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| County of Caithness until circa 1890 |
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| County of Caithness circa 1890 to 1975 |
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| Caithness District 1975 to 1996 |
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| Highland council area 1996 to present |
Caithness (Gallaibh in Gaelic)[1] is a registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area of Scotland. The Highland Council area ( Sgìre Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd in Gaelic, s̪g̊ʲiːɾʲə kɔ Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. A registration county was in England Wales and Northern Ireland a statistical unit used for the output of Census information The Lieutenancy areas of Scotland are the areas used for the ceremonial lord-lieutenants, the monarch 's representatives in Scotland. Local government in Scotland is organised through 32 unitary authorities consisting of Councillors elected every four years by registered voters in each of the Scotland ( Gaelic: Alba) is a Country in northwest Europethat occupies the northern third of the island of Great Britain. The name was used also for the earldom of Caithness and the Caithness constituency of the Parliament of the United Kingdom (1708 to 1918). The title Earl of Caithness has been created several times in the Peerage of Scotland, and has a very complex history Buteshire and Caithness were County constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories Boundaries are not identical in all contexts, but the Caithness area is now entirely within the Highland council area. The Highland Council area ( Sgìre Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd in Gaelic, s̪g̊ʲiːɾʲə kɔ For local government purposes Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as In 2007 the Highland Council, which is now the local government authority, created the Caithness ward management area, which has boundaries similar to those of the historic local government area. Highland Council Management areas 1996 to 2007 For lists of wards see Highland Council wards 1995 to 1999 and Highland Council Highland Council Management areas 1996 to 2007 For lists of wards see Highland Council wards 1995 to 1999 and Highland Council
Caithness became a local government county, with its own county council, in 1890, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. The counties of Scotland were the principal divisions of Scotland until 1975 A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict c 50 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. Although officially within the county, the burghs of Wick and Thurso retained their status as autonomous local government areas. A Burgh (ˈbʌʀə is an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland, usually a Town. Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area This article refers to the town in Scotland For the city in Canada see Thurso Quebec. Wick, a royal burgh and traditionally the county town, became the administrative centre for the local government county. A royal burgh was a type of Scottish Burgh which had been founded by or subsequently granted a Royal charter. A county town is the 'capital' of a County in the United Kingdom or Republic of Ireland. County and burgh councils were later abolished, in 1975, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, and Caithness became one of eight districts, each with its own district council, within the new two-tier Highland region. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 (1973 c 65 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland The regions and districts of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 as a two-tier system of Local government in Scotland. In 1996, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, the region became a unitary local government area, and the district councils were abolished. The Local Government etc (Scotland Act 1994 (1994 c 39 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government See also Independent city A unitary authority is a type of Local authority that has a single tier and is responsible for all Local government functions
As registration county, lieutenancy area and historic local government area, Caithness has a land boundary with the equally historic local government area of Sutherland. Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East Otherwise it is bounded by sea. The land boundary follows a watershed and is crossed by two roads, the A9 and the A836, and one railway, the Far North Line. A drainage divide, water divide, divide or (outside North America) watershed is the line separating neighbouring Drainage basins Towns villages and junctions The A882 runs through or near towns and villages listed below The Far North Line is a rural Railway line entirely within the Highland area of Scotland, extending from Inverness to Thurso and Across the Pentland Firth ferries link Caithness with Orkney, and Caithness has also an airport at Wick. The Pentland Firth ( Scottish Gaelic: An Caol Arcach, meaning the Orcadian Strait which is actually more of a Strait than a Firth, separates Orkney (also known as the Orkney Islands or incorrectly the Orkneys) is an Archipelago in northern Scotland, situated 10 miles (16 km north The Pentland Firth island of Stroma is within Caithness. Stroma is an island on the northern coast of the Scottish mainland
In 2001 Caithness had a resident population of 23,866 and settlement centres include those of Berriedale, Burnside, Castletown, Dunnet, Halkirk, Haster, Reiss, John o' Groats, Latheron, Gillock, Mey, Reay, Sibster, Thurso, Watten and Wick. Burnside is a predominantly residential area of Thurso, Caithness, in the Highland Council area of Scotland. Castletown is a village on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. Dunnet ( is a Village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. Halkirk is a Village on the River Thurso in Caithness, in the Highland Council area of Scotland. Haster is a somewhat double-centred area in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. Reiss is a village in the former county of Caithness, now in the Highland Region of Northern Scotland. John o' Groats ( Taigh Iain Ghròt in Scottish Gaelic) ( is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland Latheron ( Ordnance Survey) is a small village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, centred on the junction of the A9 Gillock is a small village in Caithness, the north part of the Highland council area of Scotland. Reay ( Scottish Gaelic: Ratha) is a Village which has grown around Sandside Bay on the north coast of the Highland council area This article refers to the town in Scotland For the city in Canada see Thurso Quebec. Watten ( is a small village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, on the main Road ( A882 - A9) between the Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area [2]
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Geography
Caithness extends about 40 miles (64 kilometres) north-south and about 30 miles (50 km) east-west. A mile is a unit of Length, usually used to measure Distance, in a number of different systems including Imperial units United States The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand The general aspect of Caithness, which measures in area about 712 square miles (1844 km²), is flat, in contrast to the majority of Highland Region. Until the latter part of the 20th century when significant areas were planted in conifers, this was rendered still more striking by the almost total absence of forest.
Most of Caithness is old red sandstone to an estimated depth of over 4,000 metres. Halkirk is a Village on the River Thurso in Caithness, in the Highland Council area of Scotland. Sandstone is a Sedimentary rock composed mainly of Sand -size Mineral or rock grains. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International This consists of the cemented sediments of Lake Orcadie, which is believed to have stretched from Shetland to Grampian during the Devonian period, about 370 million years ago. The Orcadian Lakes are a series of Lakes which existed during the Devonian period in the region which is now northern Scotland, Orkney and Shetland (formerly spelled Zetland, from etland; Old Norse non Hjaltland; Sealtainn is an Archipelago off the northeast coast of Grampian ( Roinn a' Mhonaidh in Gaelic) was a local government region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996 The Devonian is a geologic period and system of the Paleozoic era spanning from to million years ago. Fossilised fish and plant remains are found between the layers of sediment. Older metamorphic (granite) rock is apparent in the Scaraben and Ord area, in the relatively high southwest area of the county. Granite (ˈɡrænɪt is a common and widely occurring type of intrusive, Felsic, igneous rock. Caithness' highest point (Morven[2]) is in this area. Morven ( Scottish Gaelic: A' Mhòr Bheinn) is a Mountain in Caithness, in the Highland Region of Scotland.
