BROXBURN COMMUNITY COUNCIL

 We meet the last Monday of the month at 7pm

except for July and December 

Broxburn Old Town Community Hall,

26 East Main Street, Broxburn, EH52 5AE

ABOUT US 

Broxburn Community Council comprises of people who care about their community and want to make it a better place to live. A voluntary organisation set up by statute by West Lothian Council and run by local residents to act on behalf of our local area. Community Councils play an important role in local democracy bridging the gap between West Lothian Council and our local community. We complement the role of the Council, but we are not part of local government.

As well as representing the community to the local authority, Community Councils facilitate a wide range of activities which promote the well-being of their communities. They bring local people together to help make things happen, and many Community Councils protect and promote the identity of their community. They advise, petition, influence and advocate numerous causes and cases of concern on behalf of local communities.

Here are some examples of their work from across the county:

• Carry out projects to enhance their community, for all types of citizens – elderly, single mothers, minority groups, youths etc.
• Issue community newsletters
• Conduct local surveys.
• Campaign on local issues
• Organise community events.

We have a positive working relationship with West Lothian Council who are keen to share their decision-making powers with local people and who value the role the community council plays in this process. Regular consultation takes place on a wide range of issues including planning applications, local plans, decentralisation, and community planning.

Broxburn Community Council exists to represent all people in the area without prejudice and therefore:

• Is non-party political and non-sectarian.
• Is aiming to represents a full cross-section of the community and encourage the involvement of people regardless of gender, race, age, disability, nationality or sexual orientation.

Community Councils are the strongest means of becoming involved with your local area. It will give you a good understand of the workings of local government and what is going on locally and nationally. All local authorities in Scotland encourage citizens to become a member of their Community Council.

Community Councils act as a voice for their local area. 

• Health services and health centre provision
• Transport, particularly bus services for this rural area
• Employment and local business, including retail.
• Housing and social housing
• Environmental issues and sustainability
• Social and care provision
• Recreation, sport, and community-centred work
• Youth facilities and groups
• Events, such as the Gala and Christmas lights switch-on
• Community policing and crime reduction
• Development and planning, with a statutory right to comment on planning applications.

Broxburn Community Council AGM will be held on Monday 27th November at Strathbrock Community Centre 189A West Main Street, Broxburn EH52 5LH at 7pm, all welcome to attend

LINKS

Broxburn Community Council | Facebook

West Lothian Council - West Lothian Council

Old pictures of Broxburn - Scottish Shale

Broxburn Academy - Broxburn Academy (westlothian.org.uk)

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh - West Lothian Council

Broxburn Community Woodland - West Lothian Council

Broxburn Primary School - Broxburn Primary School (westlothian.org.uk)

St Nicholas Primary School Broxburn - St Nicholas Primary Broxburn (westlothian.org.uk)

Kirkhill Primary School - Kirkhill Primary (westlothian.org.uk)

Bridge 19-40 Canal Society: Home

Planning Applications - West Lothian Council

Broxburn's early oil works - Scottish Shale

Broxburn and Uphall Community Website - Home

BROXBURN is a town in West lothian, Scotland, originally a village know as Esater Strathbrock in the medival period ,with Strath coming either from the Gaelic srath or the Pictish/Welsh/Brythonic ystrad  meaning a river valley. The name Broxburn comes from the "broc" beng an old name for a badger whether from the Gaelic broc or pictishBroch and the bur being the Scots word for a larrge stream or small river.  By the 1600 the village has become know as Broxburn. Rapidly developing during the Victoria eras as a result of industrilisation related to shale oil extraction. The village that later became Broxburn probably originated around 1350 when Margery le Cheyne inherited the eastern half of the Barony of Strathbrock (Easter Strathbrock) on the death of her father, Sir Reginald le Cheyne III. The hamlet that grew up around her residence was then called Eastertoun (eastern town) after the land on which it stood. The lands of Strathbrock were earlier owned by Freskin the Fleming, granted to him under a charter from King David I.

Easter Strathbrock was burned to the ground sometime in 1443-4 during a conflict between William, Earl of Douglas, Lieutenant-General of Scotland, and William, Lord Crichton, Chancellor of Scotland. It was destroyed again in 1455 during fighting between the Douglases and King James II. After the conflict, peace was regained and the town was gradually resettled. In 1590, Kirkhill House was built for John Laing, a local landowner.^[ The village was renamed Broxburn in 1600 by Sir Richard Cockburn of Clerkington, Keeper of the Privy Seal of Scotland, almost certainly after Broxburn, East Lothian.

In 1636, Kirkhill house was granted to Ludovic Stewart, advocate.^[ The house and surrounding land eventually passed to David Erskine, 11th Earl of Buchan, where the house was extensive remodelled in 1770/1771.^[ It then passed to his nephew, the 12th Earl who was buried in St John's Church nearby. The house still exists today in Broxburn and is Category B listed.

Broxburn remained an agricultural community until the development of the oil shale industry in the area during the second half of the nineteenth century. This brought in a rapid influx of workers, greatly expanding the local population. Broxburn is still known for its association with the industry, pioneered by the inventor and industrialist James Young. Many shale spoil tips, known as bings, are still in evidence around the town.

Up until its closure in 2013, Hall's of Broxburn, a food manufacturer, employed around 1,700 employees at its meat processing plant to the east of the town.^] At the time of closure, it was the largest, single employer in Broxburn. The large building was demolished in 2014.

The Shale Bings

The 3 Broxburn Bings (Greendykes Bing, Albyn Oil Works Bing and Hopetoun Bing) reside on the north east of Broxburn starting from behind the East Mains Industrial estate. The nearby Niddry Bing resides near the village of Winchburgh. The largest of the three Bings is the Greendykes Bing which when scaled provides excellent views of the whole area. The Bings were created by large piles of spoil from the shale mines being dumped on top of each other to form the Bings.

Present day Broxburn now has two separate industrial areas, the Greendykes Industrial Estate and the East Mains Industrial Estate, which provide employment for local people.

Broxburn Community Council welcomes anyone living or working in Broxburn area who is  looking to become a member.  We are proud to represent the people of Broxburn. We are all volunteers.

We welcome all to attend our monthly community council meetings and contribute on local issues and matters of interest. We would like to work together to give the local community a voice.

If you would like to be part of the Broxburn Community Council or join our monthly meeting then please contact us for more information.

Chairperson– Mrs Gillian Percie

Vice Chairperson– Miss Ellie Tappenden

Treasurer– Mr Keith MacLeod 

Secretary– Mrs Kirsty Percie

MEMBERS

Mrs Caroline MacLeod 

Ms Rebecca Smith 

Clark Harper

John Martin 

The Broxburn , Uphall and Winchburgh ward consists of Broxburn, Uphall, Winchburgh,

Ecclesmachen and Dechmont