| Ettrick and Lauderdale | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| District | |||
 Council Chambers, Paton Street, Galashiels | |||
| |||
 | |||
| History | |||
| • Created | 16 May 1975 | ||
| • Abolished | 31 March 1996 | ||
| • Succeeded by | Scottish Borders | ||
| • HQ | Galashiels | ||
| Contained within | |||
| • Region | Borders | ||
Ettrick and Lauderdale was one of four local government districts in theBorders region ofScotland as well as alieutenancy area from 1975 to 1996.
The district was created on 16 May 1975 under theLocal Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which established a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Ettrick and Lauderdale was one of four districts created within theBorders region. The district covered the whole of thehistoric county ofSelkirkshire and parts of the neighbouring counties ofBerwickshire,Midlothian, andRoxburghshire. The new district covered all of six formerdistricts and parts of another three districts, which were all abolished at the same time:[1][2]
From Selkirkshire:
From Berwickshire:
From Midlothian:
From Roxburghshire:
The new district was named afterEttrick Forest (which was also an old alternative name for Selkirkshire), andLauderdale, being the valley of theLeader Water (roughly corresponding to the area gained from Berwickshire). Forlieutenancy purposes, the lastlord-lieutenant of the county of Selkirkshire was made lord-lieutenant for the new district when the reforms came into effect in 1975.[3]
In 1989 the district was enlarged by the addition of a small area around the hamlet of Brothershiels from the neighbouring district of Midlothian.[4] The district had an estimated population of 35,490 in 1994.[5]
The Borders region and its four districts were abolished in 1996, merging to form the presentScottish Borders council area.[6] A new lieutenancy area was created at the same time, calledRoxburgh, Ettrick and Lauderdale, covering the combined area of the abolished districts of Ettrick and Lauderdale and neighbouringRoxburgh.[7]
The former district's name is still used in a variety of contexts:
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. Throughout the council's existence a majority of the seats were held byindependents:[10]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 1975–1996 | |
The lastleader of the council, Drew Tulley, went on to be first leader ofScottish Borders Council after the 1996 reforms.[11]
The district council was based at theCouncil Chambers on Albert Place inGalashiels. The building had originally been built in 1867 as the Burgh Chambers for the old Galashiels Town Council, with a large clock tower added in 1924–1927 which incorporates the town's war memorial. A modern extension was added to the rear of the building along Paton Street for the district council in 1976.[12][13] Since the district council's abolition in 1996 the building has been an area office for Scottish Borders Council.[14]
Local government areas ofScotland, in use 1975 to 1996 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Borders |  | |
| Central | ||
| Dumfries and Galloway | ||
| Fife | ||
| Grampian | ||
| Highland | ||
| Lothian | ||
| Strathclyde | ||
| Tayside | ||
| Island areas1 | ||
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
