West Lothian Council delivers

Politics and politicians - council and councillors

 

West Lothian 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. Their 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

 Arrangements are currently underway to appoint the three religious representatives to any committee set up to deal with education business following the Council Elections in May 2012.  One of those will be appointed through an electoral college of churches and denominational bodies having duly constituted charges or other regularly appointed places of worship in West Lothian.  The electoral college will be organised on the basis of the Register of Charges and Places of Worship held by the council.

The current register is published below and will also be made available for public inspection at West Lothian Civic Centre, Howden South Road, Livingston from Friday 27th January until Friday 17th February 2012 between the hours of 9am and 4pm.  Please complete the undernoted form if you wish to comment on the accuracy of the register and ensure it is submitted to the Committee Services Manager, West Lothian Council or by e-mail to lorraine.mcgrorty@westlothian.gov.uk by Monday 20th February 2012 in order that it can be taken into account prior to the arrangements for the electoral college being finalised.