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Template:Infobox Scotland council area

West Lothian (Template:Lang-sco, Template:Lang-gd) was called Linlithgowshire or the County of Linlithgow until 1921.

West Lothian is a Land Register county. See Registers of Scotland, Land Register Counties.

The county is a Lieutenancy area.

Local Government

West Lothian Council (Template:Lang-sco, Template:Lang-gd) is one of the 32 Local Government unitary council areas in Scotland, and borders the City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, North Lanarkshire, the Scottish Borders and South Lanarkshire.

West Lothian Council

Under the terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the county administration, with the exception of the Bo'ness area, was included in the new Lothian Region with effect from 16 May 1975. Bo'ness became part of the Central Region. Lothian Region was divided into four districts, one of which was named West Lothian and approximated to the county. The county place-name exists for different purposes within and under the West Lothian District Council, as do the place-names of towns and villages.

West Lothian District Council was created in 1975, comprising the Local Government area in the county of West Lothian (West Lothian County retained the place-name for a Lieutenancy area, etc.) ; less the burghs of Bo'ness and South Queensferry and the Kirkliston area; it also included the East Calder and West Calder districts of the county of Midlothian. The council's headquarters were originally in Bathgate, later moving to the new town of Livingston.

Further local government reorganisation in 1996 saw the Regional and District Councils superseded and replaced by a single-tier unitary council. The unitary "West Lothian Council" was created in 1996, following the same boundaries as the former West Lothian District Council of 1975-1996.

District Council Areas of West Lothian

Livingston :

• East Calder
• West Calder
• Mid Calder
• Wilkieston
• Pumpherston
• Knightsridge
• Carmondean
• Deans
• Eliburn
• Ladywell
• Craigshill
• Howden
• Dedridge
• Murieston
• Adambrae
• Livingston Village
• DeerPark

Broxburn:

• Uphall
• Winchburgh
• Ecclesmachan
• Dechmont
• Bridgend

Bathgate:

• Armadale
• Whitburn
• Fauldhouse
• Longridge
• Torphichen
• Blackburn
• Seafield

Burghs

The county contains six burghs. Two are now outside the West Lothian unitary council area :

Civil Parishes

In 2001, according to the website of the General Register Office for Scotland, there were 871 civil parishes. List of civil parishes in Scotland

Civil parishes are still used for some statistical purposes, and separate census figures are published for them. As their areas have been largely unchanged since the 19th century this allows for comparison of population figures over an extended period of time.

• 1 Abercorn
• 2 Bo'ness
• 3 Bathgate
• 4 Carriden ( A coastal parish of Linlithgowshire, containing the villages of Blackness, Bridgeness, Grangepans, and Muirhouses. c.1868)
• 5 Cramond, part of
• 6 Dalmeny
• 7 Dalmeny part of
• 8 Ecclesmachan
• 9 Ecclesmachan part of
• 10 Kirkliston
• 11 Linlithgow
• 12 Livingston
• 13 Torphichen
• 14 Uphall
• 15 Whitburn

Towns and places of interest

• Armadale
• Bathgate
• Blackburn
• Broxburn
• Linlithgow
• Livingston
• Whitburn

• Beecraigs Country Park
• Blackness Castle
• Cairnpapple Hill
• Linlithgow Palace, birthplace of Mary, Queen of Scots
• Polkemmet Country Park
• Torphichen Preceptory

See also the pages of the West Lothian Archaeological Trust

Villages

• Abercorn
• Addiewell
• Blackridge
• Breich
• Bridgend
• Dechmont
• East Calder
• East Whitburn
• Ecclesmachan
• Fauldhouse
• Greenrigg
• Kingscavil
• Kirknewton
• Longridge
• Mid Calder
• Newton
• Philpstoun
• Polbeth
• Pumpherston
• Seafield
• Stoneyburn
• Threemiletown
• Torphichen
• Uphall
• Uphall Station
• West Calder
• Westfield
• Wilkieston
• Winchburgh

Mentions in popular culture

The West Lothian question is often said to have been raised by Tam Dalyell, then member of Parliament for the former West Lothian constituency, in his 1977 book Devolution: The End of Britain? However, in the debate on the Referendum (English Parliament) Bill (HC Deb 16 January 1998 vol 304 cc589-660) Dalyell refers to the "so-called West Lothian question, as it was dubbed by Enoch Powell, not by me, in 1977", denying this.

Famous people from West Lothian include:

• Author and actor Ian Colquhoun, from Livingston
• Leon Jackson, the winner of The X Factor UK 2007, from Whitburn
• David Tennant, from Bathgate, best known for portraying the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in the television series Doctor Who
• Susan Boyle, from Blackburn, a singer who achieved fame on the TV series Britain's Got Talent.
• Dario Franchitti, from Bathgate, winner of the 2010 Indianapolis 500.
• Paul di Resta, from Uphall, is the second driver for the Force India Formula 1 team, and the cousin of Dario Franchitti.
• Alex Salmond, From Linlithgow.The First Minister of Scotland and SNP leader.

Town twinnings

Livingston and West Lothian are twinned with Grapevine, Texas, in the USA, and Hochsauerland in Germany.

Council political composition

Youth participation

West Lothian Youth Congress

West Lothian has a formal structure for engaging with young people and including them in the decision making process. The West Lothian Youth congress is a constituted group of young people between the ages of 12 and 26. It includes 2 democratically elected representatives from each of West Lothian’s High schools as well as young people representing youth/ specific interest groups, community councils or local areas from across West Lothian. The Youth Congress meets on a Tuesday evening every 4 to 6 weeks in the Council chambers of the West Lothian civic centre between 7PM and 9PM. The Congress is a full community planning partner and played an integral role in developing West Lothian’s 2010 community plan. The Congress also elects West Lothian’s 4 Members of the Scottish Youth Parliament who are elected to represent West Lothian’s young people at a national level.

Scottish Youth Parliament

The Scottish Youth Parliament (SYP) is a body set up to represent Scotland’s young people. Its members are aged between 14 and 26 and are elected from Scottish parliamentary constituencies with each Member of the Scottish Parliament being shadowed by 2 Members of the Scottish Youth parliament. There are also representatives from several voluntary organisations. West Lothian has four Scottish youth parliament seats as it comprises two Scottish parliamentary constituencies. West Lothian’s current MSYP’s are:

References

1. Refer : Historical Account of Linlithgowshire. by John Penny. 1831. http://archive.org/stream/atopographicala00penngoog#page/n9/mode/2up
2. Registers of Scotland. Publications, leaflets, Land Register Counties. http://www.ros.gov.uk/public/publications/leaflets.html
3. 2001 Census - Geography Classifications
4. "Referendum (English Parliament) Bill (Hansard, 16 January 1998)". Hansard.millbanksystems.com. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
5. "Singing Talent of Susan Boyle Stuns Simon Cowell, Times of London
6. Leigh Holmwood (14 April 2009). "Britain's got talent hits high note,'". London: Guardian. Retrieved 2010-09-20.
7. Autosport. 26 January 2011 http://www.autosport.com/news/report.php/id/89078. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)

External links

• West Lothian Council official government website
• Template:Dmoz
• West Lothian Archaeology Group
• West Lothian Family History Society
• River Kids - West Lothian's Children's Charity

• West Lothian
• Counties of Scotland
• Council areas of Scotland