Editing Dumfries and Galloway (section)

==Governance==
{{Infobox legislature
| name               = Dumfries and Galloway
| native_name        =
| transcription_name =
| legislature        =
| coa_pic            = Dumfries and Galloway Council.svg
| coa_res            = 150px
| house_type         =
| body               =
| houses             =
| leader1_type       = [[Convener]]
| leader1            = Malcolm Johnstone
| party1             = <br>[[Scottish Conservatives|Conservative]]
| election1          = 7 March 2023
| leader2_type       = [[Local government in Scotland#Leader of the Council|Leader]]
| leader2            = Gail Macgregor
| party2             = <br>[[Scottish Conservatives|Conservative]]
| election2          = 7 March 2023
| leader3_type       = [[Chief Executive]]
| leader3            = Dawn Roberts
| party3             = <!--Non political role-->
| election3          = July 2022<ref>{{cite web |title=Dumfries and Galloway Council appoints new Chief Executive |url=https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/24661/Dumfries-and-Galloway-Council-appoints-new-Chief-Executive#:~:text=Dawn%20Roberts%20has%20extensive%20local,government%20for%20over%2025%20years. |website=Dumfries and Galloway Council |access-date=10 March 2023 |date=6 April 2022}}</ref>
| members            = 43 councillors
| house1             =
| house2             =
| structure1         = United Kingdom Dumfries and Galloway council 2025.svg
| structure1_res     = 250px
| political_groups1  =
; Administration (16)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}| border=darkgray}} [[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]] (16)
; Other parties (27)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Scottish National Party}}|border=darkgray}} [[Scottish National Party|SNP]] (11)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}|border=darkgray}} [[Labour Party (UK)|Labour]] (8)
: {{Color box|{{party color|Independent politician}}|border=darkgray}} [[Independent politician|Independents]] (7)
: {{nowrap|{{Color box|{{party color|Liberal Democrats}}|border=darkgray}} [[Liberal Democrats (UK)|Liberal Democrats]] (1)}}
| structure2         =
| structure2_res     =
| political_groups2  =
| committees1        =
| committees2        =
| joint_committees   =
| voting_system1     = [[Single transferable vote]]
| voting_system2     =
| last_election1     = [[2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|5 May 2022]]
| next_election1     = 6 May 2027
| session_room       = File:Dumfries & Galloway Council Headquarters (geograph 4699595).jpg
| session_res        =
| meeting_place      = [[County Buildings, Dumfries|Council Offices]], 113 English Street, [[Dumfries]], DG1{{nbsp}}2DD
| website            = {{URL|www.dumgal.gov.uk}}
| footnotes          =
}}

{{see also|:Category:Wards of Dumfries and Galloway}}

===Administrative history===
Prior to 1975, the area that is now Dumfries and Galloway was administered as three separate counties: [[Dumfriesshire]], [[Kirkcudbrightshire]], and [[Wigtownshire]]. The counties of Scotland originated as sheriffdoms, which were established from the twelfth century, consisting of a group of parishes over which a sheriff had jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/types/type_page.jsp?unit_type=SCO_CNTY|title=Type details for Scottish County|publisher=Vision of Britain|access-date=16 August 2021}}</ref> An elected county council was established for each county in 1890 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889]].

The three county councils were abolished in 1975 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], which established a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. A region called Dumfries and Galloway was created covering the area of the three counties, which were abolished as administrative areas. The region contained four districts:<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=22 November 2022}}</ref>
*[[Annandale and Eskdale]], covering the eastern part of Dumfriesshire.
*[[Nithsdale]], covering the western part of Dumfriesshire and a small part of Kirkcudbrightshire.
*[[Stewartry]], covering most of Kirkcudbrightshire.
*[[Wigtown Area|Wigtown]], covering all of Wigtownshire and a small part of Kirkcudbrightshire.{{efn|The district of Wigtown was named in the 1973 Act as "Merrick", but the name was changed to Wigtown prior to the new system coming into force in 1975.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975|year=1975|number=428|accessdate=27 November 2022}}</ref>}}

Further local government reform in 1996 under the [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994]] saw the area's four districts abolished, with the Dumfries and Galloway Council taking over the functions they had previously performed.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year-1994|chapter=39|accessdate=22 November 2022}}</ref> The council continues to use the areas of the four abolished districts as [[committee area]]s. The four former districts are also used to define the area's three [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy areas]], with Nithsdale and Annandale and Eskdale together forming the Dumfries lieutenancy, the Stewartry district corresponding to the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright lieutenancy, and the Wigtown district corresponding to the Wigtown lieutenancy.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants (Scotland) Order 1996|year=1996|number=731|accessdate=22 November 2022}}</ref>

