Glasgow City Council

From UK Housing Wiki

Glasgow City Council is responsible for the the city of Glasgow. It's headquarters are The City Chambers at the head of George Square. It only became a unitary council in 1996 when Cambuslang and Rutherglen were transfered to South Lanarkshire Council. Previously it had been the County of Glasgow when the city had fallen within the large County of Lanark boundaries. This was set up in the late 1970s.

However, previous to this, it was the powerful Glasgow Corporation. This single public body was in charge during the post war years. It governed the city's public transport, the city's housing and the city's planning.

It was responsible for the slum clearances in the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s. it was responsible for the construction of several housing schemes like Easterhouse, Cranhill, Drumchapel and Castlemilk. It was responsible for nearly 300 high rise tower blocks between 1953 and 1978 and countless numbers of tenement flats between 1920 and 1975.

It could be argued in hindsight that they also destroyed the strong communities of Anderston, Gorbals, Possilpark and Springburn. Contributed to Glasgow's image of being a "No Mean City". Failed to prepare for the inevitable industrial decline that crippled the city for decades. Demolished nuggets of Victorian genius and tossed up defective flats in their place.

Whatever your take on the Glasgow Corporation it is agreed that they had a massive effect on the city that is still being felt today.