Argyll and Bute Council election, 2012

Argyll and Bute Council election, 2012

May 3, 2012 (2012-05-03)

All 36 seats to Argyll and Bute Council 19 seats needed for a majority   First party Second party Third party   Leader Dick Walsh Roddy McCuish David Fairbairn Kinniburgh Party Independent SNP Conservative Leader's seat Dunoon Oban South and the Isles Helensburgh and Lomond South Last election 16 seats, 44.4% 10 seats, 27.8% 3 seats, 8.3% Seats before 16 11 3 Seats won 15 13 4 Seat change 1 3 1   Fourth party   Leader Ellen Morton Party Liberal Democrats Leader's seat Helensburgh and Lomond South Last election 7 seats, 19.4% Seats before 6 Seats won 4 Seat change 3

Council Leader before election Dick Walsh Independent Council Leader after election Roddy McCuish SNP

Elections to Argyll and Bute Council were held on 3 May 2012 on the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the eleven wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 36 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.

After the 2007 Local Election a coalition was formed between the Alliance for Independents group and the Scottish National Party. This arrangement subsequently broke up and the Independent group formed a minority administration with the support of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.

The 2012 election saw Independent Councillors remain the largest grouping on the Council while the Scottish National Party increased their representation again by 3 seats, chiefly at the expense of the Lib Dems. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party gained an additional seat and replaced the Lib Dems in third place according to vote share.

Following the election an administration was formed between the Scottish National Party and the Argyll First Group of Independent Councilors. However, this coalition subsequently broke down, and after the SNP National Executive prevented the SNP group forming a coalition with the Scottish Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, 4 members of the SNP group including Roddy McCuish, Mary Jean Devon, Michael Breslin and Robert MacIntyre left the SNP, and a coalition of Independents, Scottish Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats was subsequently formed in October 2013, led by Dick Walsh. Another member of the SNP Group, Fred Hall, had previously left the SNP in April 2013, and now sits as an independent.

Election result

Argyll and Bute Local Election Result 2012
Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Independent	15	1	2	-1	41.67	38.40	11,922	-0.7
	SNP	13	3	0	+3	36.1	29.74	9,234	+7.54
	Conservative	4	1	0	+1	11.1	15.50	4,811	-0.2
	Liberal Democrats	4	0	3	-3	11.1	11.40	3,540	-7.8
	Labour	0	0	0	-	-	4.60	1,422	+0.9
	Scottish Green	0	-	-	-	-	0.24	73	-
	Scottish Christian	0	-	-	-	-	0.14	45	-

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 3 May 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

South Kintyre

• 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
• 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP
• 2007-2012 Change: No change

South Kintyre - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7
	Conservative	Donald Kelly (incumbent)	45.87%	1,133
	SNP	John Donald Semple (incumbent) ††††	16.80%	415	507.3	517.5	551.5	696.7
	Liberal Democrats	Rory Colville (incumbent)	14.21%	351	519.2	535.1	570.3	595.7	613.7	728.3
	SNP	Anne Baird	8.22%	203	216.6	224.4	234.2
	Independent	Robert Graham	6.72%	167	221.9	246.9	315.9	338.7	354.9
	Independent	George Rahman	5.59%	138	192.5	205.5
	Independent	Deirdre Henderson	2.55%	63	85.3
Electorate: 5,278   Valid: 2,470   Spoilt: 40   Quota: 618   Turnout: 2,510 (46.8%)

Kintyre and the Islands

• 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2012: 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
• 2007-2012 Change: No change

Kintyre and the Islands - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7
	SNP	Anne Horn (incumbent)	23.43%	610	613	630	694
	Independent	John McAlpine (incumbent)	22.43%	584	587	603	653
	Conservative	Alastair John Redman	21.24%	553	553	559	579	586.2	586.4
	Liberal Democrats	Robin Currie (incumbent)	20.74%	540	541	548	623	635.9	636.2	884.3
	Labour	Bob Chicken	8.64%	225	232	247
	Scottish Green	Ed Tyler	2.8%	73	74
	[[|N/A]]	Arthur McFarlane	0.73%	19
Electorate: 5,144   Valid: 2,604   Spoilt: 29   Quota: 652   Turnout: 2,633 (50.62%)

Mid Argyll

• 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
• 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem

Mid Argyll - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5
	Independent	Douglas Trevor Philand (incumbent)	38.42%	1,111
	SNP	Sandy Taylor	24.62%	712	811.6
	Independent	Donnie MacMillan (incumbent)	14.14%	409	518.7	543.6	598.7	677.9
	Liberal Democrats	Alison Jean Hay (incumbent)	10.79%	312	387.2	401.1	483.4	528.5
	Conservative	Charlotte Hanbury	6.02%	174	190.7	193.6
	Labour	Wendy Reynolds	6.02%	174	209.1	222.9	231.9
Electorate: 5,999   Valid: 2,892   Spoilt: 24   Quota: 724   Turnout: 2,916 (48.21%)

