View source for Inverclyde

{{Short description|Council area of Scotland}}
{{Other uses}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}
{{Use British English|date=April 2017}}
{{Infobox settlement
| name                    = Inverclyde
| native_name             = {{Unbulleted list
 |{{native name|gd|Inbhir Chluaidh}}
 |{{native name|sco|Inerclyde}}
 }}
| settlement_type         = [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|Council area]]
| image_skyline           = 
| imagesize               = 
| image_alt               = 
| image_caption           = 
| image_flag              = 
| flag_alt                = 
| image_shield            = Coat_of_Arms_Inverclyde.svg
| shield_alt              = 
| shield_link             = 
| image_blank_emblem      = 
| blank_emblem_size       = 
| blank_emblem_type       = 
| blank_emblem_link       = 
| etymology               = 
| nickname                = 
| motto                   = 
| image_map               = Inverclyde UK location map.svg
| map_alt                 = 
| map_caption             = Inverclyde shown within [[Scotland]]
| coordinates             = {{coord|55|54|N|4|45|W|region:GB_type:adm2nd|display=inline,title}}
| subdivision_type        = [[Sovereign state]]
| subdivision_name        = [[United Kingdom]]
| subdivision_type1       = [[Countries of the United Kingdom|Country]]
| subdivision_name1       = [[Scotland]]
| subdivision_type2       = 
| subdivision_name2       = 
| subdivision_type3       = [[Lieutenancy areas of Scotland|Lieutenancy area]]
| subdivision_name3       = [[Renfrewshire (historic)|Renfrewshire]]
| subdivision_type4       = 
| subdivision_name4       = 
| established_title       = Unitary authority
| established_date        = [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|1 April 1996]]
| established_title1      = 
| established_date1       = 
| established_title2      = 
| established_date2       = 
| named_for               = 
| seat_type               = Administrative{{nbsp}}HQ
| seat                    = [[Greenock Municipal Buildings]]
| parts_type              = 
| parts                   = 
<!-- Government -->
| government_footnotes    = <ref name="Council leadership">{{cite web |url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/council-and-government |title=Council and Government |website=Inverclyde Council |access-date=21 December 2024}}</ref>
| government_type         = [[Local government in Scotland|Council]]
| governing_body          = [[Inverclyde Council]]
| leader_title            = [[Political make-up of local councils in the United Kingdom|Control]]
| leader_name             = {{UK council control|GSS=S12000018}}
| leader_title1           = 
| leader_name1            = 
| leader_title2           = 
| leader_name2            = 
| leader_title3           = [[Member of Parliament (United Kingdom)|MPs]]
| leader_name3            = [[Martin McCluskey]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
| leader_title4           = [[Member of the Scottish Parliament|MSPs]]
| leader_name4            = {{Collapsible list |title=2 MSPs
 |[[Stuart McMillan]] ([[Scottish National Party|SNP]])
 |[[Natalie Don]] ([[Scottish National Party|SNP]])
 }}
<!-- Area -->
<!-- ALL fields with measurements have automatic unit conversion -->
| area_footnotes          = <ref name="popstats">{{UK subdivision statistics citation}}</ref>
| area_total_km2          = {{UK subdivision area|GSS=S12000018}}
| area_land_km2           = 
| area_water_km2          = 
| area_rank               = [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|{{Scottish council area rank|GSS=S12000018}}]]
<!-- Population -->
| population_footnotes    = <ref name="popstats" />
| population_as_of        = {{UK subdivision statistics year}}
| population_total        = {{UK subdivision population|GSS=S12000018}}
| population_rank         = [[Subdivisions of Scotland#Council areas|{{Scottish council population rank|GSS=S12000018}}]]
| population_density_km2  = {{UK subdivision density|GSS=S12000018}}
| population_demonym      = 
<!-- demographics (section 1) -->
| demographics_type1      = 
| demographics1_footnotes = 
| demographics1_title1    = 
| demographics1_info1     = 
<!-- demographics (section 2) -->
| demographics_type2      = 
| demographics2_footnotes = 
| demographics2_title1    = 
| demographics2_info1     = 
| timezone1               = [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]]
| utc_offset1             = +0
| timezone1_DST           = [[British Summer Time|BST]]
| utc_offset1_DST         = +1
<!-- Codes -->
| postal_code_type        = [[Postcodes in the United Kingdom|Postcode areas]]
| postal_code             = 
| area_code_type          = [[Telephone numbers in the United Kingdom|Dialling codes]]
| area_code               = 
| iso_code                = [[ISO 3166-2:GB|GB-IVC]]
| blank1_name             = [[GSS coding system|GSS code]]
| blank1_info             = S12000018
| website                 = {{URL|inverclyde.gov.uk}}
}}
'''Inverclyde''' ({{langx|sco|Inerclyde}}, {{langx|gd|Inbhir Chluaidh}}, {{IPA|gd|iɲiɾʲˈxl̪ˠuəj|pron}}, "mouth of the Clyde") is one of 32 [[Council areas of Scotland|council areas]] used for local government in [[Scotland]]. Together with the [[East Renfrewshire]] and [[Renfrewshire]] council areas, Inverclyde forms part of the [[counties of Scotland|historic county]] of [[Renfrewshire (historic)|Renfrewshire]], which currently exists as a [[registration county]] and [[lieutenancy area]]. Inverclyde is located in the west [[central Lowlands]]. It borders the [[North Ayrshire]] and Renfrewshire council areas, and is otherwise surrounded by the [[Firth of Clyde]].

