View source for Tayside

{{Short description|Former local government region of Scotland}}
{{EngvarB|date=April 2018}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2018}}
{{Infobox historic subdivision
 <!-- Header -->
| Name                   = Tayside
| subdivision_type       = [[Local government areas of Scotland 1973 to 1996#Regions and islands areas|Historic Region]]
| AltName                = Taobh Tatha
 <!-- Geography -->
| Map                    = [[File:Tayside Regional Council.svg|250px|Tayside within Scotland]]
| map_caption            = 
| coordinates            = {{Coord|56|42|N|3|44|W|region:GB-SCT_scale:300000|display=title,inline}} <!-- Pitlochry -->
| AreaFirst              = 2,903 sq mi (7519 km<sup>2</sup>)
| AreaFirstYear          = 
| AreaSecond             = 
| AreaSecondYear         = 
| AreaThird              = 
| AreaThirdYear          = 
| AreaLast               = 
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 <!-- History -->
| Origin                 = [[Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973]]
| preceded_by            = [[Dundee]] Corporation<br>[[Perthshire County Council]]<br>[[Kinrosshire]] County Council<br>[[Forfarshire|Angus County Council]]
| Start                  = 16 May 1975
| End                    = 31 March 1996
| Replace                = [[Dundee City Council]]<br>[[Perth & Kinross]]<br>[[Angus, Scotland|Angus]]
<!-- Demography -->
| PopulationFirst        = 397,055<ref name="TRP Dundee">[http://www.trp.dundee.ac.uk/research/taywatch/bulletin1.html Tay Region Research Observatory, University of Dundee]</ref>
| PopulationFirstYear    = 1981
| PopulationSecond       = 392,500<ref name="TRP Dundee"/>
| PopulationSecondYear   = 1991
| PopulationThird        = 416,080 (estimate)
| PopulationThirdYear    = 2019
| PopulationLast         = 
| PopulationLastYear     = 
| DensityFirst           = 
| DensityFirstYear       = 
| DensitySecond          = 
| DensitySecondYear      = 
| DensityThird           = 
| DensityThirdYear       = 
| DensityLast            = 
| DensityLastYear        =
 <!-- Governance -->
| Status                 = 
| Government             = Tayside Regional Council
| government_type        = [[Local government areas of Scotland 1973 to 1996|Regional council]]
| Arms                   = 
| arms_caption           = 
| Civic                  = 
| civic_caption          = 
| Motto                  = 
| HQ                     = [[Tayside House]], Dundee
| CodeName               = 
| Code                   =
 <!-- Subdivisions -->
| Divisions              = Districts
| DivisionsNames         = [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]], [[Dundee]], [[Perth and Kinross|Perth & Kinross]]
| DivisionsMap           = 
| divisions_map_caption  = 
| common_name            = 
}}

'''Tayside''' ({{langx|gd|Taobh Tatha}}) was one of the nine [[Local government areas of Scotland (1973–1996)|regions]] used for [[local government in Scotland]] from 16 May 1975 to 31 March 1996. The region was named after the [[River Tay]].

==History==
{{See also|List of places in the Tayside region of Scotland}}

Tayside region was created 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, following recommendations made by the [[Royal Commission on Local Government in Scotland|1969 Wheatley Report]]. Tayside region covered the whole area of the [[shires of Scotland|counties]] of [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]], [[Dundee]] (which was a [[County of city|county of a city]]), [[Kinross-shire]] and most of [[Perthshire]]. Tayside region was divided into three districts: [[Angus, Scotland|Angus]], [[Dundee]], and [[Perth and Kinross]].<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973|year=1973|chapter=65|accessdate=3 January 2023}}</ref>

Tayside region was abolished in 1996 under the [[Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994]], which replaced regions and districts with [[Council areas of Scotland|unitary council areas]]. Each of Tayside's three districts became a separate council area, with some adjustments to boundaries around Dundee.<ref>{{cite legislation UK|type=act|act=Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994|year=1994|chapter=39|accessdate=3 January 2023}}</ref>

Tayside Regional Council directly operated local bus services in the City of Dundee from 1975 until 1986, when [[Bus deregulation in the United Kingdom|bus deregulation]] under terms of the [[Transport Act 1985]] was implemented. The restructured Tayside Buses became employee-owned in 1991, was sold to [[Mobico Group|National Express]] in 1997 and [[McGill's Bus Services]] in 2020, and today trades as [[Xplore Dundee]].<ref>National Express sells Xplore Dundee to McGill's ''[[Buses (magazine)|Buses]]'' issue 791 February 2021 page 84</ref>

Tayside continues to have a [[Subdivisions of Scotland|joint electoral, valuation, and health board]]. It retained its [[Tayside Police|police]] and [[Tayside Fire and Rescue Service|fire services]] until they were merged, on 1 April 2013, into bodies known as [[Police Scotland]] and the [[Scottish Fire and Rescue Service]], which cover the whole of Scotland. Provision of healthcare across the region also continues via [[NHS Tayside]].<ref>{{cite web |title=About Us |url=http://www.nhstayside.scot.nhs.uk/AboutUs/index.htm |website=NHS Tayside |publisher=HHS Tayside |access-date=7 February 2016}}</ref>

Angus Council, [[Politics of Dundee|Dundee City Council]] and [[Perth and Kinross Council]] formed Tayside Contracts as their commercial arm and to provide [[shared services]], such as road and housing maintenance, winter maintenance (snow clearing and gritting), catering and cleaning services across the former Tayside area. Tayside Contracts services are open to the public and all profits from the company are equally fed back into each of the three councils to bolster revenue to the local authorities to provide cash for services as a boost to central government and [[council tax]] income.<ref name='TC1'>{{cite web|url=http://www.tayside-contracts.co.uk/aboutus.cfm |title=About Tayside Contracts |publisher=Tayside Contracts |access-date=12 March 2014}}</ref>

==Political control==
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:<ref name=compositions>{{cite web |title=Compositions Calculator |url=https://www.electionscentre.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/composition_calc.html |access-date=21 May 2025 |website=The Elections Centre |publisher=University of Exeter}} (Put "Tayside" in search box to see specific results.)</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!colspan="2"|Party in control!!Years
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 1975–1978
|-
| {{Party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} || 1978–1986
|-
| {{Party name with colour|No overall control}} || 1986–1996
|}

===Leadership===
The [[leader of the council|leaders of the council]] were:

{| class=wikitable
! Councillor !! colspan=2|Party !! From !! To
|-
| Ian Mackie<ref>{{cite news |title=Tired of squabble, says Tay Region chairman |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000578%2F19740628&page=25 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=Aberdeen Press and Journal |date=28 June 1974 |page=25}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Labour takes control of Tayside |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000564%2F19860509&page=5 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=Dundee Courier |date=9 May 1986 |page=5}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Scottish Conservatives}} || align=right|16 May 1975 || align=right|May 1986
|-
| Ron Tosh<ref>{{cite news |title=Labour win top posts, but denied committee power |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000564%2F19860517&page=9 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=The Courier |date=17 May 1986 |location=Dundee |page=9}}</ref><ref name=DC24Jun1987/> || {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=right|16 May 1986 || align=right|23 Jun 1987
|-
| Chris Ward<ref name=DC24Jun1987>{{cite news |title=Borthwick's convenership bid thwarted as SNP back Tosh |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000564%2F19870624&page=7 |access-date=23 April 2023 |work=The Courier |date=24 June 1987 |location=Dundee |page=7}}</ref><ref name=DC15Dec1989/> || {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=right|23 Jun 1987 || align=right|14 Dec 1989
|-
| Bill Derby<ref name=DC15Dec1989>{{cite news |title=New posts for councillors in reshuffle |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000564%2F19891215&page=9 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=The Courier |date=15 December 1989 |location=Dundee |page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Labour says 'no' to any pact |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000564%2F19940512&page=5 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=Dundee Courier |date=12 May 1994 |page=5}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Scottish Labour}} || align=right|14 Dec 1989 || align=right|May 1994
|-
| Lena Graham<ref>{{cite news |title=SNP take charge of Tayside |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000564%2F19940514&page=8 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=The Courier |date=14 May 1994 |location=Dundee |page=8}}</ref><ref name=PA8Jul1994/> || {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=right|13 May 1994 || align=right|25 Jul 1994
|-
| [[Ewan Dow]]<ref name=PA8Jul1994>{{cite news |title=Tories demand meeting over SNP appointment of 22-year-old 'left wing republican' to lead Tayside |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000458%2F19940708&page=2 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=Perthshire Advertiser |date=8 July 1994 |location=Perth |page=2}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Dow to contest Forsyth seat for SNP |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/image-viewer?issue=BL%2F0000458%2F19960426&page=10 |access-date=18 August 2025 |work=Perthshire Advertiser |date=26 April 1996 |page=10}}</ref> || {{party name with colour|Scottish National Party}} || align=right|25 Jul 1994 || align=right|31 Mar 1996
|}