Because of the ease with which the sandstone splits to form large flat slabs (flagstone) it is an especially useful building material, and has been used as such since Neolithic times. Flagstone is a type of flat stone, usually used for paving slabs but also for making Fences or Roofing. The Neolithic (from Greek νεολιθικός — neolithikos from νέος neos, "new" + λίθος lithos
Caithness is a land of open, rolling farmland, moorland and scattered settlements. Moorland or moor is a type of habitat found in upland areas characterised by low growing vegetation on Acidic soils The area is fringed to the north and east by dramatic coastal scenery and is home to large, internationally important colonies of seabirds. The surrounding waters of the Pentland Firth and the North Sea hold a great diversity of marine life. The Pentland Firth ( Scottish Gaelic: An Caol Arcach, meaning the Orcadian Strait which is actually more of a Strait than a Firth, separates The North Sea is a marginal, Epeiric sea of the Atlantic Ocean on the European Continental shelf. Away from the coast, the landscape is dominated by open moorland and blanket bog, divided up along the straths (river valleys) by more fertile farm and croft land. A bog or mire is a Wetland type that accumulates Acidic Peat, a deposit of dead plant material &ndash usually Mosses but also "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there In Geology, a valley (also called a vale, dale, glen or strath and near or in Appalachia, a draw) is A croft is a fenced or enclosed area of land usually small and arable with a crofter's Dwelling thereon
History
The Caithness landscape is rich with the remains of pre-historic occupation. These include the Grey Cairns of Camster, the Stone Lud, the Hill O Many Stanes, a complex of sites around Loch Yarrows and over 100 brochs. The Stone Lud is a Standing stone in the parish of Bower in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland (at and Ordnance Survey The Hill O Many Stanes is a south-facing hillside (at) in Mid Clyth, about 14 Kilometres (9 Miles south of Wick in Caithness, A Broch is an Iron Age Drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland. A prehistoric souterrain structure at Caithness has been likened to discoveries at Midgarth and on Shapinsay. Stone Age Paleolithic See also Paleolithic, Recent African Origin, Early Homo sapiens, Early human migrations "Paleolithic" Souterrain (from French 'sous terrain' meaning 'under ground' is a name given by Archaeologists to a type of underground structure associated mainly with the Atlantic Iron There are many Scottish islands that include the name "Linga" Shapinsay is one of the Orkney Islands off the north coast of mainland Scotland [3] Numerous coastal castles (now mostly ruins) are Norse in their foundations. Norsemen is used to refer to the group of people as a whole who speak one of the North Germanic languages as their native language When the Norsemen arrived, probably in the 10th century, the county was probably Pictish, but with its culture subject to some Goidelic influence from the Celtic Church. The Picts were a Confederation of tribes in what was later to become eastern and northern Scotland from Roman times until the 10th century The Goidelic languages, (also sometimes called particularly in colloquial situations the Gaelic languages or collectively Gaelic) historically formed a Dialect Celtic Christianity, or Insular Christianity (sometimes called the Celtic Church or the British Church) broadly refers to the Early Medieval The name Pentland Firth can be read as meaning Pictland Fjord.
Numerous bands of Norse settlers landed in the county, and gradually established themselves around the coast. On the Latheron (south) side, they extended their settlements as far as Berriedale. Latheron ( Ordnance Survey) is a small village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, centred on the junction of the A9 Most of the names of places, and not a few of the surnames in the lowland parts of the county, are Norse in origin. A dialect of the Norn language was spoken, although little is known about it. Norn is an extinct North Germanic language that was spoken on Shetland and Orkney, off the north coast of mainland Scotland, and in Some of this linguistic influence still exists in some parts of the county, however. A native of Wick, for example, will tend to say til instead of to. This is an example of the surviving modern use of an Old Norse word (til is Old Norse for to). Old Norse is the North Germanic language that was spoken by inhabitants of Scandinavia and inhabitants of their overseas settlements during the Viking Age
For a long time sovereignty over Caithness was disputed between Scotland and the Norwegian Earldom of Orkney. Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Circa 1196 Earl Harald Maddadarsson agreed to pay a monetary tribute for Caithness to William I. William I ( Mediaeval Gaelic: Uilliam mac Eanric; Modern Gaelic Uilleam mac Eanraig) known as the Lion or Garbh, "the Rough" Norway has recognized Caithness as fully Scottish since the Treaty of Perth in 1266. The Treaty of Perth, 1266 ended military conflict between Norway under Magnus the Law-mender and Scotland under Alexander III over the
Scottish Gaelic was spoken in the west of the county into the 20th century, although it is believed to be extinct now. Scottish Gaelic ( Gàidhlig) is a member of the Goidelic branch of Celtic languages. It is sometimes erroneously claimed to have never been spoken in Caithness, but the Gaelic name for the region, Gallaibh, translates as "Land of the Gall (non-Gaels)". The language boundary changed over time, but the New Statistical Record in 1841 says,
- "On the eastern side of [the Burn of East Clyth] scarcely a word of Gaelic was either spoken or understood, and on the west side, English suffered the same fate".
