Comhairle nan Eilean Siar explained

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
Legislature:Full council election every 5 years
Coa Pic:Coat of Arms of the Na h-Eileanan Siar (Outer Hebrides).svg
Coa Caption:Coat of arms
Logo Pic:ComhairlenanEileanSiarLogo.svg
Logo Res:150px
Foundation:16 May 1975
House Type:Unitary authority
Leader1 Type:Convener
Leader1:Kenneth MacLeod
Party1:
Scottish National Party
Election1:17 May 2022
Leader2 Type:Leader
Leader2:Paul Steele
Party2:
Independent
Election2:17 May 2022[1]
Leader3 Type:Chief Executive
Leader3:Malcolm Burr
Election3:November 2005[2]
Seats:29 councillors
Structure1 Alt:Comhairle nan Eilean Siar composition
Political Groups1:

Independent (22)

SNP (6)

Conservative (1)

Voting System1:Single transferable vote
Last Election1:5 May 2022
Next Election1:6 May 2027
Meeting Place:Council Offices, Sandwick Road, Stornoway, HS12BW
Session Room:Sandwick Road - geograph.org.uk - 1265542.jpg
Motto:Ardaichidh Fireantachd Cinneach (Scottish Gaelic: "Righteousness exalteth a nation")

gd|'''Comhairle nan Eilean Siar'''|italic=no|Council of the Western Isles|paren=left

in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /ˈkʰõ.ərˠʎə nə ˈɲelan ˈʃiəɾ/) is the local government council for Na h-Eileanan Siar (the Outer Hebrides) council area of Scotland.[3] [4] It is based in Stornoway in the Isle of Lewis.

Name

Comhairle nan Eilean Siar is the only local council in Scotland to have a Gaelic-only name. The original name, Western Isles Islands Council, was changed to Western Isles Council in 1995 and then given its Gaelic title in 1997 under the Local Government (Gaelic Names) (Scotland) Act 1997. The former "Western Isles" council area is now officially named "Na h-Eileanan Siar", even in English language contexts.[5]

History

In 1975, the council was created as Western Isles Council, 57 years after the creation of Na h-Eileanan an Iar for elections to the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (the constituency being named, when created, Western Isles). Since 1999, the area has also been represented by the Na h-Eileanan an Iar constituency of the Scottish Parliament, with the same boundaries.[6]

When the Bank of Credit and Commerce International collapsed in 1991, the then Western Isles Council lost £35m invested there, compelling a large increase in its council tax rate and leading to the resignation of Council Convener Donald Macauley.[7] Despite its initial losses, by 2012 the Council had gained a net profit of £1.5 million from dividend repayments due to favourable exchange rates.[8]

Representing Scotland's only majority Gaelic-speaking local authority area, the council pioneered the use of Gaelic-medium education in the 1980s. In 2020, Gaelic became the default language of instruction for all primary school pupils.[9]

In 1997, the Western Isles Council was renamed as Comhairle nan Eilean Siar.

Elections

General elections to the council are held on a five-year cycle, the last were held in 2022.

From 1975 until 2007, council elections used the first past the post system of election; the last elections of this type elected 31 councillors, elected by 31 single-member wards.[10]

In 2007, under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, the single transferable vote system, together with multi-member wards, was used for the first time, each ward electing three or four councillors. This system is designed to produce a degree of proportional representation.

Political representation

The 2022 election and subsequent by-elections resulted in the following composition:[11]

Party Seats
22
6
1

Leaders

Political Leaders

!No.!!Political Leader!Party!Period in office!Election
1Angus CampbellIndependent2008–20172007
2012
2Roddie MacKayIndependent2017–20222017
3Paul SteeleIndependent2022 – present2022

Convenors

!No.!!Convenor!Party!Period in office!Election
1Donald MacauleyIndependent1974–19821974
1978
2Sandy MathesonIndependent1982–19901982
1986
1Donald MacauleyIndependent1990–19911990
3Donald MacLeodIndependent1991–19941990
4Donald MackayIndependent1994–19991994
5Alex MacdonaldIndependent1999–2012
6Norman MacDonaldIndependent2012–20222012
2017
7Kenneth MacLeodScottish National Party2022 – present2022

Wards

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Council minutes, 17 May 2022 . Comhairle Nan Eileanan Siar . 17 July 2023. https://web.archive.org/web/20230925024032/https://cne-siar.gov.uk/media/19838/e-minute-comhairle-17-may-2022.pdf . 2023-09-25.
  2. Web site: About us . Electoral Management Board for Scotland . 17 July 2023.
  3. Web site: Areas of Scotland . 2010-06-01 . ourscotland.co.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20080516164424/http://www.ourscotland.co.uk/alphabeticindex/areas.htm . 2008-05-16 .
  4. Web site: Place-names of Scotland . 1 June 2010 . scotlandsplaces.gov.uk . https://web.archive.org/web/20091026033033/http://www.scotlandsplaces.gov.uk/content/index.php?action=view&id=3 . 2009-10-26 .
  5. Web site: Review of Educational Provision and the Comhairle's Future Strategy for the Schools Estate: Daliburgh School, Isle of South Uist . January 2008 . PDF . Department of Education . Comhairle nan Eilean Siar . 2010-06-01 . https://www.webcitation.org/5r6JOztWl?url=http://www.w-isles.gov.uk/education/consultations/documents/DaliburghFutureStrategyConsultation.pdf . 2010-07-09.
  6. Web site: Fifth Periodical Report of the Boundary Commission for Scotland . https://web.archive.org/web/20071009160559fw_/http://www.bcomm-scotland.gov.uk/5th%20report/index.htm . 2007-10-09.
  7. News: Stirring of the angry Isles. Cusick. James. 18 April 1993. Independent on Sunday. 2015-05-15.
  8. Web site: Merritt . Mike . 2012-11-25 . Western Isles Council enjoy £1.5m surplus in aftermath of BCCI crash in 1991 . 2022-07-20 . Daily Record . en.
  9. News: 2020-01-23 . Gaelic to be 'default' language for new pupils in Western Isles schools . en-GB . BBC News . 2022-08-12.
  10. MacMahon, Peter and Walker, Helen (18 May 2007) "Winds of change sweep Scots town halls". Edinburgh. The Scotsman.
  11. Web site: Council Members. Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. 28 December 2022. https://web.archive.org/web/20230202144143/https://www.cne-siar.gov.uk/your-council/wards-and-councillors/council-members/. 2023-02-02.