Strathkelvin

The district was created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which established a two-tier structure of local government across mainland Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Strathkelvin was one of nineteen districts created within the region of Strathclyde. The district covered parts of five former districts from the historic counties of Dunbartonshire, Lanarkshire, and Stirlingshire, all of which were abolished at the same time:{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=9 February 2023}}

• From Dunbartonshire
• Kirkintilloch Burgh
• Kirkintilloch and Cumbernauld District: the landward (outside a burgh) part of the parish of Kirkintilloch, excluding the parts within the designated area for Cumbernauld New Town
• From Lanarkshire
• Bishopbriggs Burgh
• Ninth District: the Chryston and Stepps electoral divisions
• From Stirlingshire
• Western No. 3 District, being the parishes of Baldernock and Campsie

The 1973 Act named the new district "Bishopbriggs and Kirkintilloch". The shadow council elected in 1974 to oversee the transition to the new system requested a change of name to "Strathkelvin", referring to the area's location in the valley or strath of the River Kelvin. The change of name was approved by the government before the new district came into being.{{cite web |title=Historical information from 1973 onwards |url=https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ordnancesurvey.co.uk%2Fdocuments%2Fboundary-legislation-changes-from-1973.xls&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK |website=Boundary-Line support |publisher=Ordnance Survey |access-date=17 February 2023}}

The district was abolished in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 which replaced regions and districts with unitary council areas. Most of Strathkelvin went to the East Dunbartonshire council area, but the Chryston and Auchinloch area went instead to North Lanarkshire.{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=17 February 2023}}

The Strathkelvin name is still used in the judicial sheriffdom of "Glasgow and Strathkelvin".

The first election to the district council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 16 May 1975. Political control of the council from 1975 was as follows:{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre |access-date=17 February 2023}}

Full council meetings were chaired by the provost. For the council's first couple of years the provost also provided political leadership, chairing the policy and resources and committee. From 1977 onwards the council appointed a separate leader of the council to provide political leadership, with the role of provost thereafter being more ceremonial. The leaders were:

The last leader of the council, Charles Kennedy, went on to be the first leader of the successor East Dunbartonshire Council.

Elections were held as follows:

The council was initially based at several offices across the district. In 1985 it built a new headquarters at the junction of Lenzie Road and Civic Way in Kirkintilloch. The building was called Tom Johnston House, named after Tom Johnston (1881–1965), who was born in Kirkintilloch and had served as Secretary of State for Scotland during the Second World War.{{cite news |title=Strathkelvin District Council: Public Notice - Closure of Council Chambers, Kirkintilloch, and removal to new Civic Headquarters, Lenzie Road, Kirkintilloch |url=https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ |access-date=16 February 2023 |work=Airdrie and Coatbridge Advertiser |date=19 July 1985}} After the council's abolition in 1996, Tom Johnston House served as the headquarters of the successor East Dunbartonshire Council until 2012, and has subsequently been demolished.{{cite news |title=Bulldozers move in to demolish landmark |url=https://www.glasgowworld.com/news/bulldozers-move-in-to-demolish-landmark-2561377 |access-date=16 February 2023 |work=Glasgow World |date=3 November 2015}}

• Subdivisions of Scotland

{{reflist}}

{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}

{{East Dunbartonshire elections}}

Category:Districts of Scotland

Category:Strathclyde

Category:Politics of East Dunbartonshire

Category:Bishopbriggs

Category:Kirkintilloch

Category:1975 establishments in Scotland

Category:1996 disestablishments in Scotland

Category:States and territories established in 1975

Category:States and territories disestablished in 1996