# Stirling (council area)

The Stirling council area (Scots: Stirlin; Scottish Gaelic: Sruighlea) is one of the 32 council areas of Scotland, and has an estimated population of 92,530 (2022). It was created in 1975 as a lower-tier district within the Central region. The district covered parts of the historic counties of Stirlingshire and Perthshire, which were abolished for local government purposes. In 1996 the Central region was abolished and Stirling Council took over all local government functions within the area.
The administrative centre of the area is the city of Stirling, with the headquarters at Old Viewforth.
The area borders the council areas of Clackmannanshire (to the east), North Lanarkshire (to the south), Falkirk (to the south east), Perth and Kinross (to the north and north east), Argyll and Bute (to the north and north west), and both East and West Dunbartonshire to Stirling's southwest.
The majority of the population of the area is located in its southeast corner, in the city of Stirling and in the surrounding lowland communities: Bridge of Allan and Dunblane to the north, Bannockburn to the immediate south, and the three former coal mining communities of Cowie, Fallin, and Plean, known collectively as the "Eastern Villages".
The rest of the council area's population is sparsely distributed across the rural, mainly highland, expanse in the north and west of the area. The southern half of this rural area comprises the flat western floodplain of the River Forth, bounded on the south by the Touch Hills and the Campsie Fells. North of the glen lie the Trossachs mountains, and the northern half of the council area is generally mountainous in character.

## History

Stirling district was created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which abolished Scotland's counties, burghs and landward districts and replaced them with upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Stirling was one of three districts within the Central region. As created in 1975 the Stirling district covered five districts from Stirlingshire and four districts from Perthshire, which were all abolished at the same time:
From Perthshire:
* Callander Burgh
* Doune Burgh
* Dunblane Burgh
* Western District, except Ardoch (which went to Perth and Kinross)
From Stirlingshire:
* Bridge of Allan Burgh
* Central No. 1 District
* Stirling Burgh
* Western No. 1 District
* Western No. 2 District
The new district and its neighbour Falkirk were together made a new Stirling and Falkirk lieutenancy area. The last Lord Lieutenant of Stirlingshire became the first Lord Lieutenant of Stirling and Falkirk.
Local government was reformed again in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which abolished the regions and districts which had been created in 1975, replacing them with unitary council areas. Central Region was abolished and each of the area's three districts, including Stirling, became council areas. Stirling District Council was therefore replaced by the current Stirling Council.

## Governance
### Political control

The council has been under no overall control since 2007. Following the 2022 election a minority Labour administration formed to run the council.
The first election to Stirling 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. Political control since 1975 has been as follows:
Stirling District Council
| Party in control | Years |
| No overall control | 1975–1984 |
| Labour | 1984–1988 |
| No overall control | 1988–1996 |
Stirling Council
| Party in control | Years |
| Labour | 1996–1999 |
| No overall control | 1999–2003 |
| Labour | 2003–2007 |
| No overall control | 2007–present |

### Leadership

The first leader of the council, Corrie McChord, had been the last leader of the Central Regional Council. The leaders since 1996 have been:
| Councillor | Party | From | To |
| Corrie McChord | Labour | 1 Apr 1996 | 12 Mar 2008 |
| Graham Houston | SNP | 12 Mar 2008 | 17 May 2012 |
| Corrie McChord | Labour | 17 May 2012 | 28 Feb 2013 |
| Johanna Boyd | Labour | 28 Feb 2013 | 4 May 2017 |
| Scott Farmer | SNP | 24 May 2017 | 19 May 2022 |
| Chris Kane | Labour | 19 May 2022 | 12 Sep 2024 |
| Margaret Brisley | Labour | 12 Sep 2024 | 27 Oct 2024 |

### Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance, the composition of the council was:
| Date | SNP | Con | Lab | Green | Ind | Vacant | Reason | Leader |
| 5 May 2022 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 1 | | 2022 Stirling Council election | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 19 October 2022 | 8 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | | Ewan Dillon (Lab) becomes Independent | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 18 December 2022 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Death of Graham Houston (SNP) | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 16 March 2023 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | | Robin Kleinman (Con) elected in by-election | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 10 November 2023 | 7 | 7 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 1 | Resignation of Douglas Dodds (Con) | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 25 January 2024 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 2 | | Thomas Heald (Con) elected in by-election | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 20 May 2024 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Resignation of Ewan Dillon (Ind) | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 15 August 2024 | 7 | 8 | 6 | 1 | 1 | | David Wilson (Lab) elected in by-election | Chris Kane (Lab) |
| 12 September 2024 | 7 | 8 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Resignation of Chris Kane (Lab) | Margaret Brisley (Lab) |
| 27 October 2024 | 7 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Death of Margaret Brisley (Lab) | Vacant |
| 5 December 2024 | 8 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1 | Willie Ferguson (SNP) elected in by-election | Vacant |
| 23 January 2025 | 9 | 8 | 4 | 1 | 1 | | Bob Buchanan (SNP) elected in by-election | Vacant |
A by-election was held in 15 August 2024 to fill a vacancy caused by the resignation of Ewan Dillon. Following Chris Kane being elected as MP for Stirling and Strathallan, Labour Councillor Margaret Brisley became leader of the Council, but died on 27 October 2024, and a by-election was held to fill the vacancy caused by her death. The next full council election is due in 2027.

