# Angus Council

Angus Council is the local authority for Angus, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland.

## History

The first election to Angus District 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 change to council areas which came into force on 1 April 1996.

## Governance

The council's civic head is the Provost of Angus, a role which is largely ceremonial in Angus. Political leadership is instead provided by the leader of the council.

### Political control

Political control since 1975 has been as follows:
Angus District Council :
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1975–1977 |
| Conservative | 1977–1980 |
| No overall control | 1980–1984 |
| SNP | 1984–1996 |
Angus Council :
| Party in control | Years |
| SNP | 1996–2007 |
| No overall control | 2007–2012 |
| SNP | 2012–2017 |
| No overall control | 2017–present |

### Leadership

The leaders since 1996 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Ian Hudghton | SNP | 1 Apr 1996 | 1998 |
| Rob Murray | SNP | 1998 | May 2007 |
| Bob Myles | Independent | May 2007 | May 2012 |
| Ian Gaul | SNP | May 2012 | May 2017 |
| Bob Myles | Independent | 16 May 2017 | May 2018 |
| David Fairweather | Independent | 14 Jun 2018 | 24 May 2022 |
| Beth Whiteside | SNP | 24 May 2022 | |

### Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to April 2024, the composition of the council was:
| Party | Party | Councillors |
| | SNP | 13 |
| | Conservative | 8 |
| | Independent | 6 |
| | Labour | 1 |
| Total | Total | 28 |
Two of the independent councillors form part of the council's administration with the SNP. The next election is due in 2027.

## Elections

Election results since 1995 have been as follows:
| Year | Seats | SNP | Independent / Other | Conservative | Labour | Liberal Democrats |
| 1995 | 26 | 21 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
| 1999 | 29 | 21 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
| 2003 | 29 | 17 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 |
| 2007 | 29 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 3 |
| 2012 | 29 | 15 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
| 2017 | 28 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 0 | 2 |
| 2022 | 28 | 13 | 7 | 7 | 1 | 0 |

### Wards

Angus is divided into 8 wards:
| Ward Number | Ward Name | Seats |
| 1 | Kirriemuir and Dean | 3 |
| 2 | Brechin and Edzell | 3 |
| 3 | Forfar and District | 4 |
| 4 | Monifieth and Sidlaw | 4 |
| 5 | Carnoustie and District | 3 |
| 6 | Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim | 4 |
| 7 | Arbroath East and Lunan | 3 |
| 8 | Montrose and District | 4 |

## Premises

Council meetings are generally held at Forfar Town and County Hall at The Cross in the centre of Forfar. In 2007 the council moved its main offices to a new building called Angus House on Silvie Way in the Orchardbank Business Park on the outskirts of Forfar. The council also has offices in Arbroath.
Previously the council's main offices had been at County Buildings, on Market Street in Forfar. When the county council was established in 1890 the name County Buildings was used for the Forfar Sheriff Court, built 1871, which was the council's first meeting place. The council later moved its main offices into the adjoining converted former prison of 1843, which subsequently became known as County Buildings instead. County Buildings continued to serve as the headquarters of the county council until 1975 and the successor Angus District Council from 1975 to 1996. County Buildings continues to be used as secondary offices by the modern Angus Council.