Renfrewshire Council
{{Infobox legislature
| name = Renfrewshire
| native_name =
| transcription_name =
| legislature =
| coa_pic = Coat of Arms of Renfrewshire.svg
| coa_res =
| coa_caption = Coat of arms
| logo_pic = Renfrewshire Council logo.svg
| logo_caption = Council logo
| house_type =
| body =
| houses =
| leader1_type = Provost
| leader1 = Lorraine Cameron
| party1 =
SNP
| election1 = 18 May 2017
| leader2_type = Leader
| leader2 = Iain Nicolson
| party2 =
SNP
| leader3_type = Chief Executive
| leader3 = Alan Russell
| party3 =
| election3 = November 2021{{cite news |title=Alan Russell - Renfrewshire Council's new Chief Executive |url=https://www.millmagazine.co.uk/alan-russell-renfrewshire-councils-new-chief-executive/ |date=22 December 2022 |access-date=7 February 2023 |work=Mill Magazine}}
| members = 43 councillors
| house1 =
| house2 =
| structure1 = Scotland_Renfrewshire_Council_2025.svg
| structure1_res = 250px
| political_groups1 =
;Administration (20)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray}} SNP (20)
;Other parties (23)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Scottish Labour}}|border=darkgray}} Labour (13)
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} Independent (4)}}
: {{Color box|{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}|border=darkgray}} Conservative (3)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Reform UK}}|border=darkgray}} Reform UK (2)
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}|border=darkgray}} Liberal Democrat (1)}}
| committees1 =
| committees2 =
| joint_committees =
| voting_system1 = Single transferable vote
| voting_system2 =
| last_election1 = 6 May 2022
| next_election1 = 6 May 2027
| session_room = Renfrewshire House Building, Paisley.jpg
| session_res =
| meeting_place = Renfrewshire House, Cotton Street, Paisley, PA1{{nbsp}}1AN
| website = {{URL|www.renfrewshire.gov.uk}}
| footnotes =
}}
Renfrewshire Council is the local authority for Renfrewshire, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. It consists of 43 councillors who elect from among their number a provost to serve as the council's convener and ceremonial head and a leader of the council who is typically the head of the largest political group. The council is based at Renfrewshire House in Paisley.
The council meets collectively as a full council and carries out a number of functions. Its Scheme of Delegated Functions sets out where the council has agreed to allow powers to be exercised by a committee (referred to as a "board" in Renfrewshire Council), a sub-committee, an officer of the council or a joint committee with one or more other councils. The council continues to reserve a number of functions that can only be carried out by the council acting as a whole. The council's staff is headed by a chief executive who is responsible to the elected council.{{cite web |title=Scheme of Delegated Functions |url=https://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/Document.ashx?czJKcaeAi5tUFL1DTL2UE4zNRBcoShgo=Kn3WG%2BhoFvl4Xm4GunZZuefuJUUGP82LD4IThqMUZRZZZiXvA8vNRA%3D%3D&rUzwRPf%2BZ3zd4E7Ikn8Lyw%3D%3D=pwRE6AGJFLDNlh225F5QMaQWCtPHwdhUfCZ%2FLUQzgA2uL5jNRG4jdQ%3D%3D&mCTIbCubSFfXsDGW9IXnlg%3D%3D=jUgQCaU3L68%3D&kCx1AnS9%2FpWZQ40DXFvdEw%3D%3D=zNDOR3JkF8E%3D&uJovDxwdjMPoYv%2BAJvYtyA%3D%3D=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&FgPlIEJYlotS%2BYGoBi5olA%3D%3D=NHdURQburHA%3D&d9Qjj0ag1Pd993jsyOJqFvmyB7X0CSQK=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNR9xqBux0r1Q8Za60lavYmz=ctNJFf55vVA%3D&WGewmoAfeNQ16B2MHuCpMRKZMwaG1PaO=ctNJFf55vVA%3D |website=Renfrewshire Council |access-date=7 February 2023}}
Renfrewshire Council acts as the lead authority for Scotland Excel, a collaborative procurement vehicle established in 2008 to support the local authorities of Scotland.{{cite web |title=About us |url=https://home.scotland-excel.org.uk/about-us/ |website=Scotland Excel |access-date=7 February 2023}}
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since 2017. Following the 2022 election an SNP minority administration took control of the council with support from independent councillor Andy Doig on a confidence and supply basis.{{cite web|url=https://ballotbox.scot/le22/renfrewshire|title=2022 LOCAL ELECTIONS:Renfrewshire Council|publisher=Ballot Box Scotland|access-date=4 November 2022}}
The first election to 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}}
| class="wikitable" | |
| colspan="2"|Party in control | Years |
|---|---|
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} | 1996–2007 |
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | 2007–2012 |
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} | 2012–2017 |
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} | 2017–present |
=Leadership=
The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://renfrewshire.cmis.uk.com/renfrewshire/CouncilandBoards.aspx |website=Renfrewshire Council |access-date=7 February 2023}}
| class=wikitable
! Councillor !! colspan=2|Party !! From !! To | |||
| Hugh Henry | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} | align=right|1 Apr 1996 | align=right|1999 |
| Jim Harkins{{cite news |title=Council round-up: Renfrewshire |url=https://www.glasgowtimes.co.uk/news/12782532.council-round-up-renfrewshire/ |access-date=7 February 2023 |work=Glasgow Times |date=4 May 2007}} | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} | align=right|1999 | align=right|May 2007 |
| Derek Mackay | {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} | align=right|17 May 2007 | align=right|May 2011 |
| Brian Lawson | {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} | align=right|26 May 2011 | align=right|May 2012 |
| Mark MacMillan | {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} | align=right|17 May 2012 | align=right|May 2017 |
| Iain Nicolson | {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} | align=right|18 May 2017 | align=right| |
=Council composition=
Following the 2022 election and subsequent changes of allegiance up to 7th March 2025, the composition of the council was:{{Cite web|url=https://www.the-gazette.co.uk/news/24986659.second-renfrewshire-tory-councillor-defects-reform-uk/|title=Second Renfrewshire Tory councillor defects to Reform UK|first=Aidan|last=Macdonald|date=6 March 2025|accessdate=7 March 2025|work=The Renfrewshire Gazette}}{{cite web |title=Renfrewshire |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=renfrewshire |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=7 March 2025}}
| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2| Party ! Councillors | |
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} | align=center|20 |
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} | align=center|13 |
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} | align=center|4 |
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} | align=center|3 |
| {{Party name with colour|Reform UK}} | align=center|2 |
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Liberal Democrats}} | align=center|1 |
| colspan=2|Total
! align=center|43 |
|---|
The next election is due in 2027.