Historically, the Anglic language of Caithness has been defined and named, usually, as English. Anglic (from Latin Anglicus meaning English, cf Germanic) is a term for what are also known as Englishes, in for example World English is a West Germanic language originating in England and is the First language for most people in the United Kingdom, the United States There is little[4] or no evidence, predating the late 20th century, of Scots being used as a name for Caithness dialect, but there is now, in some quarters, a tendency to see and name it as a form of Scots language. A dialect (from the Greek word διάλεκτος dialektos) is a variety of a Language that is characteristic of a particular group of Scots ( The Scots leid) refers to Anglic varieties derived from early northern Middle English spoken in parts of Scotland and Northern
Other quotes,
- "Persons with a knowledge of Gaelic in the County of Caithness (in 1911) are found to number 1,685, and to constitute 6. 7 per cent of the entire population of three years of age and upwards. Of these 1,248 were born in Caithness, 273 in Sutherland, 77 in Ross & Cromarty, and 87 elsewhere. . . . By an examination of the age distribution of the Gaelic speakers, it is found that only 22 of them are less than 20 years of age. " (J. Patten MacDougall, Registrar General, 1912)
- "A presbytery minute of 1727 says of 1,600 people who had 'come of age', 1500 could speak Gaelic only, and a mere five could read. Gaelic at this time was the principal language in most parishes except Bower, Canisbay, Dunnet and Olrig" (Omand, D. From the Vikings to the Forty-Five, in The Caithness book)
Natural heritage
The underlying geology, harsh climate and long history of human occupation have shaped this rich and distinctive natural heritage. Today we see a diverse landscape incorporating both common and rare habitats and species, and Caithness provides a stronghold for many once common breeding species that have undergone serious declines elsewhere, such as waders, water voles and flocks of over-wintering birds. Waders, called shorebirds in North America (where "wader" is used to refer to long-legged wading Birds such as Storks and This article deals with the European Water Vole For the article concerning the American species known as Water Vole see Water Vole (North America The Bird migration refers to the regular seasonal journeys undertaken by many species of Birds Bird movements include those made in response to changes in food availability
Many rare mammals, birds and fish have been sighted or caught in and around Caithness waters. Harbour porpoises, dolphins (including Risso's, bottle-nosed, common, Atlantic white-sided and white-beaked dolphins) and minke and long-finned pilot whales are regularly seen from the shore and boats. The Harbor Porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena) is one of six Species of Porpoise. The Risso's Dolphin ( Grampus griseus) is the only Species of Dolphin in the Genus Grampus. The Bottlenose Dolphin is one of the most common and well-known Dolphins. The Common Dolphin is the name given to up to three species of Dolphin making up the Genus Delphinus. The Atlantic White-sided Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus acutus) is a distinctively coloured Dolphin found in the cool to temperate waters of the North Atlantic Ocean The White-beaked Dolphin ( Lagenorhynchus albirostris) is a Marine mammal belonging to the family Delphinidae (dolphins in the suborder of the Odontoceti Minke Whale ( or Lesser Rorqual is a name given to two species of Marine mammal belonging to a Clade within the suborder of Baleen whales The The Long-finned pilot whale ( Globicephala melas) is one of the two Species of Cetacean in the Genus Globicephala. Both grey and common seals come close to the shore to feed, rest and raise their pups, and otters can be seen close to river mouths in some of the quieter locations. Otters are semi- aquatic (or in one case aquatic) fish-eating Mammals The otter subfamily Lutrinae forms part of the family
Local government
- See also: Politics of the Highland council area
County, burghs and parishes, 1890 to 1975
Caithness became a local government county, with its own elected county council, in 1890, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. Highland Council Management areas 1996 to 2007 For lists of wards see Highland Council wards 1995 to 1999 and Highland Council Local government in Scotland is organised through 32 unitary authorities consisting of Councillors elected every four years by registered voters in each of the The counties of Scotland were the principal divisions of Scotland until 1975 A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1889 (52 & 53 Vict c 50 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which was passed on 26 August 1889. At that time, two towns within the county, Wick and Thurso, were already well established as autonomous burghs with their own burgh councils. Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area This article refers to the town in Scotland For the city in Canada see Thurso Quebec. A Burgh (ˈbʌʀə is an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland, usually a Town. Ten parish councils, covering rural areas of the county were established in 1894. A parish is a Local church; it is an administrative unit typically found in episcopal or presbyterian churches
Wick, a royal burgh, served as the county's administrative centre. A royal burgh was a type of Scottish Burgh which had been founded by or subsequently granted a Royal charter.
The parish councils were abolished in 1930 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1929. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1929 (19 & 20 Geo V C25 reorganised local government in Scotland from 1930, introducing joint County councils The county council and the burgh councils were abolished in 1975 under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 (1973 c 65 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland The 1973 act also created a new two tier system, with Caithness as a district within the Highland region. The Highland Council area ( Sgìre Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd in Gaelic, s̪g̊ʲiːɾʲə kɔ The regions and districts of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 as a two-tier system of Local government in Scotland.
Parishes
Prior to implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889, civil administration parishes were also parishes of the Church of Scotland, and one Caithness parish, Reay, straddled the boundary between the county of Caithness and the county of Sutherland, and another, Thurso had a separate fragment bounded by Reay and Halkirk. The Church of Scotland (Eaglais na h-Alba known informally by its Scots language name The Kirk, is the National church of Scotland. Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East For civil administration purposes, implementation of the act redefined parish boundaries, transferring part of Reay to the Sutherland parish of Farr and the fragment of Thurso to the parish of Halkirk. Strathnaver or Strath Naver ( Scottish Gaelic, Srath Nabhair) is the Strath of the River Naver, in the Sutherland area of [5]
In the cases of two of the parishes, Thurso and Wick, each includes a burgh with the same name as the parish. For civil administration purposes each of these parishes was divided between the burgh and the landward area of the parish. Landward, in this context, means rural.
| Name | Notes |
|---|---|
| Bower | Has the Stone Lud near its geographic centre |
| Canisbay | Includes the village of John O Groats |
| Dunnet | Includes the village of Dunnet and Dunnet Head |
| Halkirk | Includes the village of Halkirk |
| Latheron | Includes the village of Latheron |
| Reay | Includes the village of Reay Was, at one time, partly in the county of Sutherland |
| Olrig | Includes the village of Castletown |
| Thurso Landward | A rural area around the burgh of Thurso |
| Watten | Includes the village of Watten |
| Wick Landward | A rural area around the burgh of Wick |
District, 1975 to 1996
Caithness was a district of the Highland local government region of Scotland from 1975 to 1996. The Stone Lud is a Standing stone in the parish of Bower in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland (at and Ordnance Survey John o' Groats ( Taigh Iain Ghròt in Scottish Gaelic) ( is a village in the Highland council area of Scotland Dunnet ( is a Village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. Dunnet Head ( Scottish Gaelic: Ceann Dùnaid) is a Peninsula that includes the most northerly point of the Mainland of Great Britain Halkirk is a Village on the River Thurso in Caithness, in the Highland Council area of Scotland. Latheron ( Ordnance Survey) is a small village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, centred on the junction of the A9 Reay ( Scottish Gaelic: Ratha) is a Village which has grown around Sandside Bay on the north coast of the Highland council area Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East Castletown is a village on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. This article refers to the town in Scotland For the city in Canada see Thurso Quebec. Watten ( is a small village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland, on the main Road ( A882 - A9) between the Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area The Highland Council area ( Sgìre Comhairle na Gàidhealtachd in Gaelic, s̪g̊ʲiːɾʲə kɔ The regions and districts of Scotland were established under the Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 as a two-tier system of Local government in Scotland. When created, under the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, the district included the whole of the county plus Tongue and Farr areas of the neighbouring county of Sutherland. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 (1973 c 65 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland Tongue ( Scottish Gaelic: Tunga from Old Norse Tunga) is a coastal Village in northwest Highland, Scotland (in the Strathnaver or Strath Naver ( Scottish Gaelic, Srath Nabhair) is the Strath of the River Naver, in the Sutherland area of Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East The boundary was soon changed, however, to correspond with that between the counties. Caithness was one of eight districts in the Highland region.