Inverclyde was formerly one of nineteen [[Districts of Scotland|district]]s within [[Strathclyde Region]], from 1975 until 1996. Prior to 1975, Inverclyde was governed as part of the local government [[Counties of Scotland|county]] of [[Renfrewshire (historic)|Renfrewshire]], comprising the burghs of [[Greenock]], [[Port Glasgow]] and [[Gourock]], and the former fifth district of the county. Its landward area is bordered by the Kelly, North and South Routen burns to the southwest (separating [[Wemyss Bay]] and [[Skelmorlie]], [[North Ayrshire]]), part of the [[River Gryfe]] and the Finlaystone Burn to the south-east.

It is one of the smallest in terms of area ({{Scottish council area rank|GSS=S12000018}}) and population ({{Scottish council population rank|GSS=S12000018}}) out of the 32 Scottish unitary authorities. Along with the council areas clustered around [[Glasgow]] it is considered part of [[Greater Glasgow]] in some definitions,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gcvcore.gov.uk/About/about.htm |title=Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan Joint Committee |website=www.gcvcore.gov.uk |access-date=13 January 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070520151157/http://www.gcvcore.gov.uk/About/about.htm |archive-date=20 May 2007 |url-status=dead}}</ref> although it is physically separated from the city area by open countryside and does not share a border with the city.

The name derives from the extinct [[Scottish feudal barony|barony]] of [[Baron Inverclyde|Inverclyde]] (1897) conferred upon [[John Burns, 1st Baron Inverclyde|Sir John Burns]] of [[Wemyss Bay]] and his heirs.

==Council==
{{main|Inverclyde Council}}
{{See also|:Category:Inverclyde Council elections}}

==History==
Inverclyde was created as a district in 1975 under the [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]], which established a two-tier structure of local government across mainland Scotland comprising upper-tier regions and lower-tier districts. Inverclyde was one of nineteen districts created within the region of [[Strathclyde]]. The district covered the area of four former districts from the [[shires of Scotland|historic county]] of [[Renfrewshire (historic)|Renfrewshire]], all of which were abolished at the same time:<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=9 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{London Gazette|issue=14632|page=258|date=7 March 1930|city=e}}</ref>
*[[Greenock]] [[Burgh]]
*[[Gourock]] Burgh
*[[Port Glasgow]] Burgh
*Fifth [[List of local government areas in Scotland (1930–1975)|District]], being the landward (outside a burgh) parts of the parishes of Greenock, [[Inverkip]], Port Glasgow, and [[Kilmacolm]].

The new district was named Inverclyde, meaning "mouth of the [[River Clyde]]", a name which had been coined in 1897 for the title of [[Baron Inverclyde]] which was conferred upon [[John Burns, 1st Baron Inverclyde|John Burns]] of [[Castle Wemyss]], a large house at [[Wemyss Bay]]. The remaining parts of Renfrewshire were divided between the [[Eastwood, Strathclyde|Eastwood]] and [[Renfrew (district)|Renfrew]] districts. The three districts together formed a single [[lieutenancy areas of Scotland|lieutenancy area]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=si|si=The Lord-Lieutenants Order 1975|year=1975|number=428|accessdate=9 February 2023}}</ref>

