The 2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election took place on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Dumfries and Galloway Council . The election used the twelve wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 , with each ward electing three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation , with 43 councillors being elected, a reduction of 4 members and 1 ward since 2012.
2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election
The 12 multi-member wards
Following the election the Conservative Party became the largest party, with Labour falling from first place into third place in terms of votes and seats. The SNP also drew with Labour in terms of seats as they both won 11 seats.
This election also saw Independent councillors Willie Scobie and Jane Maitland returned, but saw Marion McCutcheon, George Prentice, Tom McAughtrie, Yen Hongmei Jin, Denis Male and Craig Peacock all losing their seats. Elaine Murray , the former Labour MSP for Dumfriesshire was elected to the Council in the Nith ward.
Following the election, Ian Carruthers (Annandale South) was elected as the Conservative group leader, Rob Davidson (Abbey) as the SNP group leader and Elaine Murray (Nith) as the Labour group leader. Richard Brodie (Annandale South), is the sole Liberal Democrat councillor.
On 23 May, almost three weeks following the election, Labour and the SNP formed a coalition to form a majority council with Murray as council leader and Rob Davidson as depute leader and civic head. Although the Conservatives were elected the largest party with 16 seats, they remained in opposition.
2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election result
Party
Seats
Gains
Losses
Net gain/loss
Seats %
Votes %
Votes
+/−
Conservative
16
2
0
+2
37.21
38.70
21,138
+12.09
SNP
11
1
0
+1
25.58
21.56
11,779
+2.10
Labour
11
0
4
-4
25.58
18.45
10,077
-10.89
Independent
4
0
3
-3
9.30
17.26
9,425
-0.80
Liberal Democrats
1
0
0
0
2.33
2.47
1,350
-1.48
Scottish Green
0
0
0
0
0.00
1.87
1,026
+0.03
Scottish Libertarian
0
0
0
0
0.00
0.22
118
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 2012. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
Stranraer and the Rhins
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2012: 1x Ind, 1x SNP, 1xLab
2017: 1x No description, 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Lab
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain extra seat
Stranraer and the Rhins - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
No description
Willie Scobie (incumbent )
36.53
1,925
Conservative
Andrew Giusti
32.31
1,703
SNP
Ros Surtees
14.52
765
869.4
884.62
903.35
919.09
953.34
1,013.39
Labour
Tommy Sloan
5.92
312
589.94
661.86
694.11
723.69
774.28
912.14
Independent
Tracy Davidson
3.43
181
251.95
317.4
338.72
381.51
Independent
Marion McCutcheon (incumbent )
3.15
166
259.55
332.23
363.55
418.26
533.25
Independent
Robert McCrae
2.33
123
164.13
231.48
242.73
Scottish Libertarian
Chris Collings
1.80
95
134.77
174.72
Electorate: 11,382 Valid: 5,270 Spoilt: 80 Quota: 1,055 Turnout: 46.3%
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West
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2017: 2x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
2012-2017 Change: New ward
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West- 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Conservative
David Inglis
26.07
1,403
Independent
Jim McColm (incumbent )
18.13
976
1,012.01
1,027.25
1,050.25
1,158.41
Conservative
Graham Nicol (incumbent ) †††††
13.43
723
960.46
962.93
971.02
1,009.64
1,032.12
1,234.63
SNP
Katie Hagmann
13.02
701
703.32
708.32
733.32
806.49
811.66
860.02
867.82
1,416.84
SNP
Steve Norris
10.63
572
574.32
577.56
587.56
606.25
612.84
657.4
664.87
Independent
Richard Oxley
8.83
475
48.01
496.24
506.24
551.94
579.43
Labour
Matthew Curry
6.84
368
375.67
379.9
407.36
Scottish Green
Barbara Bannatyne
2.16
116
118.32
121.79
Independent
John McCutcheon
0.89
48
49.86
Electorate: 9,594 Valid: 5,382 Spoilt: 120 Quota: 1,076 Turnout: 57.3%
2017: 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
2012-2017 Change: New ward
Dee and Glenkens- 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Conservative
Patsy Gilroy (incumbent ) †
33.47
1,547
SNP
Dougie Campbell
19.56
904
909.31
916.81
921.32
934.82
967.08
1,121.83
1,250.09
Independent
Douglas Swan
15.84
732
788.11
804.12
817.64
844.2
886.49
925.55
Independent
Jane Maitland (incumbent )
14.37
664
824.49
833.27
850.57
937.7
983.26
1,096.79
1,522.66
Scottish Green
Laura Moodie
6.32
292
303.88
305.88
321.67
333.43
402.21
Labour
Elizabeth Maxwell
4.69
217
237.72
238.98
258.26
262.28
Independent
Andi Holmes
2.60
120
144.52
157.28
174.57
Liberal Democrats
Andrew Metcalf
1.84
85
106.74
111.99
No description
John Thorn
1.32
61
70.6
Electorate: 8,239 Valid: 4,622 Spoilt: 34 Quota: 1,156 Turnout: 56.5%
Castle Douglas and Crocketford
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2017: 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
2012-2017 Change: New ward
Castle Douglas and Crocketford - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Conservative
David James †††
35.79
1,346
Independent
Iain Howie
23.96
901
1,033.99
SNP
John Young
20.10
756
761.72
772.23
837.81
928.28
1,099.88
Independent
George Nicol Prentice (incumbent )
9.70
365
451.66
496.45
522.15
628.9
Labour
Lucy McKie
7.02
264
307.03
316.87
354.5
Scottish Green
Paul Taylorson
3.43
129
147.66
155.77
Electorate: 7,433 Valid: 3,761 Spoilt: 41 Quota: 941 Turnout: 50.6%
2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
2017: 1x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose 1 seat.
