Shetland Islands Council

The Shetland Islands Council (Scots: Shetland Islands Cooncil; Scottish Gaelic: Comhairle Shealtainn) is the local authority for Shetland, Scotland. It was established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 and is the successor to the former Lerwick Town Council and Zetland County Council. This council was established in 1975 and was largely unaffected by the Scottish local government changes of the mid-1990s.

Shetland
Shealtainn
Flag
Coat of arms
Motto(s): 
Með lögum skal land byggja
Coordinates: 60°18′14″N 1°16′08″W
Admin HQLerwick
Government
 • BodyShetland Islands Council
 • ControlIndependent
 • MPs
 • MSPs
Area
 • Total567 sq mi (1,468 km2)
 • RankRanked 12th
Population
 (mid-2019 est.)
 • Total22,990
 • RankRanked 31st
 • Density41/sq mi (16/km2)
ONS codedS12000027
ISO 3166 codeGB-ZET
Websitewww.shetland.gov.uk

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

In 2011, structural reforms saw the creation of the Political Leader position, with the Convenor becoming a civic leadership post.[1]

Composition

As of 2020 the council has the following councillors:

Shetland Island Council
Party Seats
Independent 21
Scottish National Party 1

Leaders

Political Leaders
No. Political Leader Party Period in office Election Depute Leader
1 Josie Simpson Independent 2011 - 2012 2007
2 Gary Robinson Independent 2012 - 2017 2012 Billy Fox (Independent)
Michael Stout (Independent)
3 Cecil Smith Independent 2017 - 2018 2017 Steven Coutts (Independent)
4 Steven Coutts Independent 2018–present 2017 Emma Macdonald (Independent)

Convenors[2]
No. Convener Party Period in office Election Depute Convener
1 A.I. Tulloch Independent 1974 - 1986 1974
1978
1982		 John Jamieson (Independent)
John Butler (Labour)
Edward Thomason (Independent)
2 Edward Thomason Shetland Movement 1986 - 1994 1986
1990		 Willie Tait (Independent)
William Anderson (Shetland Movement)
3 Lewis Shand Smith Independent 1994 - 1995 1994 James Smith (Shetland Movement)
4 Tom Stove Independent 1999 - 2003 1999 John Nicolson (Liberal Democrat)
5 Sandy Cluness Liberal Democrat[lower-alpha 1]
Independent		 2003 - 2012 2003
2007		 Florence Grains (Independent)
Josie Simpson (Independent)
6 Malcolm Bell Independent 2012–present 2012
2017		 Gary Robinson (Independent)
Cecil Smith (Independent)
Beatrice Wishart (Independent)
Cecil Smith (Independent)

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. "Josie Takes the Helm". Shetland News.
  2. Stewart, James. "Politics". Shetland History Online.


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