In 1996 the districts and regions were replaced with unitary [[council area]]s under the [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994]]. In the debates leading up to that act, the government initially proposed replacing these three districts with two council areas: "West Renfrewshire", covering Inverclyde district and the western parts of Renfrew district, and "East Renfrewshire", covering Eastwood district and the eastern parts of Renfrew district.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local Government (Scotland and Wales) Volume 233: debated on Monday 22 November 1993 |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1993-11-22/debates/505ea6bb-9416-4179-ac1c-209fd64ea7d4/LocalGovernment(ScotlandAndWales) |website=Hansard |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=6 February 2023}}</ref> The proposals were not supported locally, with Inverclyde successfully campaigning to be allowed to form its own council area. The new council areas came into effect on 1 April 1996.<ref>{{cite web |title=Local Government Etc (Scotland) Bill: Volume 235: debated on Monday 17 January 1994 |url=https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commons/1994-01-17/debates/26a716f2-051a-4e9a-b6ad-ea8e7ea4ffb2/LocalGovernmentEtc(Scotland)Bill?highlight=local%20government%20scotland%20inverclyde#contribution-359bf15e-d722-41f6-8ab3-5f2898567380 |website=Hansard |publisher=UK Parliament |access-date=10 February 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=6 February 2023}}</ref>

==Settlements==
{{Location map+|Scotland Inverclyde
 |caption={{left|The largest settlements in Inverclyde.}}
 |float=right
 |width=500
 |places =
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.950|-4.765}}|position=right|label='''[[Greenock]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.934|-4.690}}|position=top|label='''[[Port Glasgow]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.953|-4.817}}|position=left|label='''[[Gourock]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.894|-4.627}}|position=top|label='''[[Kilmacolm]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.907|-4.870}}|position=right|label='''[[Inverkip]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.884|-4.887}}|position=right|label='''[[Wemyss Bay]]'''|label_size=}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.868|-4.616}}|position=left|label='''[[Quarrier's Village]]'''|label_size=}}

<!-- Bordering council areas -->
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.97|-4.61|}}|position=left|label=''[[Argyll_and_Bute#Settlements|Argyll and Bute]]''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
 {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.832|-4.59|}}|position=left|label=''[[Renfrewshire#Settlements|Renfrewshire]]''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
  {{Location map~|Scotland Inverclyde|coordinates = {{coord|55.859|-4.81|}}|position=right|label=''[[North Ayrshire#Settlements|North Ayrshire]]''|marksize=0|label_size=120}}
}}

Settlements by population:
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|+
!Settlement
!Population ({{Scottish settlement population citation|year}})<ref name="auto">{{Scottish settlement population citation}}</ref>
|-
|[[Greenock]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Greenock}}
|-
|[[Port Glasgow]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Port Glasgow}}
|-
|[[Gourock]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Gourock}}
|-
|[[Kilmacolm]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Kilmacolm}}
|-
|[[Inverkip]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Inverkip}}
|-
|[[Wemyss Bay]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Wemyss Bay}}
|-
|[[Quarrier's Village]]
|{{Scottish locality population|name|POP=Quarrier's Village}}
|-
|}

==Communities==
{{multiple image|total_width = 250
| align             = right
| direction         = vertical
| image1            = 230711 Greenock.jpg
| alt1              = Greenock skyline
| caption1          = Greenock, the administrative seat of [[Inverclyde Council]].
| image2            = Greenock muni blgs2.jpg
| alt2              = Greenock Municipal Buildings
| caption2          = Inverclyde Council is based at [[Greenock Municipal Buildings]].
}}
The area is divided into eleven [[List of community council areas in Scotland|community council areas]], seven of which have [[community council]]s as at 2023 (being those with asterisks in the list below):<ref>{{cite web |title=Community Council Pages |url=https://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/council-and-government/community-councils/community-council-pages |website=Inverclyde Council |access-date=14 February 2023}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
*[[Gourock]]*
*[[Greenock]] Central
*Greenock East
*Greenock Southwest*
*Greenock West and Cardwell Bay*
*Holefarm and Cowdenknowes
*[[Inverkip]] and [[Wemyss Bay]]*
*[[Kilmacolm]]*
*[[Larkfield, Greenock|Larkfield]], [[Braeside, Greenock|Braeside]] and [[Branchton]]*
*[[Port Glasgow]] East
*Port Glasgow West*
{{div col end}}

