2007 Highland Council election
Elections to the Highland Council were held on 3 May 2007; the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament and to the 31 other councils in Scotland. Previous elections to the Council had been conducted using the single member plurality system (a.k.a. 'First Past the Post'). Changes implemented by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 meant that future local government elections were to be conducted using the Single Transferable Vote, beginning with those in 2007. The 80 Highland Councillors were now to be elected from 22 wards, returning either three or four members.
The election saw Independent councillors retain their plurality, despite losing a significant number of members, and the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party both increasing their representation, with that of the Labour Party decreasing. The Independent and SNP groups subsequently went into coalition to form the Administration of the Council.
Election result
Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | 35 | N\A | N\A | −18 | 43.8 | 40.9 | 37,844 | ― | |
Liberal Democrats | 21 | N\A | N\A | +8 | 26.3 | 19.3 | 17,917 | ― | |
SNP | 17 | N\A | N\A | +11 | 21.3 | 20.4 | 18,933 | ― | |
Labour | 7 | N\A | N\A | −1 | 8.8 | 10.5 | 9,734 | ― | |
Conservative | 0 | N\A | N\A | 0 | ― | 7.1 | 6,565 | ― | |
Scottish Senior Citizens | 0 | N\A | N\A | 0 | ― | 0.7 | 664 | ― | |
Scottish Green | 0 | N\A | N\A | 0 | ― | 0.7 | 642 | ― | |
Solidarity | 0 | N\A | N\A | 0 | ― | 0.3 | 273 | ― | |
Scottish Socialist | 0 | N\A | N\A | 0 | ― | 0.1 | 59 | ― |
Ward results
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | George Farlow | 586 | 19.9 | 1 | 8 | |
Liberal Democrats | Robbie Rowantree | 410 | 14.0 | 2 | 10 | |
Scottish Senior Citizens | Russel Taylor | 314 | 10.7 | |||
Independent | Linda Munro | 303 | 10.3 | 3 | 10 | |
Independent | David Forbes | 297 | 10.1 | |||
Independent | William Johnston | 282 | 9.6 | |||
Conservative | Margaret Payne | 216 | 7.4 | |||
Labour | Dave Andrews | 184 | 6.3 | |||
Scottish Green | Ailsa Spindler | 168 | 5.7 | |||
Independent | Kirstie Dawson | 99 | 3.4 | |||
Independent | Michael Otter | 80 | 2.7 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Donald Mackay | 1,001 | 30.1 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | John Rosie | 704 | 21.2 | 2 | 4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Marion Thurso | 541 | 16.3 | 3 | 7 | |
SNP | Donald Mackintosh | 433 | 13.0 | |||
Labour | Roger Saxon | 408 | 12.3 | |||
Independent | Ian Grant | 125 | 3.8 | |||
Conservative | Alexander Bain | 112 | 3.4 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Bill Fernie | 793 | 30.3 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Katrina MacNab | 451 | 17.2 | 2 | 7 | |
SNP | Niall Smith | 443 | 16.9 | |||
Liberal Democrats | Graeme Smith | 407 | 15.5 | 3 | 7 | |
Labour | Jim Oag | 366 | 14.0 | |||
Independent | Heather Miller | 98 | 3.7 | |||
Conservative | Jack Brooker | 46 | 1.8 | |||
Independent | Laurel Bush | 17 | 0.6 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | David Bremner | 871 | 18.8 | 3 | 5 | |
