Councils after 1996
In 1996 local government was re-organised, replacing the two-tier system of regional and district councils and single tier islands councils with 32 single tier councils which were to provide all local authority functions within their boundaries.[1] The new mainland councils were elected in 1995 and acted as shadow authorities for a year before taking up full powers on 1 April 1996. The three islands councils continued in existence and were not required to hold new elections in 1995. Western Isles Council subsequently changed its name to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar following legislation enabling this in 1997.[2]
The Councils became responsible for almost all the services previously provided by regional, district or islands councils. These therefore included education, social work, roads and road safety, public transport, careers service, highways lighting, trading standards, weights and measures, flood prevention, coast protection, civil defence, diseases of animals, strategic planning, development control, building control, industrial promotion, valuations and rating, electoral registration, registration of births, marriages and deaths, district courts, burial and cremation, cleansing, conservation areas, environmental health, housing, leisure and recreation, licensing, local planning, archives, libraries, museums and art galleries, parks and tourism.
New arrangements were made for some services. Water and sewerage were removed entirely from local government and transferred to new water and sewerage authorities whose members were appointed by central government.[3] The children’s reporter system was transferred to the Scottish Children’s Reporter Administration. [4] Provision for tourism was transferred to area tourist boards.[5] Strathclyde Passenger Transport Authority was also established as a separate authority, replacing the function previously exercised by Strathclyde Region under the Transport Act 1968.
Other services were to be delivered by joint arrangements, including specific arrangements for the police and fire services. There was also provision for orders to be made by the Secretary of State for Scotland for joint arrangements for valuation and structure planning, but before this was implemented, new valuation joint boards were set up as separate authorities in 1995.[6]
Since 1996, many joint arrangements have been made voluntarily by Councils to provide services across wider areas or to co-operate with relevant authorities. Other changes were enabled by additional legislation, notably the creation of 31 integration joint boards to facilitate health and social care partnerships between councils and health boards.[7]
Most Councils operate their own archives service or contribute to a joint archives service. Under the Public Records (Scotland) Act 2011, councils should publish a records management plan which will state which archives service they use and how to request access to more recent records.
Compiler: Elspeth Reid (2021)
References
[1] Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994 (c.39).
[2] Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997 (c.6).
[3] Local Government etc (Scotland) Act, 1994 (c.39) s.62.
[4] Local Government etc (Scotland) Act, 1994 (c.39) ss.127-128.
[5] Local Government etc (Scotland) Act, 1994 (c.39) s.172.
[6] Local Government etc (Scotland) Act, 1994 (c.39) s.27; Valuation Joint Boards (Scotland) Order 1995 (1995 No. 2589 (S.186)).
[7] Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014 (asp 9).