2003 Aberdeenshire Council election

Elections to the Aberdeenshire Council were held on 1 May 2003, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections and the Scottish Parliament general election. This was the last election to use the first-past-the-post voting system across 68 single member wards.

2003 Aberdeenshire Council election

1 May 2003 (2003-05-01)
All 68 seats to Aberdeenshire Council 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Liberal Democrats SNP Last election 28 seats, 32.8% 23 seats, 29.4% Seats won 28 18 Seat change 5 Popular vote 27,953 23,068 Percentage 33.5% 27.6% Swing 0.7% 1.8%   Third party Fourth party   Party Conservative Independent Last election 7 seats, 18.4% 10 seats, 14.3% Seats won 11 11 Seat change 4 1 Popular vote 17,511 12,086 Percentage 21.0% 14.5% Swing 2.6% 0.2%

Background

Previous election

Further information: 1999 Aberdeenshire Council election

At the previous election in 1999, the Liberal Democrats won 28 seats, falling 7 short of an overall majority. The Scottish National Party (SNP) won 23 seats, falling 12 short an overall majority. Independents won 10, and the Conservatives won 7, both also falling well short of an overall majority.

1999 Aberdeenshire Council election result

Party	Seats	Vote share
Liberal Democrats	28	32.8%
SNP	23	29.4%
Independent	10	14.3%
Conservative	7	18.4%

Source:

Composition

There were several changes to the composition of the council during the 1999–2003 term.

Composition of Aberdeenshire Council

Party	1999 seats	Dissolution
Liberal Democrats	28	27
SNP	23	22
Independent	10	10
Conservative	7	9

Source:

Results

2003 Aberdeenshire Council election result

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal Democrats	28				41.2	33.5	27,953	0.7
	SNP	18			5	26.5	27.6	23,068	1.8
	Conservative	11			4	16.2	21.0	17,511	2.6
	Independent	11			1	16.2	14.5	12,086	0.2
	Labour	0				0.0	3.3	2,743	1.7
	Scottish Socialist	0				0.0	0.2	189	New

Source:

Aftermath

By-elections

Huntly East by-election

On 9 June 2005 a by-election was held in the Huntly East ward. The Scottish Conservative's Moira Ingleby held the seat.

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	Moira Ingleby	419	34.3
	Liberal Democrats	Eleanor Anderson	360	29.5
	SNP	Robert Ness	224	18.3
	Independent	Hamish Jolly	181	14.8
	Labour	Bryan Begg	38	3.1
Majority			59	4.8
	Conservative hold