The council headquarters is at the [[County Buildings, Dumfries|Council Offices]] at 113 English Street in Dumfries, which had been built in 1914 as the headquarters for the old Dumfriesshire County Council, previously being called "County Buildings".<ref>{{Historic Environment Scotland|num=LB26174|desc=English Street, County Buildings|access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Dumfries, 113 English Street, Dumfries County Buildings |url=https://canmore.org.uk/site/159278/dumfries-113-english-street-dumfries-county-buildings |website=Canmore |publisher=Historic Environment Scotland |access-date=10 March 2023}}</ref>

===Political control===
The first election to the Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the reforms which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of the council since 1975 has been as follows:<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/?page_id=3825 |website=The Elections Centre |access-date=6 November 2022}}</ref>

'''Regional council'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || 1975–1994
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 1994–1996
|}

'''Unitary authority'''
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 1996–present
|}

===Leadership===
Since 2007 the council has been required to designate a [[leader of the council]]. The leader may also act as the convener, chairing council meetings, or the council may choose to appoint a different councillor to be convener.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (Remuneration) Regulations 2007|year=2007|number=183|accessdate=27 November 2022}}</ref> Prior to 2007 the council sometimes chose to appoint a leader, and sometimes did not. The leaders since 2007 have been:<ref>{{cite web |title=Council minutes |url=https://dumfriesgalloway.moderngov.co.uk/mgCalendarMonthView.aspx?GL=1&bcr=1 |website=Dumfries and Galloway Council |access-date=27 November 2022}}</ref>

{| class=wikitable
! Councillor !! colspan=2|Party !! From !! To !! Notes
|-
| Ivor Hyslop || {{party name with colour|Conservative Party (UK)}} || align=right|15 May 2007 || align=right|1 Oct 2013 || 
|-
| Ronnie Nicholson || {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|1 Oct 2013 || align=right|23 May 2017 || 
|-
| [[Elaine Murray]] || {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}} || align=right|23 May 2017 || align=right|5 May 2022 || 
|-
| Stephen Thompson || {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} ||rowspan=2 align=right|24 May 2022 ||rowspan=2 align=right|3 Feb 2023 ||rowspan=2|Co-leaders, with Thompson being the civic head and convener and Dorward being the depute convener. 
|-
| Linda Dorward || {{party name with colour|Labour Party (UK)}}
|-
|Stephen Thompson || {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=right|3 Feb 2023 || align=right|28 Feb 2023 ||
|-
| Gail Macgregor<ref name=McLean>{{cite news |last1=McLean |first1=Marc |title=Dumfries and Galloway Council power takeover leads to even more political unrest |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/dumfries-galloway-council-power-takeover-29404442 |access-date=10 March 2023 |work=Daily Record |date=10 March 2023}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} || align=right|7 Mar 2023 || || Malcolm Johnstone (CON) as Depute Leader of the Council and Convenor
|}

===Composition===
Following the [[2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2022 election]] and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to July 2024, the composition of the council was:

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan=2| Party
! Councillors
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} || align=center|16
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=center|11
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=center|8
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Independent politician}} || align=center|7
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Liberal Democrats}} || align=center|1
|-
! colspan=2|Total
! align=center|42
|}

Three of the independent councillors and the Liberal Democrat sit together as the 'Independent Group'. Another three independent councillors form the 'Democratic Alliance' group, and the other independent does not belong to a group.<ref>{{cite web |title=Your councillors by political grouping |url=https://dumfriesgalloway.moderngov.co.uk/mgMemberIndex.aspx?FN=GROUPING&VW=LIST&PIC=0 |website=Dumfries and Galloway Council |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref> The next election is due in 2027.<ref>{{cite web |title=Dumfries and Galloway |url=https://www.localcouncils.co.uk/councils/?council=dumfries_and_galloway |website=Local Councils |publisher=Thorncliffe |access-date=30 July 2024}}</ref>

===Elections===
{{main|Dumfries and Galloway Council elections}}
Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the [[single transferable vote]] system of election. This system was introduced by the [[Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004]] to achieve a reasonably [[proportional representation|proportionately representative]] outcome. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:<ref name=compositions/>

