East Renfrewshire#Settlements

East Renfrewshire was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which replaced Scotland's previous local government structure of upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts with unitary council areas providing all local government services. East Renfrewshire covered the whole of the abolished Eastwood district and part of Renfrew district, being the Barrhead electoral division, which roughly corresponded to the pre-1975 burgh of Barrhead and parish of Neilston, both lying in the valley of the Levern Water.{{cite web |title=Boundaries Viewer |url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/boundaries/#zoom=12&lat=55.7895&lon=-4.3761&dates=2010&point=56.4505,-5.3904 |website=National Library of Scotland |access-date=4 February 2023}} The new council also took over the functions of the abolished Strathclyde Regional Council within the area.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=29 December 2022}}

The area's name references its location within the historic county of Renfrewshire, which had been abolished for local government purposes in 1975 when Eastwood district and Strathclyde region had been created.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=29 December 2022}} East Renfrewshire forms part of the Renfrewshire lieutenancy.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996|year=1996|number=731|accessdate=5 January 2023}}

The area that is now East Renfrewshire has been inhabited since prehistoric times. At Dunwan Hill near Eaglesham and at Duncarnock near Newton Mearns there were Iron Age hill forts, both thought to have been occupied between around 1200{{nbsp}}BC and 400{{nbsp}}AD.{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM12882|access-date=4 February 2023}}{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=SM4339|access-date=4 February 2023}}

During the Industrial Revolution the Levern valley became a centre for the textiles industry, with several mills being established in Neilston and Barrhead.{{cite web|url=http://www.neilston.org.uk/history/villagedevelopment.htm |title=Development of the Village |publisher=neilston.org.uk |access-date=4 February 2023 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050302151333/http://www.neilston.org.uk/history/villagedevelopment.htm |archive-date=2 March 2005}}

Giffnock initially grew to house the workers at Giffnock Quarries, which opened in 1835. The honey-coloured stone from Giffnock was used at Glasgow University and Glasgow Central station among many other buildings. Following the development of the railways in the mid-nineteenth century, the parts of the area close to Glasgow became increasingly suburban in character.{{cite web |title=Supplementary Planning Guidance: Management and Protection of the Built Heritage |url=https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/media/130/Management-and-protection-of-built-heritage-2015/pdf/management-and-protection-of-built-heritage.pdf?m=637442395928200000 |website=East Renfrewshire Council |access-date=4 February 2023 |date=June 2015}}

In 1941, Rudolf Hess, one of Adolf Hitler's top deputies within the Nazi Party, parachuted into Floors Farm, near the village of Waterfoot, on a secret mission to meet the Duke of Hamilton and Brandon for peace negotiations. The botched landing led to his capture and arrest.{{cite news |last1=Silvester |first1=Norman |title=How Nazi leader Rudolf Hess ended up in a cell south of Glasgow |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/20188314.nazi-leader-rudolf-hess-ended-cell-south-glasgow/ |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=Glasgow Times |date=6 June 2022}}

In 1971 a gas explosion at a parade of shops in Clarkston killed 22 people and injured more than 100.{{cite news |title=The day a Scottish shopping street exploded |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-58625427 |access-date=4 February 2023 |work=BBC News |date=21 October 2021}}

In a 2007 Reader's Digest poll, East Renfrewshire was voted the second best place in Britain to raise a family, ranking just behind East Dunbartonshire to the north of Glasgow.{{cite news|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6564215.stm|title=Scots areas top happy family poll|date=18 April 2007|publisher=BBC News}}

In January 2008, East Renfrewshire became the first Scottish local authority to create a Facebook page to publicise its services.{{cite news|url=http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/East-Renfrewshire-uses-Facebook-to.3728528.jp|title=East Renfrewshire uses Facebook to boost its libraries and sports centres|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081021051700/http://news.scotsman.com/scotland/East-Renfrewshire-uses-Facebook-to.3728528.jp|archive-date=21 October 2008|last=Macleod|first=Fiona|date=31 January 2008|work=The Scotsman}}

East Renfrewshire covers an area to the south and south-west of Glasgow. Many of the district's settlements are classed as part of the Greater Glasgow urban area for statistical purposes. The largest of these, in terms of population, are Newton Mearns, Barrhead, Giffnock and Clarkston. The area becomes more rural away from the Glasgow urban area with areas of moorland and numerous small lochs, many of which have been turned into reservoirs. The moors include part of the Whitelee Wind Farm.{{cite web |title=Boundaries Viewer |url=https://maps.nls.uk/geo/boundaries/#zoom=12&lat=55.7713&lon=-4.3505&dates=2010&point=56.4505,-5.3904 |website=National Library of Scotland |access-date=2 February 2023}}{{cite web |title=East Renfrewshire |url=https://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/usfeatures/areas/eastrenfrewshire.html |website=Undiscovered Scotland |access-date=3 February 2023}}

A 2011 survey showed that 41% of Scotland's Jewish population lived in East Renfrewshire, making up 2.4% of the area's population.{{cite web|url=https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/article/5222/Religion|title=Religion - East Renfrewshire Council|website=www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190404001420/https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/article/5222/Religion|archive-date=2019-04-04}}

The area is divided into eleven community council areas, all of which have community councils:{{cite web |title=Community councils |url=https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/community-councils |website=East Renfrewshire Council |access-date=3 February 2023}}

