Scottish Local Government

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Scottish local government provides many of society's most valued services.  These services help children grow and learn, protect and care for the vulnerable, and provide the essential day-to-day services that allow people to work, live in or visit our communities.

There are 32 directly elected Councils in Scotland and 1,222 elected councillors who are elected every 4 years.   Their geographical coverage ranges from 26 square miles in Dundee to 12,437 square miles in the Highlands, while their population ranges from under 20,000 people in the Orkney Islands Council area to over 600,000 in the Glasgow City Council area. 

Councils are responsible for the delivery of a wide range of vital public services including:

  • Education, including compulsory school education, and adult and community education
  • Social Work, including Community Care
  • Tackling poverty and promoting social inclusion
  • Roads and transportation
  • Planning and the environment
  • Police and Fire Services
  • Economic Development
  • Regulatory and protective services
  • Housing
  • Leisure and library services
  • Cultural services
  • Waste management

Scottish councils co-operate through, and are represented collectively by COSLA.  By providing a forum to discuss common issues and develop shared agendas, we gather the views of member councils and communicate these to key stakeholders including the Scottish and European Parliaments.

For a full list of Scottish councils including contact details and names of Council Leaders and Chief Executives, please search our database on this page.