Governance
Following local government reorganisation in 1996, Edinburgh constitutes one of the 32 unitary authorities of Scotland. Like all other unitary and island authorities in Scotland, the council has powers over most matters of local administration such as housing, planning, local transport, parks, economic development and regeneration. The council is composed of 58 elected councillors, returned from 17 multi-member electoral wards in the city. Following the 2007 Scottish Local Elections the incumbent Labour Party lost majority control of the council, after 23 years, to a Liberal Democrat/SNP coalition.
The city's coat of arms was formally registered by the Lord Lyon King of Arms in 1732.
Edinburgh is represented in the Scottish Parliament. For electoral purposes, the city area is divided between six of the nine constituencies in the Lothians electoral region. Each constituency elects one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) by the first past the post system of election, and the region elects seven additional MSPs, to produce a form of proportional representation.
Edinburgh is also represented in the British House of Commons by five Members of Parliament. The city is divided into North, East, South, West, and Central, each constituency electing one member by the first past the post system.
Read more about this topic: Geography Of Edinburgh
Famous quotes containing the word governance:
“He yaf me al the bridel in myn hand,
To han the governance of hous and land,
And of his tonge and his hand also;”
—Geoffrey Chaucer (1340?–1400)