==Places of interest==
*[[Ardgowan House|Ardgowan Estate]]
*The Bogal Stone
*[[Cappielow]]
*[[Castle Levan]]
*[[Clyde Muirshiel Regional Park]]
*Greenock Cut Visitor Centre<ref name=autogenerated1>{{Cite web|url=https://clydemuirshiel.co.uk/|title=Clyde Muirshiel – Scotland's Largest Regional Park|website=clydemuirshiel.co.uk}}</ref>
*Custom House Quay and Museum<ref>[http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/portal/index.php?module=article&view=55&MMN_position=41:36:39] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060923082232/http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/portal/index.php?module=article&view=55&MMN_position=41%3A36%3A39|date=23 September 2006}}</ref>
*[[Duchal House]]
*[[Finlaystone House]]
*[[Gourock]] Outdoor Pool<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inverclydeleisure.com/html/pools.asp|title=Online Member Services|website=www.inverclydeleisure.com|access-date=1 September 2005|archive-date=13 February 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060213064551/http://inverclydeleisure.com/html/pools.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>
*[[Granny Kempock Stone]]
*[[Loch Thom]]
*[[Lunderston Bay]]<ref name=autogenerated1 />
*McLean Museum and Art Gallery<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/Museum_Gallery/index.php |title=McLean Museum and Art Gallery - Inverclyde Council - Museum & Art Gallery |access-date=1 September 2005 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051122110455/http://www.inverclyde.gov.uk/Museum_Gallery/index.php |archive-date=22 November 2005  }}</ref>
*[[Newark Castle, Port Glasgow|Newark Castle]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.historic-scotland.gov.uk|title=Historic Environment Scotland|website=www.historic-scotland.gov.uk}}</ref>
*Waterfront Leisure Complex<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.inverclydeleisure.com/html/water.asp|title=Online Member Services|website=www.inverclydeleisure.com|access-date=1 September 2005|archive-date=20 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220060313/https://www.inverclydeleisure.com/html/water.asp|url-status=dead}}</ref>

==National voting==
In the [[2014 Scottish independence referendum|2014 independence referendum]], the "No" vote won in Inverclyde by just 86 votes and a margin of 0.2%. By either measure, this was the narrowest result of any of the 32 council areas. In the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 EU Referendum]], Inverclyde posted a "Remain" vote of almost 64%.

==Education==
Inverclyde has twenty primary schools serving all areas of its settlements. These are:
* Aileymill Primary School, Greenock (merger of Larkfield and Ravenscraig primaries)
* All Saints Primary School, Greenock (merger of St. Kenneth's and St. Lawrence's primaries)
* Ardgowan Primary School, Greenock
* Gourock Primary School, Gourock
* Inverkip Primary School, Inverkip
* Kilmacolm Primary School, Kilmacolm/Port Glasgow
* King's Oak Primary School, Greenock (merger of King's Glen and Oakfield primaries)
* Lady Alice Primary School, Greenock
* Moorfoot Primary School, Gourock
* Newark Primary School, Port Glasgow (merger of Boglestone, [[Clune Park Primary School|Clune Park]], Highholm and Slaemuir primaries)
* St. Andrew's Primary School, Greenock (merger of Sacred Heart and St. Gabriel's primaries)
* St. Francis' Primary School, Port Glasgow
* St. John's Primary School, Port Glasgow
* St. Joseph's Primary School, Greenock
* St. Mary's Primary School, Greenock
* St. Michael's Primary School, Port Glasgow
* St. Ninian's Primary School, Gourock
* St. Patrick's Primary School, Greenock
* Wemyss Bay Primary School, Wemyss Bay
* Whinhill Primary School, Greenock (merger of Highlanders' Academy and Overton primaries)

These are connected to several Secondary schools which serve Inverclyde as follows:
* [[Clydeview Academy]], serving the West End of Greenock and the town of [[Gourock]]
* [[Inverclyde Academy]], serving South and East Greenock as well as the villages of [[Inverkip]] and [[Wemyss Bay]]
* [[Notre Dame High School, Greenock|Notre Dame High School]], serving [[Greenock]]
* [[Port Glasgow High School]], serving [[Port Glasgow]] and [[Kilmacolm]]
* [[St Columba's High School, Gourock|St Columba's High School]], Gourock/Greenock, serving Gourock, Inverkip and Wemyss Bay
* [[St. Stephen's High School, Port Glasgow|St. Stephen's High School]], serving Port Glasgow, Kilmacolm and the East End of Greenock
* [[Craigmarloch School]] which is an Additional Support Needs school for pupils aged 4–18 based at the new Port Glasgow Community Campus after the merging of Glenburn and Lilybank schools.