Abbey - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Conservative
Ian Blake (incumbent )
39.38
1,664
Labour
Davie Stitt (incumbent )
21.92
926
1,084.31
SNP
Rob Davidson (incumbent )
16.21
685
698.13
703.77
738.18
932.12
988.26
1,159.28
No description
Tom McAughtrie (incumbent )
10.60
448
517.31
521.99
532.31
540.35
645.66
SNP
Kim Lowe
4.90
207
209.92
211.17
235.76
Independent
Belle Doyle
4.14
175
268.75
271.41
314.93
324.82
Scottish Green
Clare Phillips
2.84
120
151.74
155.6
Electorate: 8,284 Valid: 4,225 Spoilt: 59 Quota: 1,057 Turnout: 51.0%
2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
2017: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
2012-2017 Change: No Change
North West Dumfries - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Conservative
John Graham Bell (incumbent )
32.54
1,374
SNP
Andy Ferguson (incumbent )
16.41
693
708.02
736.4
774.41
1,314.26
Labour
Ronnie Nicholson (incumbent ) ††
16.08
679
722.51
732.59
763.44
778.6
Labour
David John McKie (incumbent )
14.47
611
694.93
720.86
784.57
809.27
SNP
Stacy Bradley
13.60
574
588.25
613.02
642.33
Independent
Billy Farries
3.86
163
268.88
304.73
Scottish Green
Michelle Johnston
3.03
128
156.49
Electorate: 9,981 Valid: 4,222 Spoilt: 112 Quota: 845 Turnout: 42.3%
Mid and Upper Nithsdale
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2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
2017: 1x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose 1 seat.
Mid and Upper Nithsdale - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Conservative
Matthew Ronnie
27.98
1,211
Labour
Jim Dempster (incumbent )
24.38
1,055
1,087.55
SNP
Andrew Stuart Wood (incumbent ) ††††
20.15
872
876.65
876.96
1,043.9
1,286.21
Labour
John Syme (incumbent )
16.73
724
730.76
734.26
839.41
No description
Graham Watson
10.77
466
497.92
498.1
Electorate: 8,105 Valid: 4,328 Spoilt: 50 Quota: 1,083 Turnout: 53.4%
2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
2017: 1x Lab, 2x Con, 1x SNP
2012-2017 Change: Con gain from Lab
Lochar - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
Conservative
John Anthony Charteris
24.19
1,208
Conservative
Ivor Alexander Hyslop (incumbent )
16.88
843
1,000.61
Labour
Jeff Leaver (incumbent )
13.72
685
688.29
688.5
701.68
833.24
875.96
899.3
916.78
1,153.64
SNP
Tracey Little
13.20
659
661.08
661.09
685.1
689.1
710.45
1,099.98
Independent
Yen Hongmei Jin (incumbent )
12.13
606
620.71
620.97
637.15
652.15
777.22
786.22
810.59
SNP
Joe McGurk
8.33
416
417.21
417.23
440.58
447.58
459.75
Independent
Maureen Johnstone
5.99
299
310.94
311.21
322.73
326.73
Labour
Keith Walters
3.16
158
158.69
158.74
175.92
Scottish Green
Arthur Ramsay
2.40
120
121.38
121.43
Electorate: 10,603 Valid: 4,994 Spoilt: 118 Quota: 999 Turnout: 47.1%
2012: 2x Lab, 1x SNP, 1x Con
2017: 2x Lab, 1x SNP, 1x Con
2012-2017 Change: No Change
Nith - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Conservative
Malcolm Johnstone
29.30
1,481
Labour
Elaine Murray
19.01
961
1,033.2
SNP
John Campbell
16.97
858
862.75
863.32
887.71
901.77
922.72
950.35
1,379.72
SNP
Alastair Witts (incumbent )
8.66
438
441.48
441.96
468.7
488.37
493.71
507.68
Labour
John Martin (incumbent )
8.39
424
463.9
478.72
500.8
523.66
540.98
579.72
599.29
682.97
837.94
Independent
David Robert Slater
5.88
297
362.55
363.43
380.02
401.18
459.13
586.3
606.99
676.46
Independent
Niall Cowan
3.88
196
246.35
247.12
252.05
278.76
321.56
Independent
Andrew Crosbie
3.03
153
188.15
188.47
192.81
210.46
Independent
John Dennis
2.49
126
151.02
151.67
168.34
Scottish Green
Sandy Rogerson
2.39
121
133.67
134.22
Electorate: 10,233 Valid: 5,055 Spoilt: 77 Quota: 1,012 Turnout: 49.4%
