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Grampian

Coordinates: 57°13′41″N 2°59′17″W / 57.228°N 2.988°W / 57.228; -2.988
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
This article is about the former local government region of Scotland. For other uses, see Grampian (disambiguation).
"Grampian Region" redirects here. For the region in Victoria, Australia, see Grampians (region).

Grampian
Roinn a' Mhonaidh
Coat of arms of Grampian
Coat of arms
Location of Grampian
Government
 • TypeRegional Council
Area
 • Total8,697.72 km2 (3,358.21 sq mi)
 • RankRanked 3rd
Population
 • Estimate 
(2020)
584,550
 • RankRanked 3rd

Grampian (Scottish Gaelic: Roinn a' Mhonaidh) was one of nine former local government regions of Scotland created in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994. The region took its name from the Grampian Mountains.

It is now divided into the unitary council areas of Aberdeenshire, City of Aberdeen and Moray.

History

[edit]

The Grampian region was created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which created a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland. Grampian was made up of the historical counties of:

  • Aberdeenshire
  • City of Aberdeen
  • Kincardineshire
  • Morayshire

Grampian was divided into five districts - Aberdeen, Banff and Buchan, Gordon, Kincardine and Deeside and Moray.[1] Grampian region was abolished in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 which replaced regions and districts with unitary authorities. The region was divided into four council areas: Aberdeen City Council, Aberdeenshire, and Moray.

Geography

[edit]

The Grampian region was encompassed almost all of what could be considered the North-east of Scotland.

The region takes its name from the Grampian Mountains
Street in Old Aberdeen
Plainstones in Elgin
Stonehaven

Aberdeen was the major city of the region. Other major towns are the former royal burgh of Elgin, the major fishing port of Peterhead, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Westhill, Stonehaven, Forres, Ellon and Portlethen. Grampian Regional Council was based at Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen.[2]

Political control

[edit]

Politics in the region was at first dominated by the Conservative party. The Conservatives won the first 3 elections to the council but collapsed at the 1986 election and were unable to recover at either the 1990 or 1994 elections. Labour were at the first 3 elections the primary opposition to the Conservatives, and when the Conservatives collapsed in 1986 the party took the lead. However Labour were never able to form a majority administration in 1990 nor 1994 as the Conservatives had been able to after the first 3 elections. The Liberal Party and its successor the Liberal Democrats was for every election until 1994 the third largest party on the council. However, in 1994 the party went from third to first place. The Scottish National Party (SNP) grew from having no seats in 1974 to being second place in terms of seats in 1994, with the party gaining seats at every election. Independents initially saw success, winning 10 seats in 1974 but failed to win more than 5 at any election after that.

The first election to Grampian Regional Council was held in May 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system of local governance came into force on 16 May 1975. At first the Council was in Conservative control but after the 1986 election no party was able to win a majority of seats:

Party in Control Years
Conservative 1975-1982
No overall control 1986-1994

Elections

[edit]
Year Seats Conservative Labour SNP Liberal Democrats Independent/Other
1974 53 28 13 0 2 10
1978 53 33 13 2 2 3
1982 54 28 15 3 6 2
1986 57 15 17 8 13 4
1990 57 10 19 14 11 3
1994 57 8 12 17 18 2
  • 1982 results map
    1982 results map
  • 1986 results map
    1986 results map
  • 1990 results map
    1990 results map
  • 1994 Scotland results
    1994 Scotland results

Modern day use

[edit]

Grampian continues to have a regional NHS board. The region also had a regional fire and rescue service and Police service before they were merged into Scottish Fire and Rescue Service and Police Scotland respectively in 2013.[3] Grampian also had its own Television region called Grampian Television until it was dissolved and incorporated in STV North in 2006.[4]

Successor council areas

[edit]
Council area Composition in terms of districts specified by the 1994 act
Aberdeen City Council (Created as City of Aberdeen) City of Aberdeen District
Aberdeenshire Banff and Buchan District, Gordon District, Kincardine and Deeside District
Moray Moray District

See also

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References

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Woodhill House, Regional Headquarters
  1. ^ "The Educational Endowments (Grampian Region) Transfer Scheme Order 1996". legislation.gov.uk. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  2. ^ "Grampian Regional Council". Grampian-Houston Association. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
  3. ^ "Praise after fire service merger". The Herald. 13 November 2013. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
  4. ^ "Scottish TV and Grampian TV to merge identities". Press Gazette. 2 March 2006. Retrieved 28 December 2022.
[edit]
  • Media related to Grampian at Wikimedia Commons

57°13′41″N 2°59′17″W / 57.228°N 2.988°W / 57.228; -2.988

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