Shetland Islands Council is the local authority for the Shetland Islands, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It was established in 1975 by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of 1996. The council is based in Lerwick.

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 collects Council Tax. The Fire Service is part of the Highlands and Islands division of the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service.

History

Shetland had been administered by Commissioners of Supply from 1667 and then by Zetland County Council from 1890 to 1975. The county council was abolished in 1975 and replaced by the Shetland Islands Council, which also took over the functions previously exercised by Shetland's lower-tier authorities, being the town council of the burgh of Lerwick and the councils of the area's landward districts.[2] The new council created in 1975 was an islands council of an area legally called Shetland.[3]

Further local government reform in 1996 introduced single-tier council areas across all of Scotland. The councils of the three island areas created in 1975, including Shetland, continued to provide the same services after 1996, but their areas were re-designated as council areas. The geographic area's legal name was changed from Shetland to 'Shetland Islands' as part of the 1996 reforms, allowing the council to retain the name 'Shetland Islands Council'.[4] The council has been a member of the Islands Forum since 2022.

Political control

The first election was held in 1974, with the council initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A majority of the seats on the council have been held by independent councillors since 1975.[5]

Party in control Years
Independent 1975–present

Leadership

The council appoints a convener, who chairs full council meetings and acts as the civic figurehead. In 2011 the separate position of leader of the council was created to provide political leadership.[6][7] The leaders since 2011 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Josie Simpson[8][6][9] Independent 7 Mar 2011 May 2012
Gary Robinson[10][11] Independent 23 May 2012 May 2017
Cecil Smith[12][13] Independent 18 May 2017 7 Mar 2018
Steven Coutts[14][15] Independent 9 May 2018 May 2022
Emma Macdonald[16] Independent 23 May 2022 still

The conveners since the council formally came into being in 1975 have been:[17]

Councillor Party From To
Alexander Tulloch[18] Independent 16 May 1975 3 May 1986
Edward Thomason[19][20] Shetland Movement 20 May 1986 May 1994
Lewis Smith[21][22] Independent 24 May 1994 May 1999
Tom Stove[23][24] Independent May 1999 May 2003
Sandy Cluness[24][7][a] Liberal Democrats May 2003 2007
Independent 2007 May 2012
Malcolm Bell[10][25] Independent 23 May 2012 May 2022
Andrea Manson[16] Independent 23 May 2022 still

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections up to January 2025, the composition of the council was:[26]

Party Councillors
Independent 21
Green 1
SNP 1
Total 23

The next election is due in 2027.[27]

Elections

Main article: Shetland Islands Council elections
See also: Category:Wards of Shetland and Category:Shetland Islands Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2022, the council has comprised 23 councillors representing 7 wards, with each ward electing two, three or four councillors. Elections are held every five years.[28]

Premises

8 North Ness, Lerwick: Council's main offices

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.[29] 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.[30]

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.[31]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Sandy Cluness was first elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor in 2003 but stood as an independent candidate in 2007.

References

  1. ^ Davidson, Jenni (28 February 2018). "Maggie Sandison appointed chief executive of Shetland Islands Council". Holyrood. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Quarter-inch Administrative Areas Maps: Scotland Sheet 1, 1969". National Library of Scotland. Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  3. ^ "Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1973 c. 65, retrieved 17 April 2023
  4. ^ "Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 39, retrieved 17 April 2023
  5. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Shetland Islands" in search box to see specific results.)
  6. ^ a b Bevington, Pete (7 March 2011). "Josie takes the helm". Shetland News. Archived from the original on 24 December 2016. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  7. ^ a b Riddell, Neil (7 March 2011). "Simpson chosen by fellow councillors to provide SIC with strong political leadership". The Shetland Times. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  8. ^ "Council minutes, 7 March 2011". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  9. ^ "SIC election: live". Shetland News. 4 May 2012. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  10. ^ a b "Council minutes, 23 May 2012". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  11. ^ "Shetland leader loses seat". BBC News. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  12. ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2017". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  13. ^ "Cecil Smith stands down as SIC political leader". The Shetland Times. 6 March 2018. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  14. ^ "Council minutes, 9 May 2018". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  15. ^ Cope, Chris (12 January 2022). "SIC leader Coutts won't stand in next election after taking on COPE chief job". Shetland News. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  16. ^ a b "Council minutes, 23 May 2022". Shetland Islands Council. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  17. ^ Stewart, James. "Politics". Shetland History Online.
  18. ^ "Convener dies: 'a tragic loss to Shetland'". Shetland Times. Lerwick. 9 May 1986. p. 2. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Thomason is council choice". Press and Journal. Aberdeen. 21 May 1986. p. 23. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  20. ^ "Isles convener to quit". Press and Journal. Aberdeen. 23 March 1994. p. 31. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  21. ^ "Council elects new convener". Dundee Courier. 25 May 1994. p. 7. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  22. ^ "Deposed convener warns of physical and emotional demands". Shetland Times. Lerwick. 14 May 1999. p. 3. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  23. ^ Robertson, John (21 May 1999). "Short circuit to council power". Shetland Times. Lerwick. p. 3. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  24. ^ a b "Convener says he will stand down from council in 2012". The Shetland Times. 30 October 2009. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  25. ^ "Council convener Bell to stand down at next election". The Shetland Times. 12 October 2021. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  26. ^ Cope, Chris (24 January 2025). "Hall 'so grateful' after landslide by-election win". Shetland News. Retrieved 30 August 2025.
  27. ^ "Shetland Islands". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 9 October 2024.
  28. ^ Scottish Parliament. The Shetland Islands (Electoral Arrangements) Regulations 2021 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
  29. ^ Historic Environment Scotland. "Lower Hillhead and Union Street, St Ringan's Church (United Free Church of Scotland), including church hall, boundary walls, and gatepiers (Category B Listed Building LB37269)". Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  30. ^ Cope, Chris (11 March 2022). "From church to library to council chamber: St Ringan's latest evolution". Shetland News. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
  31. ^ "New council headquarters open". Shetland News. 17 April 2012. Retrieved 14 July 2023.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shetland_Islands_Council