Aird and Loch Ness (ward)

Aird and Loch Ness is one of the 21 wards used to elect members of the Highland Council. It includes Loch Ness, the town of Beauly, and the village of Fort Augustus. It elects four Councillors.

Location of the ward ^[1]

Councillors edit

Election
2007	Margaret Davidson (Ind.)		Helen Carmichael (Ind.)		Drew Hendry (SNP)	Hamish Wood (Liberal Democrats)
2012					Drew Hendry (SNP)
Oct 2015		Jean Davis (Liberal Democrats)
2017		Emma Knox (SNP)			George Cruickshank (Conservative)
Mar 2021				David Fraser (Ind.)
2022	Helen Crawford (Conservative)			David Fraser (Ind.)	Chris Ballance (Green)

Election Results edit

2022 election edit

Aird and Loch Ness - 4 seats^[2]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Emma Knox (incumbent)	26.24%	1,364
	Independent	David Fraser (incumbent)	22.74%	1,182
	Conservative	Helen Crawford	21.14%	1,099
	Scottish Green	Chris Ballance	10.16%	528	706.1	727.9	730.0	783.0	924.5	1,165.0
	Independent	Aarron Duncan-MacLeod	8.27%	430	471.8	535.1	556.1	596.2	774.1
	Liberal Democrats	Holly Kingham	6.58%	342	369.3	385.5	398.3	523.1
	Labour	Michael Perera	4.87%	253	276.5	286.8	291.9
Electorate: 10,213 Valid: 5,198 Spoilt: 57 Quota: 1,040 Turnout: 51.5%

2021 by-election edit

A by-election was originally scheduled to take place on 5 November 2020 to elect one councillor after the death of George Cruickshank. However, it was postponed to 11 March 2021.^[3]

Aird and Loch Ness By-election (11 March 2021) - 1 seat^[4]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4	5	6
	Independent	David Fraser	28.3%	997	1010	1076	1194	1663	2109
	SNP	Gordon Shanks	28.2%	994	1010	1129	1198	1211
	Conservative	Gavin Berkenheger	23.4%	824	835	847	929
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Robertson	8.5%	300	335	397
	Scottish Green	Ryan MacKintosh	7.7%	272	297
	Labour	Bill Moore	3.8%	133
Electorate: 10,147 Valid: 3,520 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 1,761 Turnout: 3,564 (35.1%)

2017 Election edit

Aird and Loch Ness - 4 seats^[5]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4	5	6
	Independent	Margaret Davidson (incumbent)	27.8%	1,405
	Conservative	George Cruickshank	19.7%	998	1,045.3
	SNP	Emma Knox	14.2%	719	734.1	734.3	842.07	1,270.6
	Independent	Helen Carmichael (incumbent)	12.4%	625	837.02	848.6	947.6	960.7	1,049.4
	Liberal Democrats	Dr. Jean Davis (incumbent)	10.2%	515	558.6	568.1	654.5	671.2	714.9
	SNP	Matt Friess	8.08%	409	424.9	425.3	491.8
	Scottish Green	Chris Ballance	7.7%	388	411.8	413.5
Electorate: between 9,735 and 9,752 Valid: 5,059 Spoilt: 66 Quota: 1,012 Turnout: 5,125 (52.6%)

2015 by-election edit

A by-election was triggered by the resignation of Drew Hendry in July 2015, following his election as an MP.^[6]

Aird and Loch Ness By-election (8 October 2015) - 1 Seat^[7]
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4
	Liberal Democrats	Jean Mary Elizabeth Davis	33.5%	1,029	1,099	1,208	1,511
	SNP	Emma Ann Knox	32.5%	1,000	1,097	1,144	1,167
	Conservative	George Cruickshank	15.2%	467	480	544
	Independent	Zofia Fraser	9.5%	293	330
	Scottish Green	Vikki Tania Trelfer	9.3%	287
Electorate: 9,584 Valid: 3,076 Spoilt: 24 Quota: 1,538 Turnout: 3,100 (32.35%)

