Angus Council

Angus Council is the local authority for Angus, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

Angus Council Comhairle Aonghais
Coat of arms
Council logo
Type
Type	Unitary authority
Leadership
Provost	Linda Clark, SNP
Leader	George Meechan, Independent since 22 April 2025[1]
Chief Executive	Kathryn Lindsay since 1 January 2024[2][3]
Structure
Seats	28 councillors
Political groups	Administration (13)   Conservative (8)   Independent (4)   Labour (1) Other parties (15)   SNP (11)   Independent (4)
Length of term	Full council elected every 5 years
Elections
Voting system	Single transferable vote
Last election	5 May 2022
Next election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Town and County Hall, 26 Castle Street, Forfar, DD8 1BA
Website
www.angus.gov.uk

History

The first election to Angus 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 change to council areas which came into force on 1 April 1996.

Governance

The council's civic head is the Provost of Angus, a role which is largely ceremonial in Angus. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council.

Political control

Political control since 1975 has been as follows:^[4]

Angus District Council

Party in control		Years
	No overall control	1975–1977
	Conservative	1977–1980
	No overall control	1980–1984
	SNP	1984–1996

Angus Council

Party in control		Years
	SNP	1996–2007
	No overall control	2007–2012
	SNP	2012–2017
	No overall control	2017–2022
	SNP	2022–2025
	No overall control	2025–present

Leadership

The leaders since 1996 have been:^[5]

Councillor	Party		From	To
Ian Hudghton		SNP	1 Apr 1996	1998
Rob Murray		SNP	1998	May 2007
Bob Myles		Independent	May 2007	May 2012
Ian Gaul		SNP	May 2012	May 2017
Bob Myles		Independent	16 May 2017	May 2018
David Fairweather		Independent	14 Jun 2018	24 May 2022
Beth Whiteside		SNP	24 May 2022	10 December 2024
Bill Duff		SNP	10 December 2024	22 April 2025
George Meechan		Independent	22 April 2025

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to April 2025, the composition of the council was:

Party		Councillors
	SNP	11
	Conservative	8
	Independent	8
	Labour	1
Total		28

The next election is due in 2027.^[6]

Elections

Main article: Angus Council elections

Election results since 1995 have been as follows:

Year	Seats	SNP	Independent / Other	Conservative	Labour	Liberal Democrats	Notes
1995	26	21	1	2	0	2
1999	29	21	3	2	1	2
2003	29	17	6	2	1	3
2007	29	13	6	5	2	3
2012	29	15	8	4	1	1
2017	28	9	9	8	0	2
2022	28	13	7	7	1	0

Wards

Map of the area's wards (2017 configuration)

Angus is divided into 8 wards:^[7]

Ward Number	Ward Name	Location	Seats
1	Kirriemuir and Dean		3
2	Brechin and Edzell		3
3	Forfar and District		4
4	Monifieth and Sidlaw		4
5	Carnoustie and District		3
6	Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim		4
7	Arbroath East and Lunan		3
8	Montrose and District		4

Premises

Angus House, Orchardbank, Forfar, DD8 1AN: Angus Council's main offices since 2007

Council meetings are generally held at Forfar Town and County Hall at The Cross in the centre of Forfar.^[8] In 2007 the council moved its main offices to a new building called Angus House on Silvie Way in the Orchardbank Business Park on the outskirts of Forfar.^[9] The council also has offices in Arbroath.^[10]

County Buildings: County Council's headquarters 1890–1975, then District Council's headquarters 1975–1996

Previously the council's main offices had been at County Buildings, on Market Street in Forfar. When the county council was established in 1890 the name County Buildings was used for the Forfar Sheriff Court, built 1871, which was the council's first meeting place.^[11] The council later moved its main offices into the adjoining converted former prison of 1843, which subsequently became known as County Buildings instead. County Buildings continued to serve as the headquarters of the county council until 1975 and the successor Angus District Council from 1975 to 1996.^[12] County Buildings continues to be used as secondary offices by the modern Angus Council.^[13]