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Dumfries and Galloway (Scots: Cooncil o Dumfries an Gallowa; Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Dùn Phris agus an Gall-Ghaidhealaibh, pronounced [d̪̊unˈfɾʲiʃ aɡ̊əs̪ əŋ ɡ̊auɫ̪ɣəɫ̪əv]) is one of 32 council areas of Scotland. To the north, it borders onto South Ayrshire, East Ayrshire and South Lanarkshire; in the east the Borders; and to the south the county of Cumbria in England. It lies to the north of the Solway Firth and to the east of the Irish Sea. The region is well-known for its many artists and writers.
[edit] GeographyThe Dumfries and Galloway region is composed of several sub areas and former counties. The term 'Dumfries and Galloway' has been used since at latest the 19th century - by 1911 the three counties had a united Sheriffdom under that name. Dumfries and Galloway covers the majority of the Western area of the Southern Uplands [1], it also hosts Scotland's most Southerly point, at the Mull of Galloway[1] in the west of the region. [edit] GovernanceThe region was created in 1975, by merging the former counties of Wigtownshire, Kirkcudbrightshire and Dumfriesshire as a two-tier region with the districts of Wigtownshire, Stewartry, Nithsdale and Annandale and Eskdale within it. In 1996 the region became a unitary authority area and the districts were wound up. After 1996 the unitary authority became known as Dumfries and Galloway Council, instead of Dumfries and Galloway Regional Council. [edit] TransportLocal transport strategy is co-ordinated on behalf of the council and Transport Scotland by SWESTRANS (The South West of Scotland Transport Partnership). [edit] Rail The region has 7 working railway stations. All are on the Glasgow South Western Line, except Lockerbie which is on the West Coast Main Line, and Stranraer which is on the Glasgow South Western Line.
[edit] Bus and coachThe area is served by buses which connect the main population centres. Express bus services link the main towns with Glasgow, Ayr, Edinburgh and Carlisle. Local bus services are also operated across the region. [edit] Sea Dumfries and Galloway is home to two ports which have services to Northern Ireland, both are in the West of the region. Stena Line have a port in the town of Stranraer, and P&O Irish Sea in the village of Cairnryan. [edit] AirThe region also has no commercial airports; the nearest are Glasgow Prestwick Airport and Carlisle Airport. The region does host a number of private airfields. The town of Lockerbie was the scene of the Pan Am Flight 103 terrorist attack on December 21, 1988. [edit] RoadsThe main roads to and from the region are: [edit] Emergency servicesThe Dumfries and Galloway Constabulary is the police force for the region, and is the smallest in the United Kingdom. Dumfries and Galloway Fire and Rescue Service provide firefighting services across the region. The Coastguard, Lifeboats, Moffat mountain rescue and Galloway Mountain Rescue also offer emergency services across Dumfries and Galloway. NHS Dumfries and Galloway provide healthcare services across the region, the two main hospitals are the Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary in Dumfries and Galloway Community Hospital in Stranraer. [edit] EducationDumfries & Galloway Council provides nursery, primary and secondary education across the region. [edit] Alternative Schools[edit] Nurseries and primary schoolsFor a list of nurseries and primary schools see this page. [edit] Secondary schools
[edit] WildlifeThe region is known as a stronghold for several rare and protected species of amphibian, such as the Natterjack toad and the Great crested newt.[2] There are also RSPB Nature Reserves at the Mull of Galloway[3], Wood of Cree (Galloway Forest Park)[4], Ken Dee Marshes (near Loch Ken)[5] and Mereshead (near Dalbeattie on the Solway Firth)[6].  [edit] Towns and villagesMain settlements in bold text.
[edit] Places of interest
[edit] Council political compositionThe council consists of 47 councillors elected for a four-year term from 13 wards. These wards were introduced for the 2007 election and each returns three or four members by the single transferable vote system of election. This system was introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004,[7] as a means of ensuring a reasonably proportionately representative outcome. [edit] 2003-2007The result of the 2003 election returned a council with no party having overall control[8]. A 'silver' coalition was first formed invovling all parties but Conservative and Labour, after this coalition resigned[9] Labour took minority control of the council. The following number of councillors were elected for each party as follows:
[edit] 2007-2011The result of the 2007 election returned the following number of councillors for each party as follows:
The council is currently controlled by a Conservative and Liberal Democrat minority coalition. After the resignation of Bruce Hodgson (Conservative councillor for the Abbey ward) a by-election was held on 1 May 2008, with Michael Thomson (Conservative) being returned as the replacement councillor[10]. On Tuesday 20 May 2008, Councillor Robert Higgins stood down as Scottish National Party (SNP) Group Leader, after he received a triple driving ban for reckless driving[11]. Similarly Councillor John Charteris Conservative was banned from driving for 12 months and fined £500 after he to admitted drink driving at Dumfries Sheriff Court on Friday, 29 August 2008 [3] [edit] Current CouncillorsBy political groupings. [edit] Conservative
[edit] Labour
[edit] Scottish National Party
[edit] Liberal Democrat
[edit] Independent
[edit] Gallery
[edit] References
[edit] See also[edit] External links
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