NOW that the dust has settled after the Scottish council elections, the Sunday National have ranked each local authority based on who they appointed to leadership positions.
For this analysis we counted each council's political leader and deputy, the civic position of provost or council convener, as well as the chairs of committees.
We found that only six out of 32 council's had managed to give equal representation to men and women in the available leadership roles.
Read the full investigation here.
The following local authorities are ranked from top to bottom by how gender balanced their leadership roles are.
Edinburgh (Labour)
F: 60% M: 40% (9/6)
Lord Provost and council leader are male, with seven out of 11 chair positions given to female councillors.
Glasgow (SNP)
F: 52% M: 48% (13/12)
Council leader, Provost and Depute all female councillors. The Cabinet has two female councillors to six male.
Midlothian (SNP)
F: 50% M: 50% (5/5)
Provost, depute and council leader are all female, with a gender balance of cabinet portfolios. Committee conveners have not yet been elected.
Fife (Labour minority)
F: 50% M: 50% (5/5)
Provost and council leader both male, four female councillors given cabinet portfolios in housing, education, environment and communities.
Aberdeenshire (Tory/Lib Dem)
F: 50% M: 50% (4/4)
Female Provost and male council leader with a gender switch for deputies. Convener roles also split evenly.
East Dunbartonshire (SNP minority)
F: 50% M: 50% (5/5)
Male councillors hold the political leader and deputy role, with females as Provost and Depute.
Men hold three committee convener roles, to one female, the figures are switched in the vice-convener positions.
Falkirk (SNP minority)
F: 46.67% M: 53.33% (7/8)
A female council leader and male councillors holding Provost and Depute Provost roles in Falkirk, committee and cabinet roles evenly split.
READ MORE: Fresh leadership crisis for Boris Johnson as Welsh Tories look to split off
Renfrewshire (SNP minority)
F: 41.18% M: 58.82% (7/10)
Both Provost and her depute are female councillors, with a male council leader. There are only two females in committee convener and vice roles, with other posts dominated by male councillors.
Angus (SNP minority)
F: 40% M: 60% (6/9)
Angus appointed its first female council leader, the depute leader is also female and a male provost. Convener roles are evenly balanced (three each) while vice-conveners are predominantly men.
Dundee (SNP majority)
F: 40% M: 60% (6/9)
The Lord Provost, deputy and council leader are all male, women only hold six leadership posts; two conveners (neighbourhood services/community safety) and four vice-conveners.
Moray (Tory minority)
F: 40% M: 60% (6/9)
Co-council leaders give Moray a gender balanced political leadership, with a male provost and gender split committee convener posts (three each), but double the amount of men in vice-convener roles (4:2).
South Lanarkshire (Labour minority)
F: 38.89% M:61.11% (7/11)
A female provost, with male colleagues serving as her depute and as council leader and deputy. Convener and vice-convener roles both have three female councillors to four male across portfolios.
East Renfrewshire (Labour/Independent minority)
F: 38.46% M:61.54% (5/8)
Provost and deputy in female roles, with council leader and deputy both male. Of nine committee convener posts, three are held by women.
Clackmannanshire (SNP minority)
F: 33.33% M: 66.67% (5/10)
The smallest council area split the responsibilities of provost and council convener into two roles; both of which are held by male councillors, but with a female council leader in post. Cabinet posts gender balanced (three each).
Dumfries and Galloway (SNP-Labour)
F: 33.33% M: 66.67% (6/12)
Female Labour co-leader with male SNP co-leader and male provost, committees and vice roles dominated by men.
North Lanarkshire (SNP minority)
F: 33.33% M: 66.67% (9/18)
Female provost, depute and deputy council leader, with male council leader, three quarters of committee and vice roles are held by male councillors.
READ MORE: Priti Patel wins court battle in bid to deport people to Rwanda
Shetland (Independents)
F: 33.33% M: 66.67% (7/14)
Both the council leader and civic convener roles are held by women, while male councillors hold over two thirds of both convener and vice roles.
East Ayrshire (SNP minority)
F:31.25% M:68.75% (5/11)
Council leader, deputy leader and provost are male, with an SNP female councillor in the deputy provost role. Cabinet positions are dominated by men (4) with female councillors taking on the planning and education briefs. Committee conveners gender balanced - 2/2.
Argyll & Bute (LibDem/Tory/Ind)
F: 30.77% M: 69.23% (8/18)
Female councillors were appointed to around a third of cabinet and committee convener posts, with the council leader and provost both male, and the depute provost female.
East Lothian (Labour minority)
F: 30% M: 70% (3/7)
Male councillors were appointed provost, depute and council leader with a female councillor taking on the depute leader role and health brief, and a second female to education and children. The remaining four posts male councillors.
North Ayrshire (SNP minority)
F: 28.57% M: 71.43% (6/15)
Both female provost and council leader, with deputy’s for both male councillors. Women have three cabinet briefs to male four. All eight committee convener and vice positions are filled by male councillors.
READ MORE: Cost of living crisis: How can housing be made affordable?
West Dunbartonshire (Labour majority)
F: 27.78% M: 72.22% (5/13)
Both council leader and provost male, only depute leader female. One female chairing education committee, with seven male councillors in other chairs. Vice three to four.
West Lothian (Labour minority)
F: 27.27% M: 72.73% (6/16)
Council leader and provost female, with deputy posts filled by male councillors. Men hold seven of nine cabinet positions, with women taking on development and transport and health and care briefs. Of five committee convener posts, women on audit and planning (Tory/Labour).
Scottish Borders (Tory minority)
F: 27.27% M: 72.73% (3/8)
Women hold none of the provost, council leader or deputy roles, and only three committe convener posts - audit and scrutiny, fire, rescue and communities, and sustainable development.
Stirling (Labour minority)
F: 26.67% M: 73.33% (4/11)
Male councillors hold both provost and council leader roles, with women as deputy leader and chairing two committees out of six; environment and housing and finance and economy.
Orkney (Independents)
F: 25% M: 75% (2/6)
Another council with a female in the deputy leader role, with male leader and provost, and one female councillor chairing the education committee. Male councillors hold five chair posts.
Highland (SNP-Independent)
F: 24.00% M:76.00% (6/19)
Second female provost in the council’s history, accompanied by two depute provosts. Council leader and deputy both male councillors, with 80% (8) of convener posts also male. Female councillors; audit and scrutiny, housing.
Inverclyde (Labour minority)
F: 18.18% M: 81.82% (4/18)
All-male leadership again, with only deputy council leader post held by a female. No women chair committees out of eight, but hold three vice-convener posts in education (two separate councillors) and licensing.
Aberdeen City (SNP-LibDem)
F: 15.38% M: 84.62% (2/11)
Both co-council leader, provost and deputy roles are held by men. Of nine committees, women only hold positions on operational delivery and licensing.
Perth and Kinross (SNP minority)
F: 12% M: 88% (3/22)
Council leader and deputy, provost, convener and nine committee convener posts are all held by male councillors. Of 11 vice-convener posts, men were appointed to eight, and women three; climate change, housing and learning and families.
South Ayrshire (Tory minority)
F: 9.09% M: 90.91% (2/20)
One female depute lord provost and one vice-convener (appeals), while provost, council leader, deputies, eight cabinet posts, six committee convener posts and three vice convener posts are held by male councillors.
Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Independents)
F:7.69% M:92.31% (1/12)
One vice-committee convener post for one female councillor in transport and infrastructure, with council leader, deputy, convener, five committee chair and four vice chair posts are held by men. There are only two female councillors in the Western Isles.
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel