Aberdeenshire

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For other uses, see Aberdeenshire (disambiguation).

Aberdeenshire
Location

Geography
Area	Ranked 4th
-Total	6,313 km²
-% Water	?
Admin HQ	Aberdeen
ISO 3166-2	GB-ABD
ONS code	00QB
Demographics
Population	Ranked 6th
-Total (2005)	235,440
-Density	37 / km²
Politics
Aberdeenshire Council http://www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/
Control	Liberal Democrat / Independent
MPs	Malcolm Bruce Alex Salmond Robert Smith
MSPs	Stewart Stevenson Nora Radcliffe Mike Rumbles

Aberdeenshire (Siorrachd Obar Dheathain in Gaelic) is one of the 32 unitary council areas in Scotland.

Present day Aberdeenshire does not include Aberdeen City which is a unitary authority in its own right. However, Aberdeenshire Council has its headquarters at Woodhill House, in Aberdeen; the only Scottish council whose headquarters are based outside of the council area. Aberdeenshire borders Angus and Perth and Kinross to the south, and Highland and Moray to the west.

1 History
2 Aberdeenshire council
3 Notable features
4 Notable residents
5 References
6 External links

[edit] History

The present council area is named after the historic county of Aberdeenshire which had different boundaries and was abolished in 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. Between 1975 and 1996 the area was incorporated within the region of Grampian, with local government functions being divided between the regional council and three district councils; Banff and Buchan, Gordon and Kincardine and Deeside. The region had also two other districts; Moray and the City of Aberdeen.

In 1996, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, the Banff and Buchan district, the Gordon district and the Kincardine and Deeside district were merged to form the Aberdeenshire council area, and the other two districts became autonomous council areas.

[edit] Aberdeenshire council

Logo of Aberdeenshire Council

Aberdeenshire Council was established in April 1996, following the abolition of the Scottish Regions. The council has 68 councillors. In 2004 the poloitical composition was as follows:

The Council's net expenditure is £399.1m a year (2003/04). Education takes the largest share of expenditure (55%), followed by Social Work and Housing (19%), Transportation and Infrastructure (11%), and Joint Services such as Fire and Police (10%). 22% of revenue is raised locally through the Council Tax. Average Band D Council Tax is the eighth lowest in mainland Scotland at £966 (2003/04).

The council area has a population of 226,871, representing 4.5% of Scotland's total, and a 20% increase since 1981, 50% since 1971. Major towns are Peterhead (17,947), Fraserburgh (12,454), Inverurie (10,882), Stonehaven (9,577), Westhill (9,498), Ellon (8,754) and Portlethen (6,848). The population has a higher proportion of younger age groups than the rest of Scotland, reflecting employment-driven in-migration in recent decades.

The council has devolved power to six area committees:

[edit] Notable features

The following significant structures or places are within Aberdeenshire:

[edit] Notable residents

Alexander Garden, (1730-1791), born in Birse, noted naturalist and physician. He moved to North America in 1754, and discovered two species of lizards. He was a Loyalist during the American Revolutionary War, which led to the confiscation of his property and his banishment in 1782. The gardenia flower is named in his honor. ^[1]
John Kemp, (1763-1812), born in Auchlossan, was a noted educator at Columbia University who is said to have influenced DeWitt Clinton's opinions and policies. ^[1]
Hugh Mercer, (1726-1777), born in Aberdeenshire, brigadier general of the Continental Army during the American Revolution. ^[1]
See also Category:Natives of Aberdeenshire
See also List of Aberdonians