The region was also created in 1975, as one of nine two-tier local government regions of Scotland. Each region consisted of a number of districts and both regions and districts had their own elected councils. Local governments are administrative offices that are smaller than a State. The creation of the Highland region and of Caithness as a district involved the abolition of the two burgh councils in Caithness, Wick and Thurso, as well as the Caithness county council. A Burgh (ˈbʌʀə is an autonomous corporate entity in Scotland, usually a Town. Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area This article refers to the town in Scotland For the city in Canada see Thurso Quebec. A County council is the elected administrative body governing an area known as a County.
Wick, which had been the administrative centre for the county, became the administrative centre for the district.
In 1996 local government in Scotland was again reformed, to create 32 unitary council areas. For local government purposes Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as The Highland region became the Highland unitary council area, and the functions of the district councils were absorbed by the Highland Council. Highland Council Management areas 1996 to 2007 For lists of wards see Highland Council wards 1995 to 1999 and Highland Council
Management area and area committee, 1996 to 2007
In 1996, Caithness and the other seven districts of the Highland region were merged in to the unitary Highland council area, under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994. For local government purposes Scotland is divided into 32 areas designated as "council areas" which are all governed by unitary authorities designated as The Local Government etc (Scotland Act 1994 (1994 c 39 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government The new Highland Council then adopted the former districts as management areas and created a system of area committees to represent the management areas. Many large Local government councils in the United Kingdom have a system of area committees, with responsibility for services in a particular part of the
Until 1999 the Caithness management and committee areas consisted of 8 out of the 72 Highland Council wards. In Australia, Canada, Ireland, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States, a ward is an Electoral district Each ward elected one councillor by the first past the post system of election. The plurality voting system is a Single-winner voting system often used to elect executive officers or to elect members of a legislative assembly which is based on single-member
In 1999, however, ward boundaries were redrawn but management area boundaries were not. As a result area committees were named after and made decisions for areas which they did not exactly represent. The new Caithness committee area, consisting of ten out of the 80 new Highland Council wards, did not include the village of Reay, although that village was within the Caithness management area. Reay ( Scottish Gaelic: Ratha) is a Village which has grown around Sandside Bay on the north coast of the Highland council area For area committee representation the village was within the Sutherland committee area. Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East
New wards were created for elections this year, 2007, polling on 3 May and, as the wards became effective for representational purposes, the Highland Council's management and committee structures were reorganised. The Caithness management area and the Caithness area committee were therefore abolished.
Ward management area, from 2007
In 2007 an area similar to that of the Highland Council's Caithness management area was divided between three new wards electing councillors by the single transferable vote system of election, which is designed to produce a form of proportional representation. Single transferable vote (STV is a preferential Voting system designed to minimize Wasted votes and provide Proportional representation Proportional representation (sometimes referred to as full representation or PR is a category of electoral formula aiming at a close match between the percentage of votes One ward elects four councillors. Each of the other two elects three councillors. Also, the council's eight management areas were abolished, in favour of three new corporate management areas, with Caithness becoming a ward management area within the council's new Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross operational management area, which covers seven of the council's 22 new wards. Highland Council Management areas 1996 to 2007 For lists of wards see Highland Council wards 1995 to 1999 and Highland Council The boundaries of the Caithness ward management area are not exactly those of the former Caithness management area, but they do include the village of Reay.
