Glasgow (district)

As its name suggests, the district (one of 19 overall across the Strathclyde region, which contained more than half of Scotland's population) almost entirely comprised the city of Glasgow that was located within the historic county of Lanarkshire, although for most purposes had operated under its own controlling body, the Glasgow Corporation, since 1893.

In the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 leading to its creation, the district's desired composition was described as:[3]

• The county of the city of Glasgow. In the county of Lanark—the burgh of Rutherglen; in the Eighth district, the electoral divisions of Bankhead, Cambuslang Central, Cambuslang North, Hallside, Rutherglen, and those parts of Cambuslang South and Carmunnock electoral divisions lying outwith the designated area of East Kilbride New Town; in the Ninth district, the electoral divisions of Baillieston, Garrowhill, Mount Vernon and Carmyle, Springboig.

This reorganisation thus extended the city boundaries eastwards to include adjacent parts of Lanarkshire, including the historic royal burgh of Rutherglen and its environs plus neighbouring Cambuslang, small towns which had previously resisted the advances of Glasgow into their territory.[4]

The high population of Glasgow, Scotland's largest city, in comparison to other parts of Scotland presented issues for planners. With around 680,000 residents, its district was far bigger than the next-largest (Edinburgh, c. 410,000) which itself was double the population of the third-largest (Aberdeen, c. 210,000). Glasgow was also the capital of the powerful Strathclyde region,[5] with the district offices at Glasgow City Chambers and the Strathclyde Regional Council offices about 1.3 kilometres (0.81 mi) to the west at India Street.[6][7]

During the two decades of the district's existence, the city successfully emerged from a period of serious economic decline and negative reputation to present itself as a modern city and tourist destination, exemplified by the Glasgow's miles better civic marketing campaign[8][9] followed by the success of the Glasgow Garden Festival in 1988 and recognition as the European City of Culture in 1990.[10]

The Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 abolished all of the districts and regions.[11] The City of Glasgow District territory became the Glasgow City unitary council area; the boundaries remained largely the same as the Glasgow District, other than Cambuslang and Rutherglen (four wards) being re-allocated to South Lanarkshire.[12]

• Glasgow (European Parliament constituency)
• Politics of Glasgow
• Subdivisions of Scotland