{{div col}}

• Barrhead
• Broom, Kirkhill and Mearnskirk
• Busby
• Clarkston
• Crookfur, Greenfarm and Mearns Village
• Eaglesham and Waterfoot
• Giffnock
• Neilston
• Netherlee and Stamperland
• Thornliebank
• Uplawmoor

{{div col end}}

{{Location map+|Scotland East Renfrewshire

|caption={{left|The largest localities in East Renfrewshire.}}

|float=right

|width=500

|places =

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.7716|-4.3347|}}|position=right|label=Newton Mearns|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.801|-4.389|}}|position=bottom|label=Barrhead|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.805109|-4.294610|}}|position=right|label=Giffnock|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.789938|-4.277376|}}|position=left|label=Clarkston|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.784663|-4.423396|}}|position=left|label=Neilston|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.802|-4.270|}}|position=right|label=Netherlee|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.806|-4.317|}}|position=left|label=Thornliebank|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.795|-4.269|}}|position=right|label=Stamperland|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.739444|-4.273333|}}|position=left|label=Eaglesham|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.781834|-4.267349|}}|position=bottom|label=Busby|label_size=}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.826|-4.333|}}|position=right|label=Glasgow City council area#Settlements|marksize=0|label_size=120}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.765|-4.263|}}|position=right|label=South Lanarkshire|marksize=0|label_size=120}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.68|-4.4|}}|position=right|label=East Ayrshire|marksize=0|label_size=120}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.754|-4.57|}}|position=right|label=North
Ayr-
shire|marksize=0|label_size=120}}

{{Location map~|Scotland East Renfrewshire|coordinates = {{coord|55.813|-4.52|}}|position=right|label=Renfrewshire|marksize=0|label_size=120}}

}}

Largest localities by population

East Renfrewshire is home to many small to medium businesses. The interests of these businesses are looked after by the East Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce.{{cite web |title=Renfrewshire Chamber of Commerce |url=https://www.renfrewshirechamber.com/ |access-date=4 February 2023}}

The local newspapers are the Barrhead News, covering the local authority with emphasis on the western half of the area, which primarily includes the town of Barrhead and the villages of Neilston and Uplawmoor, and the Glasgow South and Eastwood Extra, which is delivered free to homes and businesses, which has its emphasis on the eastern half of the local authority, but also covers news across the western half as well as the south of Glasgow.{{cite web |title=Barrhead News |url=https://www.barrheadnews.com/ |access-date=4 February 2023}}

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| leader1_type = Provost

| leader1 = Mary Montague

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Labour

| election1 = 25 May 2022

| leader2_type = Leader

| leader2 = Owen O'Donnell

| party2 =
Labour

| election2 = 25 May 2022

| leader3_type = Chief Executive

| leader3 = Steven Quinn

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| election3 = July 2023{{cite news |last1=Sandelands |first1=Drew |title=East Renfrewshire council's retiring chief executive praised for covid leadership |url=https://www.glasgowlive.co.uk/news/glasgow-news/east-renfrewshire-councils-retiring-chief-27233262 |access-date=16 July 2023 |work=Glasgow Live |date=30 June 2023}}

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;Administration (8)

:{{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=silver}} Labour (5)

:{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=silver}} Independents (3)

;Other parties (10)

:{{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}|border=silver}} Conservatives (5)

:{{Color box|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=silver}} SNP (5)

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| next_election1 = 6 May 2027

| session_room =

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| meeting_place = Eastwood Park, Rouken Glen Road, Giffnock, G46{{nbsp}}6UG

| website = {{URL|www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk}}

| footnotes =

}}

The first election to East Renfrewshire Council was held in 1995, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1996 has been as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre |access-date=3 February 2023}}

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/council-committees |website=East Renfrewshire Council |access-date=3 February 2023}}

File:Offices of East Renfrewshire Council, Main Street, Barrhead (geograph 4088792).jpg

The council has its headquarters at Eastwood Park on Rouken Glen Road in Giffnock, in a building which was completed in 1980 for the former Eastwood District Council.{{London Gazette|issue=20706|page=676|date=30 May 1980|city=e}}{{London Gazette|issue=20746|page=981|date=8 August 1980|city=e}}

The council also has an office and customer service centre at 211 Main Street in Barrhead, built in 2003.{{cite web |title=Barrhead Building - East Renfrewshire Council Offices |url=https://www.glasgowarchitecture.co.uk/barrhead |website=Glasgow Architecture |access-date=3 February 2023}}{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/contact-us |website=East Renfrewshire Council |access-date=3 February 2023}}

{{main|East Renfrewshire Council elections}}

Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:

File:East Renfrewshire UK ward map 2017 (blank).svg

Six multi-member wards (20 seats) were created for the 2007 election, replacing 20 single-member wards which had been in place since the creation of the council in 1995. This representation decreased to 18 seats across five renamed and redrawn wards for the 2017 election:{{cite web|url=https://www.citypopulation.de/en/uk/scotland/wards/|title=United Kingdom: Scotland {{!}} Council Areas and Electoral Wards|website=City Population|date=30 June 2019|access-date=28 March 2021}}

{{Reflist}}

• [http://www.whatsoneastrenfrewshire.co.uk East Renfrewshire Events Guide]
• [http://www.gerryblaikie.com/southglasgow/eastrenfrewshire.htm East Renfrewshire - History of the various suburbs]

{{East Renfrewshire}}

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Category:Council areas of Scotland

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