South Lanarkshire Council
- The population of the council area stood at 310,930 in 2009 and the authority employs about 14,600 full and part-time workers.
- The council's budget stands at about £715m.
- South Lanarkshire Councilheadquarters are based in the town of Hamilton.
- The council has 20 wards, electing 67 councillors.
- The local authority area covers 180,000 hectares of land stretching from a few miles from the city centre of Glasgow to close to the Scottish Border.
- There are four towns - East Kilbride, Hamilton, Rutherglen and Cambuslang - and a further 23 towns and smaller conurbations.
- South Lanarkshire Councilwas recently named as one of sixScottish local authorities, facing "particular challenges" with youth unemployment, which will share £9m to create work opportunities.