===Elections===
{{maplink|from=SWITCH:Scottish local elections/Tayside/Regional Council/1982 results.map, Scottish local elections/Tayside/Regional Council/1986 results.map, Scottish local elections/Tayside/Regional Council/1990 results.map, Scottish local elections/Tayside/Regional Council/1994 results.map|zoom=7|frame=yes|text=Map of election results by year|switch=1982 results, 1986 results, 1990 results, 1994 results}}
Election results were as follows:<ref name=compositions/>
{| class="wikitable" style=text-align:center
!rowspan=2|'''Year'''
!rowspan=2|'''Seats'''
!width="80"|'''[[Scottish National Party|SNP]]'''
!width="80"|'''[[Scottish Labour|Labour]]'''
!width="80"|'''[[Scottish Conservatives|Conservative]]'''
!width="80"|'''[[Scottish Liberal Democrats|Liberal Democrats]]'''{{efn|Includes [[Scottish Liberal Party|Liberal]] and [[Social Democratic Party (UK)|Social Democratic Party]] prior to 1988, with the two parties having formed the [[SDP–Liberal Alliance]] between 1981 and 1988.}}
!width="80"|[[Independent politician|'''Independent / Other''']]
!rowspan=2|'''Notes'''
|-
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" |
|-
| [[1974 Tayside Regional Council election|1974]] || 46 || 0 || 15 || 22 || 0 || 9 || align=left|
|-
| [[1978 Tayside Regional Council election|1978]] || 46 || 0 || 15 || 25 || 0 || 6 || align=left|
|-
| [[1982 Tayside Regional Council election|1982]] || 46 || 5 || 12 || 27 || 0 || 2 || align=left|
|-
| [[1986 Tayside Regional Council election|1986]] || 46 || 9 || 20 || 14 || 1 || 2 || align=left|
|-
| [[1990 Tayside Regional Council election|1990]] || 46 || 10 || 18 || 14 || 2 || 2 || align=left|
|-
| [[1994 Tayside Regional Council election|1994]] || 46 || 22 || 16 || 4 || 2 || 2 || align=left|
|-
!
!
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish National Party}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Labour}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}; width: 3px;" |
!style="background-color: {{party color|Independent politician}}; width: 3px;" |
!
|}
{{notelist}}

==Premises==
The regional council established its headquarters at [[Tayside House]] at 28 Crichton Street in Dundee. It was already under construction when the council was created, and the council started moving into the building in May 1976.<ref>{{cite news |title=Tayside House, Dundee |url=https://www.findmypast.co.uk/search-newspapers |access-date=24 April 2023 |work=Strathearn Herald |date=8 May 1976 |location=Crieff |page=1}}</ref> After the regional council's abolition, ownership of the building passed to the three successor councils. Dundee City Council bought out the other two councils' interests in the building in 1997 and used it as its own offices until 2011, after which the building was demolished.<ref>{{citation | contribution = Future of Tayside House and City Centre office accommodation | title = Policy & Resources Committee - 8 September 2003 | publisher = Dundee City Council | place = Dundee | year = 2003 | contribution-url = http://www.dundeecity.gov.uk/reports/reports/586-2003.pdf | accessdate = 2013-05-02}}</ref>

[[File:Tayside House.jpg|thumb|center|upright|[[Tayside House]]]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Commons category-inline}}

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

[[Category:Tayside| ]]
[[Category:1975 establishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:1996 disestablishments in Scotland]]
[[Category:Regions of Scotland]]
[[Category:States and territories established in 1975]]
[[Category:States and territories disestablished in 1996]]