| Administrative History | District Councils in Scotland were established under the terms of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973 (cap.65). Their powers differed from those of the District Councils which existed from 1930 to 1975. The Act established a two-tier system of local government with nine Regional Councils and under them 53 district councils. There were also three Island Councils which performed the functions of District and Regional Councils. District Councils were constituted in 1974 and acted as shadow authorities until 1975 when they assumed their full powers. The District Councils' main responsibilities comprised: district courts, building control, burial and cremation, cleansing, community centres (shared with the Regions), conservation areas, countryside (some Regional responsibility), development control, environmental health, housing, leisure and recreation, libraries (Regional responsibility in Highland), licensing, local planning, museums and art galleries, parks, and tourism. The Regional authority for Inverness District Council was Highland Regional Council. Inverness District Council and Highland Regional Council were abolished in 1996 under the terms of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act, 1994 (c.39), with their functions passing to the new Highland Council unitary authority. |