The ward management area is one of five within the corporate management area and consists of three wards, the Landward Caithness ward, the Thurso ward and the Wick ward. Lists of wards created in 2007 Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross wards The Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross corporate management area consists of seven wards Lists of wards created in 2007 Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross wards The Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross corporate management area consists of seven wards Lists of wards created in 2007 Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross wards The Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross corporate management area consists of seven wards Each of the other ward management areas within the corporate management area consists of a single ward.
Community councils, 1975 to present (2008)
Although created under local government legislation (the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973) community councils have no statutory powers or responsibilities and are not a tier of local government. The Local Government (Scotland Act 1973 (1973 c 65 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, that reformed local government in Scotland Community councils (CCs are the most local statutory representative bodies in Great Britain. A statute is a formal written enactment of a Legislative authority that governs a Country, State, City, or County. Local government in Scotland is organised through 32 unitary authorities consisting of Councillors elected every four years by registered voters in each of the They are however the most local tier of statutory representation.
Under the 1973 Act, district councils were obliged to implement community council schemes. A Caithness district scheme was adopted in 1975, dividing the area of the district between 12 community councils.
Statutory status for community councils was continued under the Local Government etc (Scotland) Act 1994, and a Caithness scheme is now the responsibility of the Highland Council. The Local Government etc (Scotland Act 1994 (1994 c 39 is an Act of the Parliament of the United Kingdom which created the current local government Highland Council Management areas 1996 to 2007 For lists of wards see Highland Council wards 1995 to 1999 and Highland Council
The area of the former district of Caithness is now covered by 12 community council areas which are numbered and described as below in the Highland Council's Scheme for the Establishment of Community Councils in Caithness, October 1997. Current community council names and contact details are given on a Highland Council website. [6]
- 1. Royal Burgh of Wick
- 2. Sinclair's Bay (including Keiss, Reiss and part of Wick)
- 3. Dunnet and Canisbay
- 4. Bower (excluding Gelshfield area)
- 5. Watten (including part of Bower i. e. Gelshfield area)
- 6. Wick south-east, Wick south-west and part of Clyth (i. e. Bruan) (Tannach & District)
- 7. Latheron, Lybster and remainder of Clyth (including Occumster, Roster and Camster)
- 8. Berridale and Dunbeath
- 9. Thurso
- 13. Halkirk south, Halkirk north-east, Halkirk north-west (excluding Lieurary, Forsie and Westfield area)
- 14. Castletown, Olrig, Thurso east (excluding area on west side of Thurso River)
- 15. Caithness West (that part on the west side of Thurso River only), Thurso West, Reay and part of Halkirk north-west (that part comprising Lieurary, Forsie and Westfield area)
Constituency
The Caithness constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain (1708 to 1801) and the Parliament of the United Kingdom (1801 to 1918) represented essentially the county from 1708 to 1918. Buteshire and Caithness were County constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the The House of Commons' is the Lower house of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, which also comprises the Sovereign and the House of Lords The Parliament of Great Britain was formed in 1707 following the ratification of the Acts of Union by both the Parliament of England and Parliament of Scotland The Parliament of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the supreme legislative body in the United Kingdom and British overseas territories At the same time however, the county town of Wick was represented as a component of Tain Burghs until 1832 and of Wick Burghs until 1918. Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area Tain Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from
Between 1708 and 1832 the Caithness constituency was one of the Buteshire and Caithness alternating constituencies: one constituency elected a Member of Parliament (MP) to one parliament and then the other elected an MP to the next. Buteshire and Caithness were County constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the A Member of Parliament, or MP, is a representative elected by the voters to a Parliament. Between 1832 and 1918 it was a separate constituency, electing an MP to every parliament.