Oban South and the Isles

• 2007: 2xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
• 2012: 3xSNP; 1xIndependent
• 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem

Oban South and the Isles - 4 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8
	SNP	Mary-Jean Devon (incumbent) (Subsequently left the SNP)	24.67%	830
	SNP	Roddy McCuish (incumbent) (Subsequently left the SNP)	22.79%	767
	SNP	Fred Hall† (Subsequently left the SNP)	10.37%	349	408.6	461.6	475.2	489.6	523.2	569	632.6
	Independent	Alistair MacDougall	8.35%	281	305.4	307.9	333.8	373.4	406	580.9	701.5
	Independent	Gordon Chalmers (incumbent)	7.99%	269	305.1	307.1	329.7	370.5	386.2
	Independent	Neil MacKinnon MacIntyre	7.64%	257	260.4	273.9	291.1	327.4	442.7	483.7
	Independent	Sean MacIntyre	7.04%	237	239.8	248.4	266.7	283.9
	Conservative	Michael Hawke	5.68%	191	194	196.4	252.2
	Liberal Democrats	Graham Kanes	5.47%	184	189.5	191.6
Electorate: 7,615   Valid: 3,365   Spoilt: 51   Quota: 674   Turnout: 3,416 (44.19%)

Oban North and Lorn

• 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP
• 2012: 3xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem

Oban North and Lorn - 4 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9
	Independent	Elaine Robertson (incumbent)	22.23%	807
	SNP	Louise Anne Glen-Lee†† (incumbent)	19.47%	707	715.6	721.9	732
	Independent	Duncan MacIntyre (incumbent)	11.59%	421	436.2	443.7	471.9	472.2	509.6	611.3	726.7	811.4
	SNP	Donald Melville	11.29%	410	415.9	420	445.1	448.8	471	517.2	541.9
	Independent	Iain Angus MacDonald †††††	9.94%	361	372.7	379.9	410.8	411.1	437.8	476.8	542.6	645.3
	Conservative	Roy Rutherford	9.14%	332	340.1	343.3	353.5	353.6	384.4	409.2
	Independent	Neil MacKay (incumbent)	6.11%	222	231.3	239	243.1	243.3	264.3
	Liberal Democrats	Gwyneth Neal	5.17%	188	196.7	201.1	206.3	206.5
	Independent	George Doyle	3.44%	125	126.9	136.1
	Independent	Wilma McIntosh	1.60%	58	61.3
Electorate: 7,524   Valid: 3,631   Spoilt: 46   Quota: 727   Turnout: 3,677 (48.26%)

Cowal

• 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2007-2012 Change: No change

Cowal - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6	Count 7	Count 8	Count 9
	SNP	William Gordon Blair	19.57%	570	575	585	613	653	942
	Independent	Alex McNaughton (incumbent)	18.65%	543	564	593	628	713	744
	Independent	Bruce Marshall (incumbent)	12.88%	375	391	410	452	514	542	572.5	577.4	742.7
	SNP	Ron Simon (incumbent)	12.12%	353	359	367	378	405
	Conservative	Lewis Macdonald	11.78%	343	356	388	407	433	454	480	481.9
	Independent	Stephen Johnstone	9.68%	282	295	312	341
	Independent	Chris Talbot	5.8%	169	182	201
	Independent	Russell Weir	5.19%	151	173
	Independent	Chris Lambert	4.33%	126
Electorate: 5,840   Valid: 2,912   Spoilt: 40   Quota: 729   Turnout: 2,952 (49.86%)

Dunoon

• 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
• 2007-2012 Change: No change

Dunoon - 3 seats *
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5
	Independent	Dick Walsh (incumbent)	32.83	777
	SNP	Michael Breslin (Subsequently left the SNP)	28.01	663
	Independent	Jimmy McQueen (incumbent)	18.25	432	527.5	544.8	590.7	638
	Labour	Mick Rice	12.51	296	315.5	324.7	337.8	381.4
	Liberal Democrats	Tony Miles	4.44	105	128.1	137.3	160.1
	Conservative	William Green	3.97	94	106.9	111.1
Electorate: 5,715   Valid: 2,367   Spoilt: 38   Quota: 592   Turnout: 2,405 (41.42%)

• Elections to the Dunoon Ward were suspended following the death of SNP candidate Alister MacAlister. Polling took place on May 10, 2012.