Premises
The council is based at Renfrewshire House on Cotton Street in Paisley, which was built between 1969 and 1973 as the "County and Municipal Buildings", being a joint facility for the old Renfrewshire County Council and Paisley Town Council.{{cite web |title=Paisley, Cotton Street, County and Municipal Buildings |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/197749/paisley-cotton-street-county-and-municipal-buildings |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=31 January 2023}}Glasgow Area Telephone Directory, October 1971, p. 709, Renfrewshire County Council, County Buildings, Cotton Street, Paisley{{cite web |title=Renfrew County Council, Paisley Town Council and Police Station building |url=http://www.scottisharchitects.org.uk/building_full.php?id=400225 |website=Dictionary of Scottish Architects |access-date=8 February 2023}} After the reforms of 1975 the building was shared between Renfrew District Council and Strathclyde Regional Council. Following the creation of Renfrewshire Council in 1996 the building was renamed Renfrewshire House.{{cite web |title=Contact us |url=https://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2072/Contact-us |website=Renfrewshire Council |access-date=7 February 2023}}
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:
| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
!rowspan=2|Year !rowspan=2|Seats !width="80"|SNP !width="80"|Labour !width="80"|Conservative !width="80"|Liberal Democrats !width="80"|Independent / Other !rowspan=2|Notes | |||||||
| style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" | | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | 40 | 13 | 22 | 2 | 3 | 0 | align=left| |
| 1999 | 40 | 15 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | align=left|New ward boundaries.{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Renfrewshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998|year=1998|number=3249|accessdate=8 February 2023}} |
| 2003 | 40 | 15 | 21 | 1 | 3 | 0 | align=left| |
| 2007 | 40 | 17 | 17 | 2 | 4 | 0 | align=left|New ward boundaries.{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The Renfrewshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006|year=2006|number=551|accessdate=8 February 2023}} |
| 2012 | 40 | 15 | 22 | 1 | 1 | 1 | align=left| |
| 2017 | 43 | 19 | 13 | 8 | 1 | 2 | align=left|New ward boundaries.{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The Renfrewshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2016|year=2016|number=285|accessdate=8 February 2023}} |
| 2022 | 43 | 21 | 15 | 5 | 1 | 1 | align=left| |
| !
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 3px;" | !style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" | ! |
=Electoral wards=
{{Main|Wards of Renfrewshire}}
File:Renfrewshire UK ward map 2017 (blank).svg
For the purposes of elections to Renfrewshire Council, the Renfrewshire area is divided geographically into a number of wards which then elect either three or four councillors each by the single transferable vote system.{{Cite web|url=http://www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/article/2660/Electoral-wards|title=Electoral wards}} The electoral system of local councils in Scotland is governed by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, which first introduced proportional representation to councils in Scotland.
These electoral wards, following a 2017 review and first used in the 2017 Renfrewshire Council election are as follows:{{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}}[https://statistics.gov.scot/atlas/resource?uri=http%3A%2F%2Fstatistics.gov.scot%2Fid%2Fstatistical-geography%2FS12000038 Council Area {{!}} Renfrewshire], Scottish Government Statistics. Retrieved 22 April 2022
| class="wikitable sortable"
!Ward number !Ward Name !Location !Seats !Population (2020) |
| 1
|4 |17,827 |
| 2
|3 |12,232 |
| 3
|Paisley Northeast and Ralston |3 |12,810 |
| 4
|4 |17,018 |
| 5
|3 |12,218 |
| 6
|3 |12,925 |
| 7
|4 |16,505 |
| 8
|Johnstone South and Elderslie |4 |15,860 |
| 9
|Johnstone North, Kilbarchan, Howwood and Lochwinnoch |4 |14,740 |
| 10
|Houston, Crosslee and Linwood |4 |19,152 |
| 11
|Bishopton, Bridge of Weir and Langbank |3 |10,040 |
| 12
|4 |18,063 |
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Scotland subdivisions}}
{{Renfrewshire elections}}
Category:Local authorities of Scotland
Category:Paisley, Renfrewshire