2012 Election edit

Aird and Loch Ness - 4 seats
Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
Party		Candidate	FPv%	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	Independent	Margaret Davidson (incumbent)	36.94%	1,194
	SNP	Drew Hendry (incumbent)	20.77%	840
	Independent	Helen Carmichael (incumbent)	16.3%	659	894.4
	Liberal Democrats	Hamish Wood (incumbent)	12.31%	498	546	575.4	579	585.9	652.4	768	858.1
	SNP	Robert Stewart	7.1%	287	314.1	322.7	345.3	358.5	387	413.2
	Conservative	George Cruickshank	6.89%	279	297.4	307.4	307.9	335.8	351.9
	Labour	Mike Robb	5.46%	221	234.2	242.1	243.3	246.2
	UKIP	Fred Pidcock	1.63%	66	72.1	75.8	76.3
Electorate: 8,999 Valid: 4,044 Spoilt: 56 Quota: 809 Turnout: 4,100 (45.56%)

2007 Election edit

The Highland Council election, 2007: Aird and Loch Ness
	Candidate	1st Pref	%	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

2003 Election edit

Prior to 2007, council elections used single member wards with a first-past-the-post voting system. The current boundaries for Aird and Loch Ness mainly include the 1999-2007 wards of Loch Ness West, Loch Ness East, Beauly and Strathglass and Kirkhill. A large part of the old Inverness West ward is also included. Seven other old wards overlap with Aird and Loch Ness, but the vast majority of their areas lie outside the present boundary.^[8]

Wards almost entirely contained within Aird and Loch Ness edit

The Highland Council election, 2003: Beauly and Strathglass^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Garry Coutts (incumbent)	555	50.3	5.7
	Independent	Helen Carmichael	549	49.7	New
Majority			9	0.8	11.2
Turnout			Unknown	56.6	10.1

The Highland Council election, 2003: Kirkhill^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Jack Shiels (incumbent)	572	44.3	16.1
	Independent	Graham Cross	407	31.5	New
	Independent	Hamish Wood	312	24.2	New
Majority			165	12.8	7.9
Turnout			Unknown	52.6	8.8

The Highland Council election, 2003: Loch Ness West^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Margaret Davidson (incumbent)	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 2003: Loch Ness East^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ella MacRae (incumbent)	Unopposed

Wards with a significant portion in Aird and Loch Ness edit

The Highland Council election, 2003: Inverness West^[9]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Ronald Lyon (incumbent)	546	66.1	5.1
	Independent	Joan Stewart	280	33.9	New
Majority			266	32.2	10.1
Turnout			Unknown	41.9	12.7

1999 Election edit

Prior to 2007, council elections used single member wards with a first-past-the-post voting system. The current boundaries for Aird and Loch Ness mainly include the 1999-2007 wards of Loch Ness West, Loch Ness East, Beauly and Strathglass and Kirkhill. A large part of the old Inverness West ward is also included. Seven other old wards overlap with Aird and Loch Ness, but the vast majority of their areas lie outside the present boundary.^[8]

Wards almost entirely contained within Aird and Loch Ness edit

The Highland Council election, 1999: Beauly and Strathglass^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Garry Coutts	734	56.0
	Independent	John Sellar	577	44.0
Majority			157	12.0
Turnout			Unknown	66.7

The Highland Council election, 1999: Kirkhill^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Jack Shiels (incumbent)¹	906	60.4
	Independent	Molly Doyle	595	39.6
Majority			311	20.7
Turnout			Unknown	61.4

¹For previous Kirkhill ward boundary

The Highland Council election, 1999: Loch Ness West^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Margaret Davidson (incumbent)²	1,018	67.8
	Independent	Patrick Paterson	483	32.2
Majority			535	35.6
Turnout			Unknown	70.5

²For Drumnadrochit ward

The Highland Council election, 1999: Loch Ness East^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Ella MacRae (incumbent)³	Unopposed

³For East Loch Ness ward

Wards with a significant portion in Aird and Loch Ness edit

The Highland Council election, 1999: Inverness West^[10]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	Ronald Lyon	708	61.0
	Labour	Debra Lake	452	39.0
Majority			256	22.1
Turnout			Unknown	54.6

