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- Council and government
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- Council - General Information
- Council - constituencies, wards and boundaries
- Elections and voting
- Minutes, agendas and reports
- Multi-member wards
- Plans and policies
- Politics and politicians - community councils and assemblies
- Politics and politicians - council and councillors
- Provost and Lord Lieutenant
Politicians, elections and democracy
West Lothian Council is one of 32 Scottish unitary local authorities, serving a community of over 166,000 citizens in central Scotland. We share our borders with our neighbours in Falkirk, the City of Edinburgh Council, North Lanarkshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council.
The council has 32 councillors whose political make up is 14 Labour, 13 Scottish National Party, one Conservative, one Independent and three Action to Save St John's Hospital.
Councillor Peter Johnston is Leader of the Council and Chairs the Council Executive, which has a wide-ranging remit. Apart from matters reserved to the full council or remitted to committees for consideration, the 12-member Executive has universal decision-making powers, and is made up of eight Scottish National Party, two Action to Save St John's Hospital and two Labour councillors.
Nine councillors have been appointed with responsibility for Executive posts.
- Policy and resources - Peter Johnston (new window)
- Culture and leisure - Jim Walker
- Development and transport - Martyn Day
- Education - Andrew Miller
- Environment - Robert De Bold
- Health and care - Ellen Glass
- Services for the community - Frank Anderson
- Social policy - Isabel Hutton
- Voluntary organisations - Willie Boyle
In addition to the Council Executive, policy development and scrutiny panels, special committees and nine local area committees have been formed. The policy development and scrutiny panels have the role of developing policy and making recommendations on policy to the Executive. They have no decision-making powers.
The role of special committees is to scrutinise strategic policy and performance. There is a Local Area Committee (LAC) for each of the nine mult-member wards. There remit is to:
- Act as a forum to discuss ward issues
- Act as a focus for front line staff
- Facilitate community engagement at a ward level
- Scrutinise council policies at a local level
West Lothian is made up of nine multi-member wards each with three or four elected members. Select your ward and meet your councillor.
- Ward 1: Linlithgow
- Ward 2: Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh
- Ward 3: Livingston North
- Ward 4: Livingston South
- Ward 5: East Livingston and East Calder
- Ward 6: Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley
- Ward 7: Whitburn and Blackburn
- Ward 8: Bathgate
- Ward 9: Armadale and Blackridge
Livingston South LAC
News from Livingston South Local Area Committee
Bathgate LAC
A report from Bathgate Local Area Committee (LAC).
Armadale and Blackridge
News from Armadale and Blackridge Local Area Committee