Independent | Willie MacKay | 845 | 18.2 | 1 | 3 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Flear | 805 | 17.4 | 2 | 5 | |
Independent | Robert Coghill | 657 | 14.2 | 4 | 8 | |
Labour | Bill Mowat | 532 | 11.5 | |||
Conservative | Colin Sutherland | 531 | 11.5 | |||
Liberal Democrats | Alastair MacDonald | 349 | 7.5 | |||
Independent | Duncan Winfield | 41 | 0.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Ian Ross | 838 | 22.8 | 1 | 7 | |
Labour | Deirdre Mackay | 703 | 19.2 | 2 | 10 | |
SNP | Derek Louden | 511 | 13.9 | |||
Independent | Jim McGillivray | 482 | 13.1 | 3 | 10 | |
Conservative | Michael Napper | 423 | 11.5 | |||
Independent | Jimmy Melville | 252 | 6.9 | |||
Independent | Evelyn MacKenzie | 155 | 4.2 | |||
Independent | Gordon Campbell | 125 | 3.4 | |||
Independent | Gordon Clunie | 114 | 3.1 | |||
Independent | Richard Easson | 40 | 1.1 | |||
Solidarity | Frank Ward | 27 | 0.7 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Jean Urquhart | 1,486 | 26.1 | 1 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Biz Campbell | 1,242 | 21.8 | 2 | 1 | |
Independent | Richard Greene | 792 | 13.9 | 3 | 7 | |
Independent | Audrey Sinclair | 608 | 10.7 | 4 | 9 | |
Conservative | John Scott | 451 | 7.9 | |||
Labour | Christine Conniff | 354 | 6.2 | |||
Independent | Marie Tait | 328 | 5.8 | |||
Independent | Donald Macdonald | 232 | 4.1 | |||
Independent | Alastair Armitstead | 199 | 3.5 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Carolyn Wilson | 1,348 | 29.7 | 1 | 1 | |
SNP | Maxine Smith | 1,021 | 22.5 | 2 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Martin Rattray | 647 | 14.3 | 3 | 7 | |
Independent | Mike Finlayson | 438 | 9.7 | 4 | 9 | |
Labour | John MacInnes | 438 | 9.7 | |||
Independent | John Connell | 307 | 6.8 | |||
Conservative | Hamish Keir | 141 | 3.1 | |||
Independent | Mary MacDonald | 104 | 2.3 | |||
Solidarity | Findlay Walker | 88 | 1.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Alasdair Rhind | 1,406 | 36.2 | 1 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Richard Durham | 627 | 16.2 | 2 | 8 | |
SNP | Jim McCreath | 465 | 12.0 | |||
Independent | Alan Torrance | 436 | 11.2 | 3 | 10 | |
Independent | Murray MacLeod | 294 | 7.6 | |||
Independent | Michael Herd | 204 | 5.3 | |||
Labour | Sunny Moodie | 148 | 3.8 | |||
Conservative | David Rutherford | 124 | 3.2 | |||
Independent | John Boocock | 116 | 3.0 | |||
Scottish Socialist | Donnie Fraser | 59 | 1.5 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Margaret Paterson | 1,078 | 23.1 | 1 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Angela MacLean | 1,015 | 21.8 | 2 | 1 | |
SNP | Peter Cairns | 853 | 18.3 | 3 | 5 | |
Independent | David Chisholm | 639 | 13.7 | 4 | 8 | |
Labour | Michael MacMillan | 556 | 11.9 | |||
Conservative | Gerald Lowe | 218 | 4.7 | |||
Scottish Green | David Jardine | 207 | 4.4 | |||
Independent | David Edes | 102 | 2.2 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Billy Barclay | 1,233 | 24.4 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Isobel McCallum | 985 | 19.5 | 2 | 2 | |
Liberal Democrats | David Alston | 973 | 19.3 | 3 | 3 | |
SNP | Craig Fraser | 558 | 11.1 | 4 | 8 | |