Isle of Bute

• 2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
• 2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
• 2007-2012 Change: No change

Isle of Bute - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6
	Independent	Len Scoullar (incumbent)	30.91%	707
	SNP	Robert MacIntyre (incumbent) (Subsequently left the SNP)	26.63%	609
	SNP	Isobel Strong (incumbent)	15.7%	359	409.6	440.7	450.8	515.1	673.8
	Labour	Adam Bellshaw	15.34%	351	372.6	374.8	385.4	440.8
	Conservative	Peter Wallace	9.44%	216	244.5	245.2	264.6
	Scottish Christian	Hugh Cole	1.97%	45	48.6	49
Electorate: 5,078   Valid: 2,287   Spoilt: 39   Quota: 572   Turnout: 2,326 (45.04%)

Lomond North

• 2007: 3xIndependent
• 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xCon
• 2007-2012 Change: Con gain one seat from Independent

Lomond North - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5	Count 6
	Independent	George Freeman (incumbent)	29.24%	847
	Conservative	Maurice Corry	18.78%	544	560.3	565.7	607.6	672.1	716.3
	SNP	Kenneth Smith	14.01%	406	417.1	433.1	463.4	542.1
	Labour	Fiona Howard	12.98%	376	386.4	412.1	453.4
	Independent	Robert Graham MacIntyre	12.36%	358	373.8	407.2	531.7	650.9	816.1
	Independent	Danny Kelly (incumbent)	8.18%	237	272.1	307.5
	Independent	Susie Will	4.45%	129	143.5
Electorate: 6,117   Valid: 2,897   Spoilt: 22   Quota: 725   Turnout: 2,919 (47.36%)

Helensburgh Central

• 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
• 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
• 2007-2012 Change: No change

Helensburgh Central - 4 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1
	Independent	Vivien Dance (incumbent)	22.8%	749
	SNP	James Alexander Robb (incumbent)	20.91%	687
	Conservative	Gary Mulvaney (incumbent)	20.49%	673
	Liberal Democrats	Aileen Morton	20.24%	665
	Independent	David Alastair Allan	11.63%	382
	[[|N/A]]	Richard William Humphrey	3.93%	129
Electorate: 7,377   Valid: 3,285   Spoilt: 32   Quota: 658   Turnout: 3,317 (44.53%)

Helensburgh and Lomond South

• 2007: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
• 2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
• 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent

Helensburgh and Lomond South - 3 seats
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4
	Liberal Democrats	Ellen Morton (incumbent)	38.30%	895
	SNP	Richard MacDonald Trail	24.99%	584	603.7
	Conservative	David Fairbairn Kinniburgh (incumbent)	23.88%	558	582.2	584.6	877.2
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Nisbet (incumbent)	12.84%	300	548.3	555.8
Electorate: 5,395   Valid: 2,337   Spoilt: 35   Quota: 585   Turnout: 2,372 (43.32%)

Changes since 2012

• † Independent Oban South and the Isles Cllr Fred Hall resigned his seat on 14 March 2014. A by-election was held on 23 May 2014 and was won by the Labour Party's Neil MacIntyre.
• †† SNP Oban North and Lorn Cllr Louise Glen-Lee resigned on 30 April 2014 for personal reasons. A by-election was held on 17 July 2014 and was won by the Independent John MacGregor.
• ††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr John MacGregor died on 28 July 2014. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy and was won by the SNP's Iain MacLean on 23 October 2014.
• †††† SNP South Kintyre Cllr John Semple resigned on 19 September 2014 for personal reasons. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 11 December 2014 and was won by the SNP's John Armour.
• ††††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr Iain Angus MacDonald joined the SNP and ceased to be an Independent on 24 September 2014.

By-elections

Oban South and the Isles By-election (23 May 2014) - 1 Seat[1]
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5
	Labour	Neil MacIntyre	26.27	918	946	1,134	1,413	2,001
	SNP	Iain MacLean	28.05	980	988	1,102	1,260
	Liberal Democrats	David Pollard	18.17	635	742	865
	Independent	John MacGregor	17.63	616	688
	Conservative	Andrew Vennard	9.87	345

Oban North and Lorn By-election (17 July 2014) - 1 Seat[2]
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4	Count 5
	SNP	Gerry Fisher	24.6	595	635	658
	Independent	John MacGregor †††	22.7	548	614	771	920	1,293
	Labour	Kieron Green	21.8	526	572	681	874
	Conservative	Andrew Vennard	18.4	445	493
	Independent	Marri Molloy	12.5	301

Oban North and Lorn By-election (23 October 2014) - 1 Seat[3]
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1	Count 2	Count 3	Count 4
	SNP	Iain MacLean	40.9%	1,090	1,102	1,199	1,635
	Independent	Stephanie Irvine	23.6%	629	812	1,080
	Labour	Kieron Green	19.9%	530	621
	Conservative	Andrew Vennard	15.6%	415

South Kintyre By-election (11 December 2014) - 1 Seat[4]
Party		Candidate	% 1st Pref	Count 1
	SNP	John Armour	62.2%	942
	Liberal Democrats	Joyce Oxborrow	14.1%	214
	Conservative	Charlotte Hanbury	13.4%	203
	Labour	Michael Kelly	10.3%	156

References

• http://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/elections/results2012
• http://www.andrewteale.me.uk/pdf/2012/argyll-bute12.pdf

Preceded by Argyll and Bute Council election, 2007

Argyll and Bute Council elections

Succeeded by Argyll and Bute Council election, 2017

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