South Lanarkshire

South Lanarkshire
Sooth Lanrikshire
Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas

Coat of arms
Logo
Coordinates: 55°36′N 3°47′W / 55.600°N 3.783°W / 55.600; -3.783Coordinates: 55°36′N 3°47′W / 55.600°N 3.783°W / 55.600; -3.783
Admin HQ Hamilton
Government
 • Body South Lanarkshire Council
Almada Street
Hamilton
South Lanarkshire
ML3 0AA
southlanarkshire.gov.uk
 • Control Labour minority (council NOC)
 • MPs
 • MSPs
Area
 • Total 684 sq mi (1,772 km2)
Area rank Ranked 11th
Population (2010 est.)
 • Total 314,000
 • Rank Ranked 5th
 • Density 460/sq mi (176/km2)
ONS code 00RF
ISO 3166 code GB-SLK

South Lanarkshire (Scots: Sooth Lanrikshire, Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Lannraig a Deas) is one of 32 unitary authorities of Scotland. It borders the south-east of the City of Glasgow and contains some of Glasgow's suburbs. It also contains many towns and villages. It also shares borders with Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and West Lothian. It includes part of the historic county of Lanarkshire.

South Lanarkshire Council

South Lanarkshire Council has its headquarters in Hamilton, has 16,000 employees, and a budget of almost £1bn. The council plan for 2007-2012 when the next council elections are due is Connect. The large and varied council area takes in rural and upland areas, market towns such as Lanark, Strathaven and Carluke, the urban burghs of Rutherglen, Cambuslang, and East Kilbride which was Scotland's first new town.

There are 20 council wards in South Lanarkshire, each represented on the council by 3 or 4 elected councillors using single transferable vote. South Lanarkshire operates a cabinet style system, with key decisions being taken by the Executive Committee, under the leadership of the Council Leader, and approved by the council, led by the provost.

South Lanarkshire shares borders with the unitary authorities of Dumfries and Galloway, East Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, City of Glasgow, North Lanarkshire, West Lothian and Scottish Borders.

The area was formed in 1996, from the areas of Clydesdale, Hamilton and East Kilbride districts, and some outer areas of Glasgow District (Rutherglen/Fernhill, Cambuslang/Halfway and part of King's Park/Toryglen).

Political composition

South Lanarkshire Local Election Result 2012
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 33 4 1 +3 49.3 43.18 39,895 +3.58
  SNP 28 4 0 +4 41.7 36.37 33,598 +7.17
  Conservative 3 0 5 -5 4.5 10.84 10,015 -2.06
  Independent 2 1 2 -1 3.0 2.96 2,734 -2.24
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 1 -1 1.5 2.75 2,544 -4.45
  Scottish Green 0 - - - - 1.44 1,326 -1.26
  East Kilbride Alliance 0 - - - - 0.74 681 -0.46
  UKIP 0 - - - - 0.56 515 +0.56
  Scottish Unionist 0 - - - - 0.30 278 -0.40
  Scottish Christian 0 - - - - 0.25 230 +0.15
  Christian Peoples 0 - - - - 0.23 209 +0.23
  Scottish Senior Citizens 0 - - - - 0.22 199 +0.22
  Solidarity 0 - - - - 0.18 166 -0.02

Since the 2012 local government election, a by-election was held for Rutherglen South (Ward 11) on Thursday 14 February 2013 and for Hamilton South (Ward 19) on Thursday 24 October 2013. The current political composition is 2 Independents, 3 Conservative, 35 Labour, 1 Liberal Democrat and 26 SNP.[1] The Council is currently ruled by a Labour Group majority administration.[2]

Council Headquarters

South Lanarkshire Council Headquarters

The Council Headquarters building, on Almada Street, Hamilton, was built as the Lanark County Buildings in 1963, and designed by Lanark council architect D G Bannerman. The 16 storey, 165 foot tower is the largest in Hamilton, and is a highly visible landmark across this part of the Clyde Valley. The modernist design was influenced by the United Nations building in New York. Glass curtain walls cover the north and south facades, with the narrow east and west sides being blank white walls. At the front of the building is the circular council chamber, and a plaza with water features. It is known by locals as the "County Buildings".

Towns and villages

Principal settlements

Other settlements

Places of interest

Tertiary education

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/press/article/519/election_results-all_wards_declared
  2. ↑ http://www.southlanarkshire.gov.uk/info/772/politicians_elections_and_democracy/951/political_composition_of_the_council

External links

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