1995 Election edit

Prior to 2007, council elections used single member wards with a first-past-the-post voting system. The current boundaries for Aird and Loch Ness mainly include the 1995 wards of Beauly, Drumnadrochit, Kirkhill, Fort Augustus and East Loch Ness. Large parts of the Scorguie and Strathnairn and Strathdearn wards are also included. Five other old wards overlap with Aird and Loch Ness, but the vast majority of their areas lie outside the present boundary.^[8]

Wards almost entirely contained within Aird and Loch Ness edit

The Highland Council election, 1995: East Loch Ness^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	E MacRae	483	72.4
	SNP	LA MacRae	184	27.6
Majority			299	44.8
Turnout			Unknown	42.9

The Highland Council election, 1995: Fort Augustus^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	PC Paterson	415	38.0
	Independent	HM Cary	290	26.5
	Independent	AW MacKenzie	217	19.9
	SNP	PJ Findlay	171	15.6
Majority			125	11.4
Turnout			Unknown	63.3

The Highland Council election, 1995: Drumnadrochit^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	MC Davidson	251	51.5
	SNP	AK MacPherson	236	48.5
Majority			15	3.1
Turnout			Unknown	36.8

The Highland Council election, 1995: Beauly^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	JS Munro	611	67.3
	Independent	JA Sellar	297	32.7
Majority			314	34.6
Turnout			Unknown	55.1

The Highland Council election, 1995: Kirkhill^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	SJ Shiels	360	46.7
	Independent	M Doyle	263	34.1
	Conservative	CF Spencer-Nairn	148	19.2
Majority			97	12.6
Turnout			Unknown	41.6

Wards with a significant portion in Aird and Loch Ness edit

The Highland Council election, 1995: Scorguie^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	JT MacDonald	639	61.2
	Liberal Democrats	RJ Mackay	237	22.7
	SNP	S MacKenzie	168	16.1
Majority			402	38.5
Turnout			Unknown	34.4

The Highland Council election, 1995: Strathnairn and Strathdearn^[11]
Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	KG Matheson	443	51.3
	SNP	DA Cunningham	253	29.3
	Independent	CM Thomson	167	19.4
Majority			190	22.0
Turnout			Unknown	45.7

References edit

^ "Scottish Boundary Commission | he Boundary Commission for Scotland is responsible for reviews of UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland".
^ "2022 Local Government elections results". The Highland Council. Retrieved 6 May 2022.
^ Smart, Joanna. "Local Government by-elections". www.highland.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2020.
^ "Ward 12 Aird and Loch Ness By-Election Results 2021". The Highland Council. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
^ "2017 council election Ward 12 Aird and Loch Ness". The Highland Council. Retrieved 3 January 2022.
^ Ramage, Iain (13 July 2015). "Drew Hendry steps down, triggering Highland by-election". Press and Journal. Retrieved 18 February 2021.
^ "Ward 13 - Aird and Loch Ness By-election - Thursday 8 October 2015". highland.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Boundary Maps". Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Scottish Council Elections 2003" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e "Scottish Council Elections 1999" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 January 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Scottish Council Elections 1995" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

[1] "Scottish Boundary Commission | he Boundary Commission for Scotland is responsible for reviews of UK Parliament constituencies in Scotland".

[2] "2022 Local Government elections results". The Highland Council. Retrieved 6 May 2022.

[3] Smart, Joanna. "Local Government by-elections". www.highland.gov.uk. Retrieved 25 September 2020.

[4] "Ward 12 Aird and Loch Ness By-Election Results 2021". The Highland Council. Retrieved 3 January 2022.

[5] "2017 council election Ward 12 Aird and Loch Ness". The Highland Council. Retrieved 3 January 2022.

[6] Ramage, Iain (13 July 2015). "Drew Hendry steps down, triggering Highland by-election". Press and Journal. Retrieved 18 February 2021.

[7] "Ward 13 - Aird and Loch Ness By-election - Thursday 8 October 2015". highland.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 16 November 2015.

[bound-8] "Boundary Maps". Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

[El03-9] "Scottish Council Elections 2003" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

[El99-10] "Scottish Council Elections 1999" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

[El95-11] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g "Scottish Council Elections 1995" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 6 January 2022.

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