54°58′48″N3°48′36″W / 54.980°N 3.810°W /54.980; -3.810
| Stewartry | |
|---|---|
| District (1975–1996) Lieutenancy area (1975–) | |
 | |
| History | |
| • Created | 16 May 1975 |
| • Abolished | 31 March 1996 |
| • Succeeded by | Dumfries and Galloway |
| • HQ | Kirkcudbright |
| Contained within | |
| • Region | Dumfries and Galloway |
Stewartry was alocal government district from 1975 until 1996 within theDumfries and Galloway region in south-west Scotland. Under the namethe Stewartry of Kirkcudbright the area of the former district is still used as alieutenancy area.Dumfries and Galloway Council has a Stewartryarea committee which approximately covers the same area, subject to some adjustments where ward boundaries no longer follow the pre-1996 district boundary. The Stewartry covers the majority of the historic county ofKirkcudbrightshire, and derives its name from the county's alternative name of "The Stewartry of Kirkcudbright".[1]
Stewartry 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. Stewartry district was one of four districts created within the region ofDumfries and Galloway. The district covered the majority of the former administrative county of Kirkcudbrightshire, excluding theparishes ofKirkmabreck andMinnigaff on the western edge of the county, which went toWigtown district, and the parishes ofKirkbean, Kirkpatrick Irongray,New Abbey,Terregles, andTroqueer on the eastern edge of the county, which went toNithsdale. The district's name was derived from the alternative name for Kirkcudbrightshire as the "Stewartry of Kirkcudbright", referencing the fact that the area had previously been administered by a steward rather than a sheriff.[2][3] The district's legal name was just "Stewartry", but in common usage the area is generally referred to as "the Stewartry".[4]
Forlieutenancy purposes, the lastlord-lieutenant of the county of Kirkcudbrightshire was made lord-lieutenant for the new Stewartry district when it came into effect in 1975.[5]
Further local government reform in 1996 under theLocal Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 saw the four districts of Dumfries and Galloway abolished, with Dumfries and Galloway Council taking over their functions. The council continues to use the former Stewartry district as the basis of anarea committee, alongside committees for the other three abolished districts ofAnnandale and Eskdale,Nithsdale, andWigtown, subject to some adjustments of boundaries where ward boundaries no longer follow the pre-1996 district boundaries.[6] The area of the former district also continues to be used for lieutenancy purposes as the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright lieutenancy area.[7]
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:[8]
| Party in control | Years | |
|---|---|---|
| Independent | 1975–1996 | |
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Stewartry District Council was based at the former headquarters of the abolished Kirkcudbrightshire County Council, being a converted pair of late 18th century houses called theCounty Buildings at 121–123 High Street inKirkcudbright, with a large extension built in 1952 to the rear facing Daar Road.[9] Since the district council's abolition in 1996 the building has been an area office of Dumfries and Galloway Council.[10]
Local government areas ofScotland, in use 1975 to 1996 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Borders |  | |
| Central | ||
| Dumfries and Galloway | ||
| Fife | ||
| Grampian | ||
| Highland | ||
| Lothian | ||
| Strathclyde | ||
| Tayside | ||
| Island areas1 | ||