Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947

The Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 (10 & 11 Geo. 6. c. 65) is an act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on 1 October 1947.

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947

Act of Parliament
Parliament of the United Kingdom
Long title	An Act to consolidate with amendments the enactments relating to authorities for the purposes of local government in Scotland.
Citation	10 & 11 Geo. 6. c. 65
Territorial extent	Scotland
Dates
Royal assent	31 July 1947
Other legislation
Repeals/revokes	Burial Grounds (Scotland) Act 1857 Boundaries of Burghs Extension (Scotland) Act 1857 Poor Law (Scotland) No. 1 Act 1861 Poor Law (Scotland) No. 1 Act 1861 Magistrates (Scotland) Act 1870 Borough Funds Act 1872 Local Taxation Returns (Scotland) Act 1881 Municipal Elections (Scotland) Act 1890 Local Authorities Loans (Scotland) Act 1891 Local Authorities Loans (Scotland) Act, 1891, Amendment Act 1893 Burgh Police (Scotland) Act 1893 Local Government (Scotland) Act, 1894, Amendment Act 1895 Municipal Elections (Scotland) Act 1897 County Councils (Bills in Parliament) Act 1903 Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1903 Qualification of Women (County and Town Councils) (Scotland) Act 1907 Polling Districts (County Councils) Act 1908 County, Town and Parish Councils (Qualification) (Scotland) Act 1914 Local Government (Adjustments) (Scotland) Act 1914 Public Authorities and Bodies (Loans) Act 1916 Mental Deficiency and Lunacy (Amendment) Act 1919 Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1923 Local Authorities Loans (Scotland) Act 1924 Education (Scotland) Act 1925 Allotments (Scotland) Act 1926 Public Health (Water and Sewerage) (Scotland) Act 1935 Education (Scotland) Act 1936 Local Government Amendment (Scotland) Act 1939
Repealed by	Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973
Status: Partially repealed
Text of statute as originally enacted
Text of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947 as in force today (including any amendments) within the United Kingdom, from legislation.gov.uk.

Section 1 of the act reads:

For the purposes of local government, Scotland shall be divided into counties, counties of cities, large burghs and small burghs, and the landward area of every county shall, save as provided in this Part of this Act, be divided into districts.

The umbrella organisation for district councils in Scotland at this time was the Scottish Association of District Councils. Notable presidents of this body included the playwright Robert McLellan who was elected in 1962 and presided at the moment when Westminster announced its intention to institute the review local government in Scotland which would eventually lead to Lord Wheatley's abolition of district councils in the early 1970s.

New local government areas

Section 2 defines the new local government areas. From Schedule 1:

Counties

Aberdeen Angus Argyll Ayr Banff Berwick Bute Caithness Clackmannan Dumfries Dumbarton

East Lothian Fife Inverness Kincardine Kinross Kirkcudbright Lanark Midlothian Moray Nairn Orkney

Peebles Perth Renfrew Ross and Cromarty Roxburgh Selkirk Stirling Sutherland West Lothian Wigtown Zetland

Counties of cities

• Aberdeen
• Dundee
• Edinburgh
• Glasgow

Large burghs

Airdrie Arbroath Ayr Clydebank Coatbridge Dumbarton Dumfries

Dunfermline Falkirk Greenock Hamilton Inverness Kilmarnock Kirkcaldy

Motherwell and Wishaw Paisley Perth Port Glasgow Rutherglen Stirling

Small burghs

Aberchirder Aberfeldy Aberlour Abernethy Alloa Alva Alyth Annan Ardrossan Armadale Auchterarder Auchtermuchty Ballater Banchory Banff Barrhead Bathgate Biggar Blairgowrie and Rattray Bo'ness Bonnyrigg and Lasswade Brechin Bridge of Allan Buckhaven and Methil Buckie Burghead Burntisland Callander Campbeltown Carnoustie Castle Douglas Cockenzie and Port Seton Coldstream Coupar Angus Cove and Kilcreggan Cowdenbeath Crail Crieff Cromarty Cullen Culross Cumnock and Holmhead Cupar Dalbeattie Dalkeith Darvel Denny and Dunipace Dingwall Dollar Dornoch Doune Dufftown Dunbar Dunblane Dunoon Duns East Linton Elgin Elie and Earlsferry Ellon

Eyemouth Falkland Findochty Forfar Forres Fort William Fortrose Fraserburgh Galashiels Galston Gatehouse Girvan Gourock Grangemouth Grantown-on-Spey Haddington Hawick Helensburgh Huntly Innerleithen Inveraray Inverbervie Invergordon Inverkeithing Inverurie Irvine Jedburgh Johnstone Keith Kelso Kilrenny, Anstruther Easter and Anstruther Wester Kilsyth Kilwinning Kinghorn Kingussie Kinross Kintore Kirkcudbright Kirkintilloch Kirkwall Kirriemuir Ladybank Lanark Langholm Largs Lauder Laurencekirk Lerwick Leslie Leven Linlithgow Loanhead Lochgelly Lochgilphead Lochmaben Lockerbie Lossiemouth and Branderburgh

Macduff Markinch Maybole Melrose Millport Milngavie Moffat Monifieth Montrose Musselburgh Nairn New Galloway Newburgh Newmilns and Greenholm Newport Newton Stewart North Berwick Oban Oldmeldrum Peebles Penicuik Peterhead Pitlochry Pittenweem Portknockie Portsoy Prestonpans Prestwick Queensferry Renfrew Rosehearty Rothes Rothesay Saltcoats Sanquhar Selkirk St Andrews St. Monance Stewarton Stonehaven Stornoway Stranraer Stromness Tain Tayport Thurso Tillicoultry Tobermory Tranent Troon Turriff Whitburn Whithorn Wick Wigtown

The local government divisions established by the 1947 Act were abolished by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.

References

• Local Government (Scotland) Act 1947

See also

• Counties of Scotland
• List of local government areas in Scotland 1930 - 1975