What is the full name of the council Neilston remains part of for purposes of registration and Lieutenancy?
Neilston is represented by several tiers of elected government. Neilston Community Council forms the lowest tier of governance whose statutory role is to communicate local opinion to local and central government. It is one of ten community councils of the East Renfrewshire council area. East Renfrewshire Council, the unitary local authority for Neilston, is based at Giffnock, close to the border with the City of Glasgow, and is the executive, deliberative and legislative body responsible for local governance. The Scottish Parliament is responsible for devolved matters such as education, health and justice, while reserved matters are dealt with by the Parliament of the United Kingdom.
The territory of what became Neilston anciently formed part of the Kingdom of Strathclyde. It has lain within the county boundaries of Renfrewshire from a very early time. Neilston emerged as a parish and administrative unit in 1170, and was for many years under the lordship of the Mures of Caldwell whose tombs are at the parish church. The parish was 8 miles (13 km) in length and by from 2 miles (3 km) to 4 miles (6 km) in breadth, encompassing six sevenths of what is now the town of Barrhead. Neilston Parish Council, a local body with limited power, was established in 1895, following the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1894, and abolished in 1930 following the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929. In 1890, Neilston fell under the authority of Renfrewshire County Council, where it remained until 1975 when the county was superseded by the regional council area of Strathclyde. In 1903, Neilston was within the Paisley Small Debt Court District and Poor Combination. From 1975 to 1996, Neilston was in the Renfrew District of Strathclyde until the two-tier regions and districts of Scotland were abolished. Since 1996 it has formed part of the unitary East Renfrewshire council area; East Renfrewshire Council is the local authority. Neilston remains part of Renfrewshire for purposes of registration and Lieutenancy.
Neilston forms part of the multi member ward 1 of East Renfrewshire Council, namely Neilston, Uplawmoor and Newton Mearns North. Four Councillors are elected using the proportional Single Transferable Vote (STV) system. The current elected members are Charlie Gilbert (Conservative) Paul O'Kane (Labour) Elaine Green (Labour) and Tony Buchanan (SNP).
Neilston is part of the county constituency of East Renfrewshire, electing one MP to the House of Commons of the United Kingdom Parliament. Paul Masterton of the Conservative Party was elected as MP for East Renfrewshire in the 2017 General Election. Before the constituency's creation in 2005, Neilston lay in the Eastwood constituency. For purposes of the Scottish Parliament, Neilston forms part of the Renfrewshire South Constituency, represented by Tom Arthur of the Scottish National Party. In addition to this Neilston is represented by seven regional MSPs from the West of Scotland electoral region.
East Renfrewshire Council