New Kilpatrick - Local Government

Local Government

For many years, the civil and ecclesiastical functions of the parish overlapped. For example, the kirk session dealt with minor misdemeanors, such as a man from Kirkton (New Kirk) fined for "swearing wickedly and doing actual violence to his mother" in 1701. Other offences included the hanging out of laundry on the Lord's Day and many instances of infidelity. One of the penalties that could be applied was the Stool of Repentance where individuals could be publicly shamed. This was originally situated in a corner of the church building but in 1694, it was moved to below the pulpit to increase its prominence.

The church session was also assigned the duty of care for the poor, and in 1672, part of this duty was transferred to the heritors of the parish. These wealthy landowners made a list of the poor and shared them out amongst themselves. The care shown to the poor included the provision of accommodation and maintenance, and any failure of the better-off to provide these could have led to legal proceedings against them. In 1845, the relief of poverty was transferred to the Parochial Board, although the kirk continued to provide assistance on a case by case basis.

Until 1872, the provision of education had been the responsibility of the kirk session, but this was transferred to a School Board (from 1873 to 1919) for building and running schools in the area. Temple Primary School (1901–2007) now in Glasgow, is an example (see photo). In 1895, the Parochial Board became the Parish Council, which had responsibility for town planning and housing, lighting, drainage. In 1930, the word "parish" was dropped, and New Kilpatrick became a District Council.

The boundaries of the civil parish were modified by the formation of Milngavie Burgh in 1875, the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889 and the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929. The district council was dissolved in 1958 on creation of Bearsden Burgh, which was itself dissolved in 1975. Control then passed to Bearsden and Milngavie district within Strathclyde Regional Council until 1996. The local government of the original parish area is now administered by East Dunbartonshire, Glasgow and Stirlingshire Councils.