Frequently Asked Questions

Who is on the Commission?
The Commission is made up of a Chairman, Deputy Chairman and up to 4 other Commissioners. There are details of who the Commissioners are on the website. The Commission is supported by a Secretariat made up of a small number of staff. The website has contact details for the Commission and the Secretariat.

When do you review local authority areas?
We are required to review local authority areas periodically. The interval between reviews is set in legislation, and can be modified by Scottish Ministers. We will also consider any request that we receive to review a particular local authority area boundary. The current legislation and the current Directions from Ministers are on the Legislation section of this website.

When do you review electoral wards?
We are required to review electoral ward boundaries every 8 to 12 years. We can also carry out a review of ward boundaries at other times if the need arises. The legislation about electoral ward reviews is on the Legislation section of this website.

Who funds the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland?
The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland is funded by the Scottish Government.

What about other parts of the United Kingdom?
The Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland only works in Scotland. There are similar Commissions for England, for Wales and for Northern Ireland. There are links to the websites of each of those organisations on this website.

What’s the Boundary Commission for Scotland, and is it anything to do with you?
The Boundary Commission for Scotland is a separate body which is responsible for reviewing constituency boundaries in Scotland. Full details are available on the Boundary Commission for Scotland website. The Secretariat support both Commissions, and so the address and phone numbers for both Commissions are the same.

What's the structure of Scottish local authority areas?
The current local authority structure in Scotland of 32 single-tier (or unitary) local authorities was introduced in 1994. There are two documents that describe how the boundaries of local authority areas have been defined since 1973 on the publications page of this website.

How can I find out what ward a postcode is in?
We have a Search section on this website which allows you to find out what council area and ward corresponds to a postcode, and download maps of those areas.

• the Commission publicises its intention to conduct a review
• the Commission forms its proposals
• the Commission informs the affected local councils of those proposals, and considers any response from those councils
• the proposals are published for public consultation
• the Commission considers all representations made, holds local inquiries and produces revised recommendations if necessary
• the Commission submits its report to Scottish Ministers.

How do I find out what is going on?
We publish information about our current work on our website through the News and Reviews in Progress sections. We also produce News Releases which appear in newspapers. We also place formal "Statutory Notices" in newspapers at key stages of any review. At the public consultation stages of reviews, maps and other information about our proposals are available for inspection at locations such as public libraries and council offices.

What is the overall objective of the Commission's work?
The Commission is responsible for making recommendations "in the interests of effective and convenient local government" by means of alteration, constitution or abolition of a local government area, or by making changes in the electoral ward boundaries of a local government area. Details of the legislation are available on the website.

What are the rules for designing wards?
The rules for designing wards are set out in the law, and include the aim to produce wards where the electorate for each councillor is as close to the average as practical, the need to fix boundaries which are and will remain easily identifiable, and consideration of any local ties which would be broken by fixing any particular boundary. Details of the legislation that sets those rules are available on the website.

Can I have a say?
Yes. The public consultation process is designed to allow everyone to express their view, for or against, on the Commission's proposals. You can do this by letter or email, using the contact details for the Commission given on the website. Views in support of the Commission's proposals are as important as those against.

What determines if a local inquiry is held?
A local inquiry is held depending on the comments received during a consultation. The Commission makes the decision as to whether there should be a local inquiry.

How can I complain if I feel the Commission has not acted correctly?
The Commission follows the Scottish Government's complaints procedure which is explained on the Scottish Government website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/About/HaveYourSay/Complaints, and which sets out the process for making a complaint.

How do I use PDF files on my computer?
To read PDF files, your computer needs to have the appropriate software installed. The usual software for handling PDF files is Adobe Reader (sometimes also known as Acrobat Reader) which is distributed free of charge by Adobe. If you do not have Adobe Reader software, click on the logo on the right to download a copy from the Adobe web site.

Why does it take a long time to view a PDF map?
Many of our maps contain a lot of detail, and so are very large files. With large files, there may be a considerable delay while the file is downloaded to your computer before anything appears. Sometimes the file does not display at all - see the next question for help with this.

Why does my web browser fail to display some of the maps? What can I do about this?
With the appropriate software installed, PDF files will normally display in your web browser, but large files sometimes do not display. Many of our maps contain a lot of detail, and so are very large files. For large files, it is safer and more reliable to download the file, rather than viewing them in your web browser. Once downloaded, the file selected can be opened, viewed and printed out with the appropriate software. To download a file:

• right click on the PDF icon for the map you wish to view
• select Save Target As ... (Internet Explorer) or Save Link As (Netscape) or Download Link to Disk (Macintosh users) from the drop-down menu
• choose a convenient location to save the file locally
• click save and wait for the file to fully download
• navigate to the saved file, and open it.

I am using Adobe Reader version 8. I have tried to download maps using the method above without success. Can you help?
Users of Adobe Reader 8 who are experiencing difficulty in viewing maps may wish to try the following:

• Open Adobe Reader
• Select the Edit menu
• Select Preferences
• Under Categories on the left hand side, select Internet
• Uncheck the 3 boxes
  • "Display PDF in Browser"
  • "Allow fast Webview"
  • "Allow speculative downloading in the background"
• Select the relevant connection speed for your machine
• Click OK - you will then be asked to reboot your machine

I am having difficulty when using Mozilla Firefox
Users of Mozilla Firefox may find what appear to be broken links on the site. This problem is unique to Firefox and we would suggest using a different browser. If you find broken links using a browser other than Firefox, please e-mail the Commission here.

All text and graphics are Crown Copyright.