What title is used in Scotland for the chief magistrate or convener of a burgh council, the equivalent of a mayor in other parts of the English speaking world?
Provost (civil) 74). A provost sergeant is in charge of the garrison police or regimental police. The 'Provost' also refers to the military police in general. The British Army pronunciation is 'Prov-oh', though the U.S. Army pronunciation is 'Pro-vost' as written. Historically the provost was the chief magistrate or convener of a Scottish burgh council, the equivalent of a mayor in other parts of the English-speaking world. Previous to the enactment of the Town Councils (Scotland) Act 1900 various titles were used in different burghs, but the legislation standardised the name of the governing body as “the provost, magistrates, and councillors” of
Burgh properties and funds of the royal burghs continue to exist. They are administered by the present area councils, who must make "have regard to the interests of the inhabitants of the area to which the common good formerly related". The use of these assets are to be for the benefit of the inhabitants of the former burgh. Any person or body holding the honorary freedom "of any place... formerly having the status of a city, burgh or royal burgh" continued to enjoy that status after the 1975 reorganisation. The chief magistrate or convener of a burgh, equivalent to a mayor,