{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
!rowspan=2|'''Year'''
!rowspan=2|'''Seats'''
!width="80"|'''[[Conservative Party (UK)|Conservative]]'''
!width="80"|[[Scottish National Party|'''SNP''']]
!width="80"|[[Labour Party (UK)|'''Labour''']]
!width="80"|[[Liberal Democrats (UK)|'''Liberal Democrats''']]
!width="80"|[[Independent politician|'''Independent''']]
! rowspan="2" |'''Notes'''
|-
!style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" |
|-
| [[1995 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|1995]]
| 70
| 2
| 9
| 21
| 10
| 28
| align="left" |
|-
| [[1999 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|1999]]
| 47
| 8
| 5
| 13
| 6
| 15
| align="left" |New ward boundaries.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Dumfries and Galloway (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998|year=1998|number=3180|accessdate=29 January 2023}}</ref>
|-
| [[2003 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2003]]
| 47
| 11
| 5
| 14
| 5
| 12
| align="left" |
|-
| [[2007 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2007]]
| 47
| 18
| 10
| 14
| 3
| 2
| align="left" |New ward boundaries.<ref>{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The Dumfries and Galloway (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006|year=2006|number=434|accessdate=29 January 2023}}</ref> Conservative and SNP coalition.
|-
| [[2012 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2012]]
| 47
| 14
| 10
| 15
| 1
| 7
| align="left" |Conservative / SNP coalition until October 2013.<ref>{{Cite news |date=28 September 2013 |title=Dumfries and Galloway Council deadlock meeting planned |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-24305344 |access-date=28 September 2013}}</ref> Labour / SNP coalition until June 2014.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2 June 2014 |title=SNP quits Dumfries and Galloway Council ruling coalition |work=BBC News |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-south-scotland-27664574}}</ref> Minority Labour administration 2014–2017.
|-
| [[2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2017]]
| 43
| 16
| 11
| 11
| 1
| 4
| align="left" |New ward boundaries.<ref>{{cite legislation Scotland|type=ssi|ssi=The Dumfries and Galloway (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2016|year=2016|number=269|accessdate=29 January 2023}}</ref> Labour and SNP coalition.
|-
| [[2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election|2022]]
| 43
| 16
| 11
| 9
| 1
| 6
| align="left" |SNP and Independent Group Coalition with Labour support until February 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=McLean |first=Marc |last2=Standard |first2=Dumfries and Galloway |date=2023-02-07 |title=Council coalition hangs on to power |url=https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/split-dumfries-galloway-coalition-hangs-29147333 |access-date=2023-02-08 |website=Daily Record |language=en}}</ref> Conservative minority administration from March 2023.<ref name=McLean/>
|-
!
!
!style="background-color: {{party color|Conservative Party (UK)}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Labour Party (UK)}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Liberal Democrats (UK)}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" |
!
|}

===Wards===
[[File:Dumfries and Galloway UK ward map 2017 (blank).svg|thumb|Map of the area's wards (2017 configuration)]]

The council area is divided into 12 wards that elect 43 councilors:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
!Ward Number
!Ward Name
!Location
!Seats
|-
|1
|[[Stranraer and the Rhins]]
|[[File:Stranraer and the Rhins.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|2
|[[Mid Galloway and Wigtown West]]
|[[File:Mid Galloway and Wigtown West.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|3
|[[Dee and Glenkens]]
|[[File:Dee and Glenkins.svg|100px]]
|3
|-
|4
|[[Castle Douglas and Crocketford]]
|[[File:Castle Douglas and Crocketford.svg|100px]]
|3
|-
|5
|[[Abbey (Dumfries and Galloway ward)|Abbey]]
|[[File:Abbey.svg|100px]]
|3
|-
|6
|[[North West Dumfries]]
|[[File:North West Dumfries.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|7
|[[Mid and Upper Nithsdale]]
|[[File:Mid and Upper Nithsdale.svg|100px]]
|3
|-
|8
|[[Lochar (ward)|Lochar]]
|[[File:Lochar.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|9
|[[Nith (ward)|Nith]]
|[[File:Nith Ward.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|10
|[[Annandale South]]
|[[File:Annandale South.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|11
|[[Annandale North]]
|[[File:Annandale North.svg|100px]]
|4
|-
|12
|[[Annandale East and Eskdale]]
|[[File:Annandale East and Eskdale.svg|100px]]
|3
|-
|}

===Parliamentary constituencies===
{{main|Dumfries and Galloway (UK Parliament constituency)|Dumfriesshire, Clydesdale and Tweeddale (UK Parliament constituency)|Dumfriesshire (Scottish Parliament constituency)|Galloway and West Dumfries (Scottish Parliament constituency)}}