Strathclyde was one of nine former local government regions

Regions and districts of Scotland

The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Act 1994....

 of Scotland

Scotland

Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...

 created by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973

Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973

The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....

 and abolished in 1996 by the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994. The Strathclyde region had 19 districts

Regions and districts of Scotland

The local government areas of Scotland were redefined by the Local Government Act 1973 and redefined again by the Local Government etc Act 1994....

.

The area was on the west coast of Scotland and stretched from the Highlands

Scottish Highlands

The Highlands is an historic region of Scotland. The area is sometimes referred to as the "Scottish Highlands". It was culturally distinguishable from the Lowlands from the later Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland Scots replaced Scottish Gaelic throughout most of the Lowlands...

 in the north to the Southern Uplands

Southern Uplands

The Southern Uplands are the southernmost and least populous of mainland Scotland's three major geographic areas . The term is used both to describe the geographical region and to collectively denote the various ranges of hills within this region...

 in the south. As a local government region, its population, in excess of 2.5 million, was the largest of the regions. The Region was responsible for education (from pre-school through to colleges); social work; police; fire; sewage; strategic planning; roads; transport - and, therefore, employed almost 100,000 public servants (almost half were teachers, lecturers and others in the education service)

The regional administrative headquarters was in the largest city

City

A city is a relatively large and permanent settlement. Although there is no agreement on how a city is distinguished from a town within general English language meanings, many cities have a particular administrative, legal, or historical status based on local law.For example, in the U.S...

, the City of Glasgow

Glasgow

Glasgow is the largest city in Scotland and third most populous in the United Kingdom. The city is situated on the River Clyde in the country's west central lowlands...

 and politics were by and large dominated by the Labour Party

Labour Party (UK)

The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...

. The first regional council convener was the Rev Geoff Shaw, who died in 1978. It was largely due to his leadership that the Region forged its innovative strategy on multiple deprivation - which remained its central commitment to the end of the Region's life through "Social Strategy for the Eighties" (1982) and "SS for the 90s". A paper describing this period can be found in "key papers" at

The area of the region is still in use as a police force area, covered by Strathclyde Police

Strathclyde Police

Strathclyde Police is the territorial police force responsible for the Scottish council areas of Argyll and Bute, City of Glasgow, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire and West...

, a fire service

Fire services in Scotland

Fire services in Scotland are provided by Fire and Rescue Services each under the control of a Fire and Rescue Authority or a joint fire board ....

 area, covered by Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service, and a transport area, covered by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport

The Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is a public body which is responsible for planning and co-ordinating regional transport, and especially the public transport system, in the Strathclyde area of western Scotland...

.

Boundaries

The region was formed by merging together the county

Counties of Scotland

The counties of Scotland were the principal local government divisions of Scotland until 1975. Scotland's current lieutenancy areas and registration counties are largely based on them. They are often referred to as historic counties....

 of the City of Glasgow, the counties of Ayr, Bute, Dunbarton, Lanark, and Renfrew, and parts of the counties of Argyll (all except the district of Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan

Ardnamurchan is a peninsula in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, noted for being very unspoilt and undisturbed. Its remoteness is accentuated by the main access route being a single track road for much of its length.-Geography:...

 and the electoral divisions of Ballachulish

Ballachulish

The village of Ballachulish in Lochaber, Highland, Scotland, is centred around former slate quarries. The name Ballachulish was more correctly applied to the area now called North Ballachulish, to the north of Loch Leven, but was usurped for the quarry villages at East Laroch and West Laroch,...

 and Kinlochleven

Kinlochleven

Kinlochleven is a village in Lochaber, in the Scottish Highlands and lies at the eastern end of Loch Leven, a sea loch cutting into the western Scottish Highlands. To the north lie the Mamores ridge; to the south lie the mountains flanking Glen Coe...

), and the county of Stirling (the burgh of Kilsyth

Kilsyth

Kilsyth is a town of 10,100 roughly halfway between Glasgow and Stirling in North Lanarkshire, Scotland.-Location:...

, Western No. 3 district, the electoral division of Kilsyth West, and the polling district of Kilsyth East (Banton)).

Since 1996 the area of the region has been divided between 12 council areas: Argyll and Bute, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Renfrewshire, Glasgow City (created as City of Glasgow), Inverclyde, North Ayrshire, North Lanarkshire, Renfrewshire, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, and West Dunbartonshire (created as Dumbarton and Clydebank), all created to be entirely within the area of the region.

