2012 Argyll and Bute Council election

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.

2012 Argyll and Bute Council election

← 2007 3 May 2012 (2012-05-03) 2017 →

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 Decrease1 Increase3 Increase1
Popular vote 11,922 9,234 4,811
Percentage 38.4% 29.7% 15.5%
Swing Decrease0.7% Increase7.5% Decrease0.2%

  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 Decrease3
Popular vote 3,540
Percentage 11.4%
Swing Decrease7.8%

Council Leader before election

Dick Walsh
Independent

Council Leader after election

Roddy McCuish
SNP

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

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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 0 0.0 4.60 1,422 +0.9
  Scottish Green 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.24 73 New
  Scottish Christian 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.14 45 New

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

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South Kintyre

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  • 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
  • 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
South Kintyre - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 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

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  • 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent; 1xSNP
  • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Kintyre and the Islands - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 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 2.80% 73 74          
Arthur McFarlane 0.73% 19            
Electorate: 5,144   Valid: 2,604   Spoilt: 29   Quota: 652   Turnout: 2,633 (50.62%)  

Mid Argyll

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  • 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
  • 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
  • 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Mid Argyll - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 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

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  • 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 FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 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

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  • 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 FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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

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  • 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
  • 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Cowal - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 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

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  • 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
  • 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Dunoon - 3 seats *
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 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 10 May 2012.

Isle of Bute

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  • 2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
  • 2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Isle of Bute - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 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

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  • 2007: 3xIndependent
  • 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xCon
  • 2007-2012 Change: Con gain one seat from Independent
Lomond North - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 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

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  • 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
  • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Helensburgh Central - 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Independent Vivien Dance (incumbent) 22.80% 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
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

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  • 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 FPv% Count
1 2 3 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

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  • † 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.[1]
  • †† 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.[2]
  • ††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr John MacGregor died on 28 July 2014.[3] A by-election was held to fill the vacancy and was won by the SNP's Iain MacLean on 23 October 2014. He resigned from the SNP and became an Independent on 15 March 2016.[4]
  • †††† SNP South Kintyre Cllr John Semple resigned on 19 September 2014 for personal reasons.[5] 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.[6] He resigned his seat on 11 March 2016.[7] The by-election was held on 2 June 2016 and was won by the Independent Kieron Green
  • †††††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr Duncan McIntyre resigned due to ill health in December 2015. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 18 February 2016 which was won by the SNP's Julie McKenzie.[8]

By-elections

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Oban South and the Isles By-election (23 May 2014) - 1 Seat[9]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 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        
Electorate: 8,023   Valid: 3,494   Spoilt: 31   Quota: 1,748   Turnout: 3,525 (43.55%)  
Oban North and Lorn By-election (17 July 2014) - 1 Seat[10]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 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        
Electorate: 7,821   Valid: 2,415   Spoilt: 28   Quota: 1,208   Turnout: 2,443 (30.88%)  
Oban North and Lorn By-election (23 October 2014) - 1 Seat[11]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 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      
Electorate: 8,056   Valid: 2,664   Spoilt: 25   Quota: 1,333   Turnout: 2,689 (33.07%)  
South Kintyre By-election (11 December 2014) - 1 Seat[12]
Party Candidate FPv% 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
Valid: 1,515   Spoilt: 7   Quota: 759   Turnout: 1,522  
Oban and North Lorn By-election (18 February 2016) - 1 Seat[13]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Julie McKenzie 42.3% 1,113 1,186 1,241 1,656
Conservative Andrew Ross Vennard 23.2% 609 640    
Independent Kieron Green 23.1% 608 721 1,048  
Scottish Green Pat Tyrell 11.4% 300      
Electorate: 7,772   Valid: 2,630   Spoilt: 9   Quota: 1,316   Turnout: 2,639 (33.84%)  
Oban and North Lorn By-election (2 June 2016) - 1 Seat[14][15]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Breege Smyth 39.8 1055 1097 1138  
Independent Kieron Green 26.8 711 821 1160 1617
Conservative Andrew Ross Vennard 22.3 591 668    
Liberal Democrats David Pollard 11.1 294      
Valid: 2651   Spoilt: 16   Quota: 1326   Turnout: 2667 (33.46%)  

References

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  1. ^ "Labour wins council by-election". 24 May 2014 – via www.bbc.com.
  2. ^ "MacGregor wins Oban North and Lorn by-election - The Oban Times". 18 July 2014.
  3. ^ "Sudden death of newly elected Oban councillor - Press and Journal".
  4. ^ "Argyll News: Another resignation from Argyll & Bute SNP Councillors groupFor Argyll | For Argyll". Archived from the original on 20 March 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2016.
  5. ^ "Argyll News: SNP lose another Argyll & Bute councillor | For Argyll". Archived from the original on 28 October 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  6. ^ "Argyll News: SNP gain a councillor at Argyll and Bute | For Argyll". Archived from the original on 4 October 2014. Retrieved 28 September 2014.
  7. ^ "Argyll News: Resignation-triggered by-election for Oban North and LornFor Argyll | For Argyll". Archived from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  8. ^ "Oban North and Lorn Ward By-Election". Argyll-bute.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 September 2018.
  9. ^ "By election results" (PDF). www.argyll-bute.gov.uk.
  10. ^ "Scottish Elections :: Oban North and Lorn By-Election 2014 - election result". Archived from the original on 24 September 2014. Retrieved 19 September 2014.
  11. ^ "Statements" (PDF). www.argyll-bute.gov.uk.
  12. ^ Council, Argyll and Bute (11 December 2014). "South Kintyre by-election results, 11th December 2014". Argyll and Bute Council.
  13. ^ Council, Argyll and Bute (29 February 2016). "Oban North and Lorn Ward By Election result". Argyll and Bute Council.
  14. ^ Council, Argyll and Bute (3 June 2016). "Oban North and Lorn by-election result". Argyll and Bute Council.
  15. ^ "Argyll News: Kieron Green wins Oban North and Lorn by-election to Argyll and Bute Council | For Argyll". Archived from the original on 20 September 2016. Retrieved 3 June 2016.
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