Independent | Okain McLennan | 433 | 8.6 | |||
Conservative | Morris Downie | 408 | 8.1 | |||
Scottish Green | John Wood | 267 | 5.3 | |||
Labour | Chris Birt | 192 | 3.8 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Drew Millar | 960 | 21.2 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Hamish Fraser | 795 | 17.6 | 2 | 4 | |
Independent | John Laing | 734 | 16.2 | 3 | 6 | |
SNP | Ian Renwick | 669 | 14.8 | 4 | 8 | |
Independent | John Murray | 498 | 11.0 | |||
Labour | Vicki Samuels | 351 | 7.8 | |||
Independent | Iain MacDonald | 338 | 7.5 | |||
Conservative | John Hodgson | 178 | 3.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Bill Clark | 975 | 24.8 | 1 | 2 | |
Independent | Allan Henderson | 881 | 22.4 | 2 | 7 | |
Independent | Eddie Hunter | 550 | 14.0 | 3 | 10 | |
Labour | Mairi MacLean | 473 | 12.0 | |||
SNP | David Ingham | 389 | 9.9 | |||
Independent | Sandra Casey | 188 | 4.8 | |||
Conservative | Chris Carver | 156 | 4.0 | |||
Independent | George MacLeod | 151 | 3.8 | |||
Independent | Alistair MacGregor | 100 | 2.5 | |||
Independent | Scott Waugh | 64 | 1.6 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Independent | Margaret Davidson | 1,215 | 24.6 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Helen Carmichael | 1,125 | 22.8 | 2 | 1 | |
SNP | Drew Hendry | 892 | 18.1 | 3 | 5 | |
Liberal Democrats | Hamish Wood | 550 | 11.1 | 4 | 8 | |
Conservative | Margaret Chown | 355 | 7.2 | |||
Independent | John Martin | 322 | 6.5 | |||
Labour | Andrew MacKintosh | 292 | 5.9 | |||
Independent | Alexander Nicol | 192 | 3.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Pauline Munro | 965 | 28.8 | 1 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Alex Graham | 840 | 25.1 | 2 | 1 | |
Independent | Jimmy MacDonald | 778 | 23.2 | 3 | 4 | |
Labour | Caroline Parr | 536 | 16.0 | |||
Conservative | Mary Fraser | 230 | 6.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Donnie Kerr | 1,019 | 21.9 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Peter Corbett | 776 | 16.6 | 4 | 9 | |
Liberal Democrats | Janet Campbell | 729 | 15.6 | 2 | 6 | |
Labour | Bet McAllister | 720 | 15.4 | 3 | 6 | |
Independent | William Smith | 575 | 12.3 | |||
Conservative | David Bonsor | 268 | 5.8 | |||
Independent | Ivor Bisset | 252 | 5.4 | |||
Labour | Tej Manda | 237 | 5.1 | |||
Solidarity | George MacDonald | 88 | 1.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | David Henderson | 1,127 | 22.5 | 1 | 1 | |
SNP | John Finnie | 1,016 | 20.2 | 2 | 1 | |
Independent | Norrie Donald | 750 | 14.9 | 3 | 8 | |
Labour | Fraser Parr | 688 | 13.7 | 4 | 10 | |
Liberal Democrats | Angus Dick | 468 | 9.3 | |||
Conservative | Margaret MacDonald | 361 | 7.1 | |||
Independent | Thomas Lamont | 232 | 4.6 | |||
Independent | Steve Rodger | 226 | 4.5 | |||
Independent | Jean Slater | 82 | 1.6 | |||
Solidarity | Steve Arnott | 70 | 1.4 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Labour | Jimmy Gray | 1,123 | 31.2 | 1 | 1 | |
SNP | Ian Brown | 1,005 | 27.9 | 2 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Kenneth MacLeod | 510 | 14.2 | 3 | 6 | |
Independent | Etta Mackay | 430 | 11.9 | |||
Conservative | Donald MacKenzie | 356 | 9.9 | |||