In 1918 the Caithness constituency and Wick were merged into the then new constituency of Caithness and Sutherland. Caithness and Sutherland was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997 In 1997 Caithness and Sutherland was merged into Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross. Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster)
The Scottish Parliament constituency of Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross was created in 1999 and now has boundaries slightly different from those of the House of Commons constituency. Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood)
The modern constituencies may be seen as more sub-divisions of the Highland area than as representative of counties (and burghs). For its own purposes, however, the Highland Council uses more conservative sub-divisions, with names which refer back to the era of district councils and, in some cases, county councils.
In the Scottish Parliament Caithness is represented also as part of the Highlands and Islands electoral region. The Scottish Parliament ( Scottish Gaelic: Pàrlamaid na h-Alba; Scots: Scottish Pairlament) is the devlolved national unicameral Constituencies and council areas The constituencies were created in 1999 with the names and boundaries of Westminster constituencies as existing in at that time The Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) has 73 constituencies, each electing one Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP by the Plurality ( First
See also
- Buteshire and Caithness (UK Parliament constituencies) (1708 to 1918)
- Tain Burghs (UK Parliament constituency) (1708 to 1832)
- Wick Burghs (UK Parliament constituency) (1832 to 1918)
- Caithness and Sutherland (UK Parliament constituency) (1918 to 1997)
- Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (UK Parliament constituency) (1997 to present)
- Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross (Scottish Parliament constituency) (1999 to present)
Local media
Newspapers
The John O'Groat Journal and The Caithness Courier are weekly newspapers published by Scottish Provincial Press Limited[7] trading as North of Scotland Newspapers[8] and using offices in Union Street, Wick (but with public reception via Cliff Road. Buteshire and Caithness were County constituencies of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Tain Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of Great Britain from 1708 to 1801 and of the Parliament of the United Wick Burghs, sometimes known as Northern Burghs, was a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from Caithness and Sutherland was a County constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom from 1918 to 1997 Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross is a constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom ( Westminster) Caithness Sutherland and Easter Ross is a constituency of the Scottish Parliament ( Holyrood) The John O'Groat Journal is one of two weekly Newspapers published by Scottish Provincial Press Limited (trading as North of Scotland Newspapers The Caithness Courier is one of two weekly Newspapers published by Scottish Provincial Press Limited (trading as North of Scotland Newspapers A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. Wick ( Inbhir Uige in Gaelic) is an Estuary Town and a former Burgh in the north of the Highland council area ) and Olrig Street, Thurso. This article refers to the town in Scotland For the city in Canada see Thurso Quebec.
News coverage tends to concentrate on the former counties of Caithness and Sutherland. Sutherland (In Gaelic the area is referred to according to its traditional areas Dùthaich 'Ic Aoidh (NW Asainte (Assynt and Cataibh (East The John O'Groat Journal is normally published on Fridays and The Caithness Courier is normally published on Wednesdays.
Historically, they have been independent newspapers, with the Groat as a Wick-centred paper and the Courier as a Thurso-centred paper. Even now, the Groat is archived in the public library in Wick, while the Courier is similarly archived in the library in Thurso. The Courier was printed, almost by hand, in a small shop in High Street, Thurso until the early 60's by Mr Docherty & his Daughter. The Courier traditionally covers that week's Sherriff Court cases.
Radio
Caithness FM has been broadcasting since 1993. [9]
Websites
Various community organisations, including Caithness Arts,[10] Castletown and District Community Council,[11] Castletown Heritage Society,[12] and Dunnet and Canisbay Community Council[13], Caitness Moto Cross Club, maintain their own websites, as do the trusts that run the Castle of Mey[14] and Castle Sinclair Girnigoe[15]Caithness. Castletown is a village on the north coast of the Highland council area of Scotland. Dunnet ( is a Village in Caithness, in the Highland area of Scotland. The Castle of Mey (formerly Barrogill Castle) is in dramatic situation in Caithness, on the north coast of Scotland, about 6 Miles west of org,[16]
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