Sub-regions and districts

Except for Argyll and Bute and the City of Glasgow, the 19 districts were grouped to form 'sub-regions' or 'divisions', each named for a former county. The Argyll and Bute district and the City of Glasgow district were sub-regions in their own right, and Argyll and Bute was named for two former counties.

Sub-region	District or districts	Composition in terms of counties, burghs, and other areas specified by the 1973 Act Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 The Local Government Act 1973 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland, on May 16, 1975....
Argyll and Bute	Argyll and Bute	In county of Argyll: burghs of Campbeltown, Dunoon, Inveraray, Lochgilphead, Oban, and Tobermory; and districts of Cowal, Islay, Jura and Colonsay, Kintyre, Mid Argyll, Mull, North Lorn except the electoral divisions of Ballachulish and Kinlochleven, South Lorn, and Tiree and Coll In county of Bute: burgh of Rothesay; and district of Bute
Ayr	Cumnock and Doon Valley	In county of Ayr: burgh of Cumnock and Holmhead; and districts of Cumnock and Dalmellington except that part of parish of Ayr within this district and polling district of Coylton
	Cunninghame	In county of Ayr: burghs of Ardrossan, Irvine, Kilwinning, Largs, Saltcoats, and Stevenston; districts of Irvine, Kilbirnie, and West Kilbride, and those parts of Irvine New Town within districts of Ayr and Kilmarnock In county of Bute: burgh of Millport; and districts of Arran, and Cumbrae
	Kilmarnock and Loudoun	In county of Ayr: burghs of Darvel, Galston, Kilmarnock, Newmilns and Greenholm, and Stewarton; and district of Kilmarnock except that part of Irvine New Town within this district
	Kyle and Carrick	In county of Ayr: burghs of Ayr, Girvan, Maybole, Prestwick, and Troon; districts of Ayr except that part of Irvine New Town within this district, Girvan, and Maybole, that part of parish of Ayr within the district of Dalmellington; and polling district of Coylton
Dumbarton	Bearsden and Milngavie	In county of Dunbarton: burghs of Bearsden and Milngavie; and that part of electoral division of Hardgate within parish of New Kilpatrick
	Clydebank	In county of Dunbarton: burgh of Clydebank; and district of Old Kilpatrick except electoral divisions of Bowling and Dunbarton and that part of electoral division of Hardgate within parish of New Kilpatrick
	Cumbernauld and Kilsyth	In county of Dunbarton: burgh of Cumbernauld; electoral division of Croy and Dullatur and those parts of electoral divisions of Twechar and Waterside within Cumbernauld New Town In county of Stirling: burgh of Kilsyth; electoral division of Kilsyth West; and polling district of Kilsyth East (Banton)
	Dumbarton	In county of Dunbarton: burghs of Dumbarton, Cove and Kilcreggan, and Helensburgh; districts of Helensburgh, and Vale of Leven; and electoral divisions of Bowling and Dunbarton
	Strathkelvin	In county of Dunbarton: burgh of Kirkintilloch; and those parts of the electoral divisions of Twechar and Waterside outwith Cumbernauld New Town In county of Lanark: burgh of Bishopbriggs; and electoral divisions of Chryston and Stepps In county of Stirling: Western No 3 district
Glasgow	City of Glasgow	County of City of Glasgow In county of Lanark: burgh of Rutherglen; and parts of the Eighth district (electoral divisions of Bankhead, Cambuslang Central, Cambuslang North, Hallside, and Rutherglen, and those parts of Cambuslang South and Carmunnock electoral divisions outwith East Kilbride New Town) and the Ninth district (electoral divisions of Baillieston, Garrowhill, Mount Vernon and Carmyle, and Springboig)
Lanark	Clydesdale	In county of Lanark: burghs of Biggar, and Lanark; and First, Second, and Third districts
	East Kilbride	In county of Lanark: burgh of East Kilbride; in Fourth district, electoral division of Avondale and, in Eighth district, those parts of High Blantyre, Cambuslang South, and Carmunnock electoral divisions within East Kilbride New Town
	Hamilton	In county of Lanark: burgh of Hamilton; Fourth district except electoral division of Avondale, in the Sixth district, electoral divisions of Bothwell and Uddingston South, and Uddingston North and, in Eighth district, electoral divisions of Blantyre, and Stonefield, and that part of High Blantyre electoral division outwith East Kilbride New Town.
	Monklands	In county of Lanark: burghs of Airdrie, and Coatbridge; Ninth district except electoral divisions of Baillieston, Chryston, Garrowhill, Mount Vernon and Carmyle, Springboig, and Stepps and, in Seventh district, electoral division of Shottskirk
	Motherwell	In county of Lanark: burgh of Motherwell and Wishaw; Sixth district except electoral divisions of Bothwell and Uddingston South, and Uddingston North and Seventh district except electoral division of Shottskirk
Renfrew	Eastwood	In county of Renfrew: First district
	Renfrew	In county of Renfrew: burghs of Barrhead, Johnstone, Paisley, and Renfrew; and Second, Third, and Fourth districts
	Inverclyde	In county of Renfrew: burghs of Gourock, Greenock, Port Glasgow; and Fifth district

