The Grampian region was created in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, which created a two-tier structure of local government across Scotland. Grampian covered the combined area of four former counties, which were abolished for local government purposes at the same time:[1]
Grampian region was abolished in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994 which replaced regions and districts with unitary authorities. The region was divided into three single-tier council areas. The former City of Aberdeen and Moray districts each became council areas (although 'City of Aberdeen' was renamed 'Aberdeen City' to coincide with the reforms),[3] and Banff and Buchan, Gordon, and Kincardine and Deeside merged into a new Aberdeenshire council area.[4]
Geography
The Grampian region was encompassed almost all of what could be considered the north-east of Scotland.
The first election to the regional council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 16 May 1975. Political control of the council from 1975 was as follows:[6]
The regional council was based at Woodhill House in the western suburbs of Aberdeen. The site had formerly been occupied by a large house, which had been bought by the old Aberdeenshire County Council in 1967. The new building was designed in 1971 to be a headquarters for the county council, to replace its old offices at County Buildings in the centre of Aberdeen. The possibility that local government reform may be coming was taken into account in the design of the building, which was completed and occupied in phases from early 1975 onwards.[10][11] An official opening ceremony for the building was held in May 1977.[12]
On the abolition of the regional council in 1996 the building passed to the new Aberdeenshire Council.