==Demography==
The average life expectancy for Inverclyde male residents (2013–2015) is 75.4 years, to rank 28th out of the 32 areas in Scotland. The average Inverclyde female lives for 80.4 years, to rank 26th out 32.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.nrscotland.gov.uk/files//statistics/life-expectancy-areas-in-scotland/2013-2015/1315le.pdf |work=National records for Scotland |title=Life expectancy for areas within Scotland 2013–2015 |access-date=1 January 2017}}</ref> There are large [[health disparities]] between settlements in Inverclyde with many health indicators being above the Scottish average in certain areas, whilst considerably below in others.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile%3DHealth%26mainLevel%3DLocality%26mainText%3DKilmacolm%26mainTextExplicitMatch%3Dnull%26compLevel%3DLocality%26compText%3DPort+Glasgow%26compTextExplicitMatch%3Dfalse |title=Browser Health |access-date=23 June 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120404163031/http://www.scrol.gov.uk/scrol/browser/profile.jsp?profile=Health&mainLevel=Locality&mainText=Kilmacolm&mainTextExplicitMatch=null&compLevel=Locality&compText=Port+Glasgow&compTextExplicitMatch=false |archive-date=4 April 2012  }}</ref>

In 2019, the Inverclyde Council Area was rated as the most deprived in Scotland by the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD), with Greenock Town Centre the most deprived community. (The term "deprivation" refers not only to low income according to the BBC, but may also include "fewer resources and opportunities, for example in health and education".) After the announcement, Deputy leader Jim Clocherty said that he hoped that investment money would arrive soon, and that "no part of Scotland wants to be labelled as the 'most deprived'". A £3m investment was scheduled for Greenock Town Centre and there was also plan to create a new cruise visitor centre with other investment funds being expected.<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-51279966 | work=BBC News | title=Scotland's most and least deprived areas named | date=28 January 2020| access-date=28 January 2020}}</ref>

=== Religion ===
Inverclyde is one of only two Scottish council areas where 'no religion' was not the most common response to the question on religious adherence in the latest 2022 census. Census figures show that the most common religious denomination in Inverclyde was Roman Catholic, with 30,156 adherents (2011 Census) and 26,224 in the most recent 2022 census. Those who described their denomination as Church of Scotland fell to 18,554 in the same period.<ref>[https://uk.news.yahoo.com/more-people-inverclyde-turning-backs-143000641.html?guccounter=1&guce_referrer=aHR0cHM6Ly93d3cuZ29vZ2xlLmNvbS8&guce_referrer_sig=AQAAADoOGSaNbQWjt_NFdGcYPjb3LQ-MTIdwOczsSnj8QB5kvo6R_0Fy9fn7RJ_uU_6YFhtwQWuvyFav0iTmFHkKMz7WUnaBIMlU9JcDKPgBDmQ8PQbSz897uPs7lV-iFqsbVdbJsBzSg09HOXqyYzBb94mgZAvPHfIBYYH-FFDMEHyQ]</ref>

=== Languages ===
The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 76,542 residents aged three and over, 22,878 (29.9%) considered themselves able to speak or read the Scots language. <ref>[https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/webapi/opentable?id=019a1a62-eab8-76fc-98d0-f7e8423a5077]</ref>

The 2022 Scottish Census reported that out of 76,554 residents aged three and over, 660 (0.9%) considered themselves able to speak or read [[Scottish Gaelic|Gaelic]]. <ref>[https://www.scotlandscensus.gov.uk/webapi/opentable?id=019a2022-ecdd-77ea-96ad-569f0c5b3786</ref>

==See also==
*[[List of places in Inverclyde]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Inverclyde}}

{{Navboxes
| title = Inverclyde
| list = 
{{Rugby union in Inverclyde}}
{{Strathgryffe}}
{{Lists of listed buildings in Inverclyde}}
{{Inverclyde elections}}
{{Wards of Inverclyde}}
}}

{{Scotland subdivisions}}
{{Former local government regions of Scotland}}
{{Authority control}}

[[Category:Inverclyde| ]]
[[Category:Council areas of Scotland]]
[[Category:Firth of Clyde]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1975]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Districts of Scotland]]
[[Category:Strathclyde]]