Council areas

Council area	Composition in terms of districts and other areas specified by the 1994 Act
Argyll and Bute	Argyll and Bute district and part of Dumbarton district (Helensburgh (7) regional electoral division and part of Vale of Leven (8) regional electoral division)
East Ayrshire East Ayrshire East Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. It borders on to North Ayrshire, East Renfrewshire, South Lanarkshire, South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway...	Kilmarnock and Loudoun and Cumnock and Doon Valley districts
East Dunbartonshire	Bearsden and Milngavie district and part of Strathkelvin district (Kirkintilloch (43), Strathkelvin North (44) and Bishopbriggs (45) regional electoral divisions and South Lenzie/Waterside district ward)
East Renfrewshire	Eastwood district and part of Renfrew district (Barrhead (79) regional electoral division)
Glasgow City (created as City of Glasgow)	City of Glasgow district except Rutherglen/Fernhill (37) and Cambuslang/Halfway (38), Glasgow/Halfway regional electoral divisions and part of King's Park/Toryglen (35) regional electoral division
Inverclyde	Inverclyde district
North Ayrshire North Ayrshire North Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas in Scotland with a population of roughly 136,000 people. It is located in the south-west region of Scotland, and borders the areas of Inverclyde to the north, Renfrewshire to the north-east and East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire to the East and South...	Cunninghame district
North Lanarkshire	Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, Monklands, Motherwell districts and part of Strathkelvin district (Chryston (46) regional electoral division except South Lenzie/Waterside district ward)
Renfrewshire	Renfrew district except Barrhead (79) regional electoral division
South Ayrshire South Ayrshire South Ayrshire is one of 32 council areas of Scotland, covering the southern part of Ayrshire. It borders onto East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway....	Kyle and Carrick district
South Lanarkshire,	Clydesdale, East Kilbride, and Hamilton districts and part of City of Glasgow district (Rutherglen/Fernhill (37) and Cambuslang/Halfway (38), Glasgow/Halfway regional electoral divisions and part of King's Park/Toryglen (35) regional electoral division)
West Dunbartonshire (created as Dumbarton and Clydebank)	Clydebank and part of Dumbarton (Dumbarton (6) regional electoral division and part of Vale of Leven (8) regional electoral division)

Name

The region was named after the ancient British or Brython

Brython

The Britons were the Celtic people culturally dominating Great Britain from the Iron Age through the Early Middle Ages. They spoke the Insular Celtic language known as British or Brythonic...

ic Damnonii

Damnonii

The Damnonii were a people of the late 2nd century who lived in what is now southern Scotland. They are mentioned briefly in Ptolemy's Geography, where he uses both of the terms "Damnonii" and "Damnii" to describe them, and there is no other historical record of them. Their cultural and...

 Kingdom of Strathclyde

Kingdom of Strathclyde

Strathclyde , originally Brythonic Ystrad Clud, was one of the early medieval kingdoms of the celtic people called the Britons in the Hen Ogledd, the Brythonic-speaking parts of what is now southern Scotland and northern England. The kingdom developed during the post-Roman period...

. The kingdom broadly covered the northern end of the region, except an area now covered by the Scottish Argyll and Bute council area and the Isle of Arran

Isle of Arran

Arran or the Isle of Arran is the largest island in the Firth of Clyde, Scotland, and with an area of is the seventh largest Scottish island. It is in the unitary council area of North Ayrshire and the 2001 census had a resident population of 5,058...

, which is now within the Scottish North Ayrshire council area, plus the Scottish Dumfries and Galloway council area and part of the English county

Counties of England

Counties of England are areas used for the purposes of administrative, geographical and political demarcation. For administrative purposes, England outside Greater London and the Isles of Scilly is divided into 83 counties. The counties may consist of a single district or be divided into several...

 of Cumbria

Cumbria

Cumbria , is a non-metropolitan county in North West England. The county and Cumbria County Council, its local authority, came into existence in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972. Cumbria's largest settlement and county town is Carlisle. It consists of six districts, and in...

.

Note