Independent | Willie Fraser | 178 | 4.9 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Robert Wynd | 1,335 | 28.7 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Roddy Balfour | 1,308 | 28.1 | 2 | 1 | |
Labour | John Ford | 816 | 17.5 | 3 | 4 | |
Liberal Democrats | Glynis Sinclair | 663 | 14.3 | 4 | 4 | |
Conservative | John Ross | 318 | 6.8 | |||
Independent | Jim Ferguson | 213 | 4.6 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Liz MacDonald | 1,576 | 30.7 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Sandy Park | 855 | 16.6 | 2 | 4 | |
Independent | Laurie Fraser | 669 | 13.0 | 3 | 6 | |
Liberal Democrats | Graham Marsden | 535 | 10.4 | 4 | 8 | |
Independent | Jim Lennon | 476 | 9.3 | |||
Labour | Ron Stevenson | 402 | 7.8 | |||
Conservative | Bob Ross | 356 | 6.9 | |||
Independent | David Fraser | 273 | 5.3 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
SNP | Roy Pedersen | 1,058 | 27.0 | 1 | 1 | |
Liberal Democrats | Thomas Prag | 902 | 23.0 | 2 | 1 | |
Labour | John Holden | 671 | 17.1 | 4 | 4 | |
Independent | Jim Crawford | 524 | 13.4 | 3 | 4 | |
Conservative | Donald MacDonald | 413 | 10.5 | |||
Independent | Barrie Haycock | 353 | 9.0 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Stuart Black | 1,720 | 31.2 | 1 | 1 | |
SNP | David Fallows | 1,347 | 24.4 | 2 | 1 | |
Independent | Gregor Rimell | 736 | 13.3 | 3 | 5 | |
Conservative | Les Durance | 532 | 9.6 | |||
Independent | Jaci Douglas | 484 | 8.8 | 4 | 7 | |
Scottish Senior Citizens | Donald Scobbie | 350 | 6.4 | |||
Independent | Angela Cox | 347 | 6.3 |
Party | Candidate | FPv% | % | Seat | Count | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Liberal Democrats | Michael Foxley | 1,059 | 20.4 | 1 | 1 | |
Independent | Donald Cameron | 939 | 18.1 | 2 | 7 | |
SNP | Bren Gormley | 778 | 15.0 | 3 | 10 | |
Labour | Brian Murphy | 501 | 9.7 | 4 | 10 | |
Conservative | Andrew Baxter | 372 | 7.2 | |||
Independent | Thomas MacLennan | 322 | 6.2 | |||
Independent | Darren Woods | 317 | 6.1 | |||
Independent | Patricia Jordan | 271 | 5.2 | |||
Independent | Drew McFarlane-Slack | 241 | 4.6 | |||
Independent | Iain Thornber | 195 | 3.8 | |||
Independent | Neil Clark | 194 | 3.7 |
Post-election changes
- On 6 May 2007, Badenoch and Strathspey Cllr Gregor Rimell became a Liberal Democrat and ceased to be an Independent
- On 26 October 2007, Tain and Easter Ross Cllr Richard Durham became an Independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats
- On 12 December 2007, Tain and Easter Ross Cllr Alan Torrance became a member of the Scottish National Party and ceased to be an Independent
- On 3 April 2008, Landward Caithness Cllr David Bremner became an Independent, separate from the Administration, after being expelled from the Scottish National Party
- In 2008, Wick Cllr Graeme Smith became a member of the Independent Members Group after leaving the Liberal Democrats
- On 13 March 2009, North, West and Central Sutherland Cllr Linda Munro became a Liberal Democrat and ceased to be an Independent
- On 17 February 2011 Inverness Central Cllr Janet Campbell became a member of the Independent Members Group after leaving the Liberal Democrats.
