Shetland Islands Council Comhairle Shealtainn | |
---|---|
Full council election every 5 years | |
Type | |
Type | |
History | |
Founded | 1975 |
Leadership | |
Maggie Sandison since 28 February 2018[1] | |
Structure | |
Seats | 23 councillors |
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 |
The Shetland Islands Council (Shetland Insular Scots: Shitlin Islant' Cooncil; Scottish Gaelic: Comhairle Shealtainn) is the local authority for Shetland, Scotland. It was established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and is the successor to the former Lerwick Town Council and Zetland County Council. This council was established in 1975 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of the mid-1990s.
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 is allowed to collect Council Tax. The Fire Service is part of the Highlands and Islands division of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.
In 2011, structural reforms saw the creation of the Political Leader position, with the Convener becoming a civic leadership post.[3]
As of 2022 the council has the following councillors:
Party | Seats | |
---|---|---|
Independent | 20 | |
Scottish Green Party | 1 | |
Scottish National Party | 1 | |
Scottish Labour Party | 1 |
No. | Political Leader | Party | Period in office | Election | Depute Leader | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Josie Simpson | Independent | 2011 - 2012 | 2007 | |||
2 | Gary Robinson | Independent | 2012 - 2017 | 2012 | Billy Fox (Independent) Michael Stout (Independent) | ||
3 | Cecil Smith | Independent | 2017 - 2018 | 2017 | Steven Coutts (Independent) | ||
4 | Steven Coutts | Independent | 2018–2022 | 2017 | Emma Macdonald (Independent) | ||
5 | Emma Macdonald | Independent | 2022–present | 2022 | Gary Robinson (Independent) |
No. | Convener | Party | Period in office | Election | Depute Convener | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | A.I. Tulloch | Independent | 1974 - 1986 | 1974 1978 1982 |
John Jamieson (Independent) John Butler (Labour) Edward Thomason (Independent) | ||
2 | Edward Thomason | Shetland Movement | 1986 - 1994 | 1986 1990 |
Willie Tait (Independent) William Anderson (Shetland Movement) | ||
3 | Lewis Shand Smith | Independent | 1994 - 1999 | 1994 | James Smith (Shetland Movement) | ||
4 | Tom Stove | Independent | 1999 - 2003 | 1999 | John Nicolson (Liberal Democrat) | ||
5 | Sandy Cluness | Liberal Democrat[a] Independent |
2003 - 2012 | 2003 2007 |
Florence Grains (Independent) Josie Simpson (Independent) | ||
6 | Malcolm Bell | Independent | 2012–2022 | 2012 2017 |
Gary Robinson (Independent) Cecil Smith (Independent) Beatrice Wishart (Independent) Cecil Smith (Independent) | ||
7 | Andrea Manson | Independent | 2022–present | 2022 | Bryan Peterson (Independent) |
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.[5] 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.[6]
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.[7]
Elections and referendums in Shetland | |
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Zetland County Council | |
Shetland Islands Council | |
Referendums |
Local government areas of Scotland, in use 1975 to 1996 | ||
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Borders | ||
Central Region | ||
Dumfries and Galloway | ||
Fife | ||
Grampian | ||
Highland | ||
Lothian | ||
Strathclyde | ||
Tayside | ||
Island areas1 | ||