### Premises

The council is based at Old Viewforth on Pitt Terrace in Stirling. The oldest part of the building is a converted house called Viewforth, which had been built in 1855. The house was bought by Stirlingshire County Council in 1931 for £5,250 and converted to become its headquarters. A large art deco extension was added to the rear of the house, opening in 1937. A new building called New Viewforth was built alongside the older premises in 1972, shortly before Stirlingshire County Council was abolished.
Between 1975 and 1996 the premises at Viewforth served as the headquarters of Central Regional Council, whilst Stirling District Council was based at the Municipal Buildings at 8–10 Corn Exchange Road in Stirling, which had been completed in 1918 for the old Stirling Town Council. On local government reorganisation in 1996 Stirling Council took over Viewforth. The 1972 building known as New Viewforth was demolished in 2014.

## Elections

Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:
| Year | Seats | SNP | Conservative | Labour | Green | Liberal Democrats | Independent / Other | Notes |
| 1995 | 22 | 2 | 7 | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 1999 | 22 | 2 | 9 | 11 | 0 | 0 | 0 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2003 | 22 | 0 | 10 | 12 | 0 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2007 | 22 | 7 | 4 | 8 | 0 | 3 | 0 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2012 | 22 | 9 | 4 | 8 | 1 | 0 | 0 | |
| 2017 | 23 | 9 | 9 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 0 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2022 | 23 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Labour minority administration with Conservative support. |

### Wards

The wards are:
| Ward Number | Ward Name | Seats |
| 1 | Trossachs and Teith | 3 |
| 2 | Forth and Endrick | 3 |
| 3 | Dunblane and Bridge of Allan | 4 |
| 4 | Stirling North | 4 |
| 5 | Stirling West | 3 |
| 6 | Stirling East | 3 |
| 7 | Bannockburn | 3 |

## Communities

The area is divided into 42 community council areas, all of which have community councils as at 2023.
* Arnprior
* Balfron
* Balquhidder, Lochearnhead and Strathyre
* Bannockburn
* Braehead and Broomridge
* Bridge of Allan
* Buchanan
* Buchlyvie
* Callander
* Cambusbarron
* Cambuskenneth
* Carron Valley and District
* Causewayhead
* Cornton
* Cowie
* Croftamie
* Drymen
* Dunblane
* Fintry
* Gargunnock
* Gartmore
* Hillpark and Milton
* Killearn
* Killin
* Kilmadock
* King's Park
* Kippen
* Logie
* Mercat Cross
* Plean
* Polmaise
* Port of Menteith
* Raploch
* Riverside
* St Ninians
* Strathard
* Strathblane
* Strathfillan
* Thornhill and Blairdrummond
* Throsk
* Torbrex
* Trossachs

## Settlements

As well as the city of Stirling itself, there are many towns, villages and hamlets spread across the council area, as well as dispersed settlements.
Largest settlements by population:
| Settlement | Population (2020) |
| Stirling | 37,910 |
| Dunblane | 9,310 |
| Bannockburn | 6,720 |
| Bridge of Allan | 5,320 |
| Callander | 3,080 |
| Fallin | 2,850 |
| Cowie | 2,720 |
| Doune | 2,200 |
| Balfron | 2,140 |
| Strathblane | 2,000 |

### Towns

* Bannockburn
* Bridge of Allan
* Callander
* Doune
* Dunblane

### Villages

* Aberfoyle
* Ashfield
* Balfron
* Balmaha
* Balquhidder
* Blairlogie
* Blanefield
* Buchlyvie
* Cambusbarron
* Cambuskenneth
* Cowie
* Crianlarich
* Croftamie
* Deanston
* Drymen
* Fallin
* Fintry
* Gargunnock
* Gartmore
* Killearn
* Killin
* Kinlochard
* Kippen
* Milton of Buchanan
* Lochearnhead
* Plean
* Port of Menteith
* Strathblane
* Strathyre
* Thornhill
* Throsk
* Tyndrum

### Hamlets

* Ardchullarie More
* Ardeonaig
* Arnprior
* Auchlyne
* Balfron Station
* Boquhan
* Buchanan Smithy
* Carbeth
* Dumgoyne
* Gartness
* Inverarnan
* Kilmahog
* Kinbuck
* Milton
* Mugdock
* Stronachlachar

### Dispersed settlements

* Ardchyle
* Auchtubh
* Blair Drummond
* Brig o' Turk
* Dalmary
* Dalrigh
* Inversnaid
* Rowardennan
* Ruskie

## Places of interest

* Carse of Lecropt
* Culcreuch Castle
* Inchmahome Priory (a ruined Augustinian priory on an island in the Lake of Menteith, used as a refuge in 1547 by Mary, Queen of Scots)
* Breadalbane Folklore Centre
* Cambuskenneth Abbey (formerly the seat of the Scottish Parliament)
* Doune Castle
* Dunblane Cathedral
* Falls of Dochart
* Falls of Lochay
* Glen Dochart
* Glenfinlas
* Lake of Menteith
* Lecropt Kirk
* Loch Achray
* Loch Ard
* Loch Earn
* Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park
* Loch Katrine (The source of most of the drinking water for the city of Glasgow)
* Loch Rusky
* Loch Venachar
* Moirlannich Longhouse
* Queen Elizabeth Forest Park (run by Forestry and Land Scotland)
* Scottish Institute of Sport (on the grounds of Stirling University)
* Stirling Castle
* The University of Stirling
* The Trossachs
* Wallace Monument
* West Highland Way