Labour leader since 2012.

The first election to West Lothian District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the reforms which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1975 has been as follows:[4]

West Lothian District Council

Party in control Years
Labour 1975–1977
No overall control 1977–1980
Labour 1980–1992
No overall control 1992–1996

West Lothian Council

Party in control Years
Labour 1996–2007
No overall control 2007–

Leadership

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The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:[5]

Councillor Party From To
Graeme Morrice Labour 1 April 1996 May 2007
Peter Johnston SNP 10 May 2007 May 2012
John McGinty Labour 10 May 2012 May 2017
Lawrence Fitzpatrick Labour 25 May 2017

Composition

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Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to November 2024, the composition of the council was:

Party Councillors
Scottish National Party 15
Labour 11
Conservative 4
Liberal Democrats 1
Independent 1
Vacant 1
Total 33

A by-election to fill the vacancy is due on 14 November 2024. The next full council election is due in 2027.[6]

Elections

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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:[4]

Year Seats SNP Labour Conservative Liberal Democrats Independent / Other Notes
1995 27 11 15 1 0 0 Labour majority
1999 32 11 20 1 0 0 New ward boundaries.[7] Labour majority
2003 32 12 18 1 0 1 Labour majority
2007 32 13 14 1 0 4 New ward boundaries.[8] SNP-Conservative-Action to Save St. John's Hospital[9]
2012 33 15 16 1 0 1 Increase in number of councillors.[10]
2017 33 13 12 7 0 1 Labour minority with Conservative support.[11]
2022 33 15 12 4 1 1 Labour minority with Conservative-Independent-Liberal Democrat support.[12]

Premises

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Former County Buildings, Linlithgow: One of the council's former offices

The council is based at the West Lothian Civic Centre in Livingston. The building was built in 2009 at a cost of £50 million to serve as a police headquarters and courthouse as well as offices for the council.[13] Prior to 2009 the council's offices had been divided between various buildings, including:

  • County Buildings in Linlithgow, which had been built in 1935 as the headquarters for the old West Lothian County Council.[14]
  • Lindsay House on South Bridge Street, Bathgate, built in 1966 as the Burgh Chambers for the old Bathgate Town Council.[15]
  • West Lothian House on Almondvale Boulevard in Livingston, which had been built in 1981 as Sidlaw House and had been the headquarters of the Livingston Development Corporation.[16]

Lindsay House and West Lothian House were both demolished shortly after the new Civic Centre opened in 2009.[17][18]

Services

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Like all Scottish Councils, West Lothian Council provides services such as Education,[19] Social Work,[20] Housing,[21] Highways, Street lighting[22] and Cleansing.[23]

The council is responsible for the co-ordination of the planning and provision of public services in West Lothian. It works closely with other public bodies such as police, fire and health, through its community planning partnership.

West Lothian Council operates country parks at Beecraigs, Polkemmet, and Almondell & Calderwood.[24]

Wards

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Map of the area's wards (2007 to 2017 configuration)

During elections West Lothian Council is divided geographically into 9 wards which then elect either three or four councillors each by the Single Transferable Vote system. The electoral system of local councils in Scotland is governed by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, an Act of the Scottish Parliament which first introduced proportional representation to councils. These electoral wards are as follows:

West Lothian Council Wards[25][26]
Ward Number Ward Name Location Elected Members
1 Linlithgow   3
2 Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh   4
3 Livingston North   4
4 Livingston South   4
5 East Livingston and East Calder   4
6 Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley   3
7 Whitburn and Blackburn   4
8 Bathgate   4
9 Armadale and Blackridge   3

References

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  1. ^ "Council minutes, 24 May 2022". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Council minutes, 25 May 2017". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 24 December 2022
  4. ^ a b "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  5. ^ "Council minutes". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  6. ^ "West Lothian". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 31 July 2024.
  7. ^ "The West Lothian (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1998/3076, retrieved 25 December 2022
  8. ^ Scottish Parliament. The West Lothian (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  9. ^ Local Single Issue Political Party to save St. John's Hospital in Livingston
  10. ^ Scottish Parliament. The West Lothian (Electoral Arrangements) Councillor Numbers Order 2011 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  11. ^ "Labour denies minority deal with Tories in West Lothian". Edinburgh Evening News. 27 May 2017. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  12. ^ Sommerville, Stuart (24 May 2022). "New minority West Lothian Labour leaders accused of "grubby" deal with Tories". Daily Record. Retrieved 3 June 2023.
  13. ^ "Alex Salmond unveils £50m Livingston civic centre". BBC News. 25 November 2009. Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  14. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "High Street, County Buildings with screen wall lamp standards and Provost's lamp (LB37399)". Retrieved 25 December 2022.
  15. ^ "Chambers par excellence: Bathgate's fine new image". West Lothian Courier. Bathgate. 18 February 1966. p. 8. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  16. ^ "Livingston, Sidlaw House". Canmore. Historic Environment Scotland. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  17. ^ Kerr, Marjorie (17 December 2009). "West Lothian Council revamps Bathgate office". Daily Record. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  18. ^ Kerr, Marjorie (13 May 2010). "Plans for West Lothian House". Daily Record. Retrieved 26 December 2022.
  19. ^ "West Lothian Council – Schools and Education". www.westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  20. ^ "West Lothian Council – Health and Social Care". www.westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  21. ^ "West Lothian Council – Housing". www.westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  22. ^ "West Lothian Council – Roads, Streets and Parking". www.westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  23. ^ "West Lothian Council – Recycling and Waste". www.westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  24. ^ "Countryside and Wildlife". West Lothian Council. Retrieved 15 December 2009.
  25. ^ "West Lothian Council – Councillors and Wards". www.westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 11 March 2020.
  26. ^ "United Kingdom: Scotland | Council Areas and Electoral Wards". City Population. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
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