- On 17 February 2011 Culloden and Ardersier Cllr Glynis Sinclair became an Independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats. She joined the Scottish National Party on 24 May 2011
2007-2011 by-elections
- On 23 April 2009 the Liberal Democrat's Alasdair Christie won a by-election which arose following the death of former Independent Councillor Jimmy MacDonald on 31 January 2009
Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | |||||
Liberal Democrats | Alasdair Christie | 59.6 | 1,503 | ||
SNP | Brian ÓhEadhra | 22.0 | 556 | ||
Labour | Andrew James MacKintosh | 8.3 | 210 | ||
Scottish Christian | Dr Sheila McLaughlan | 4.55 | 115 | ||
Conservative | Donald Gunn MacDonald | 4.4 | 111 | ||
Solidarity_(Scotland) | George MacDonald | 1.1 | 27 | ||
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | ||||
Electorate: 6,623 Valid: 2,522 Spoilt: 18 Quota: 1,270 Turnout: 2,540 |
- On 7 April 2011 the SNP's Gail Ross won a by-election which arose following the resignation of Independent Councillor Katrina MacNab
Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||
SNP | Gail Elizabeth Ross | 46.82 | 979 | 984 | 999 | 1,049 | 1,049 | 1,049 | |
Labour | Neil MacDonald | 19.56 | 409 | 410 | 421 | 463 | 463 | 463 | |
Independent | Niall Smith | 9.89 | 207 | 209 | 217 | 245 | 245 | 245 | |
Liberal Democrats | Claire Mairi Clarke | 9.85 | 206 | 211 | 219 | 236 | 236 | 236 | |
Independent | Jim Oag | 8.8 | 184 | 191 | 202 | ||||
Independent | Laurel Bush | 3.5 | 73 | 75 | |||||
Conservative | Michael Anthony Carr | 1.5 | 33 | ||||||
SNP gain from Independent | Swing | ||||||||
Electorate: 5,564 Valid: 2,091 Spoilt: 33 Quota: 1,047 Turnout: 2,124 |
- On 23 April 2009 Independent Fiona Robertson won a by-election which arose following the death of SNP Councillor Alan Torrance
Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | |||||
SNP | Derek William Louden | 33.2 | 837 | 860 | 928 | 1,037 | 1,037 | ||
Independent | Fiona Robertson | 32.2 | 811 | 840 | 933 | 1,204 | 1,204 | ||
Independent | Ruairidh MacKenzie | 18.54 | 467 | 481 | 547 | ||||
Liberal Democrats | Antony Gardner | 12.19 | 307 | 318 | |||||
Independent | Michael Herd | 3.9 | 97 | ||||||
Independent gain from SNP | Swing | ||||||||
Electorate: 6,962 Valid: 2,519 Spoilt: 17 Quota: 1,260 Turnout: 2,536 |
- On 3 November 2011 the Liberal Democrat's Carolyn Caddick won a by-election which arose following the resignation of Labour Councillor John Holden
Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | ||||
SNP | Kenneth Archer Gowans | 33.94 | 885 | 903 | 922 | 967 | 1,005 | 1,084 | |
Liberal Democrats | Carolyn Ann Caddick | 28.65 | 747 | 761 | 777 | 830 | 971 | 1,091 | |
Labour | Katherine MacKenzie-Geegan | 11.81 | 308 | 319 | 327 | 357 | 379 | ||
Conservative | David Louis Kinsley Bonsor | 11.12 | 290 | 300 | 336 | 339 | |||
Scottish Green | Gale Louise Falconer | 6.02 | 157 | 172 | 189 | ||||
Scottish Christian | Donald MacLeod Boyd | 4.83 | 126 | 130 | |||||
Independent | David McGrath | 3.60 | 94 | ||||||
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | ||||||||
Electorate: 9,760 Valid: 2,607 Spoilt: 13 Quota: 1,304 Turnout: 2,620 |
References
- ^ "Inverness West By-Election Result" (Press release). Highland Council. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
- ^ http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/62BA3793-24BF-44B5-B8E5-89B4D8B85B6E/0/ward3byelectionfulanalysis.pdf
- ^ http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/48FAF232-4472-4A27-BC8F-3075807E303F/0/Ward8byelectionfullanalysis.pdf
- ^ http://www.highland.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/F39E89BF-C07B-47D4-82E8-EF76C10FC015/0/ElectionSTVspreadsheetWard20InvernessFinal.pdf