2012: 2x Lab, 1x Lib Dem, 1x Con
2017: 1x Con, 1x Lib Dem, 1x SNP, 1x Lab
2012-2017 Change: SNP gain from Lab
Annandale South - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Conservative
Ian Brian Carruthers (incumbent )
31.48
1,621
Liberal Democrats
Richard John Brodie (incumbent )
19.58
1,008
1,183.73
SNP
Henry McClelland
17.81
917
933.41
950.54
950.67
972.18
999.06
1,152.05
Labour
Sean Marshall (incumbent )
13.61
701
768.08
811.3
819.7
1,190.65
Independent
Allan Weild
8.74
450
550.99
585.58
599.68
634.99
674.21
Labour
Ronnie Ogilvie (incumbent )
8.33
429
451.6
467.73
470.63
Scottish Libertarian
Peter McKain
0.45
23
31.02
34.55
Electorate: 10,955 Valid: 5,149 Spoilt: 72 Quota: 1,030 Turnout: 47.0%
2012 Notional: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
2017: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
2012-2017 Change: No Change
Annandale North - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Conservative
Douglas Fairbairn (incumbent )
28.76
1,573
Conservative
Gail McGregor (incumbent )
25.72
1,407
SNP
Stephen Thompson (incumbent )
23.91
1,308
Labour
Adam Wilson
16.91
925
998.84
1,055.83
1,126.99
Liberal Democrats
Lisa Courts
4.70
257
356.37
438.41
500.94
Electorate: 11,540 Valid: 5,470 Spoilt: 69 Quota: 1,095 Turnout: 47.4%
Annandale East and Eskdale
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2012: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1X Ind
2017: 2x Con, 1x Lab
2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. 1 Independent loss.
Annandale East and Eskdale - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Conservative
Karen Carruthers (incumbent )
29.59
1,290
Conservative
Ronnie Tait
17.06
744
881.45
901.22
983.92
1,266.4
No description
Denis Raymond Male (incumbent )
16.54
721
732.42
809.57
934.96
Labour
Archie Dryburgh (incumbent )
14.63
638
652.04
776.35
1,029.74
1,362.05
Independent
Craig Peacock (incumbent )
11.77
513
529.2
630.51
SNP
Sylvia Moffat
10.41
454
455.85
Electorate: 8,466 Valid: 4,360 Spoilt: 65 Quota: 1,091 Turnout: 51.5%
Changes since the election
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†On 18 October 2018, Dee and Glenkens Conservative councillor Patsy Gilroy resigned her seat.[ 1] She was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of the Stewartry by Her Majesty The Queen on 5 November 2018.[ 2] A by-election was held on 13 December 2018. The seat was won by Pauline Drysdale of the Conservative party.[ 3]
††On 26 February 2019, Labour Cllr Ronnie Nicholson resigned from the party and became an Independent.[ 4]
†††On 12 April 2019, Castle Douglas and Crocketford Conservative Cllr David James resigned from the party and became an Independent claiming the party avoided making policies.[ 5]
††††On 5 July 2019, Mid and Upper Nithsdale SNP Cllr Andrew Wood resigned from the party and became an Independent. On 21 September 2020, Cllr. Wood announced that he had joined the Conservative party.[ 6]
†††††On 25 October 2019, Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Conservative Cllr Graham Nicol died suddenly. A by-election was held on the 23 January 2020.[ 7] The seat was won by Jackie McCamon of the Conservative party.
By-elections since 2017
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Dee and Glenkens By-election (13 December 2018)[ 8]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
Conservative
Pauline Louise Drysdale
45.9
1,682
1,704
1,740
1,956
SNP
Glen Murray
28.0
1,024
1,026
1,183
1,357
Independent
Colin Matthew Wyper
15.5
569
575
651
Scottish Green
Laura Elizabeth Moodie
9.3
342
349
UKIP
Jennifer Blue
1.3
42
Electorate: 8,088 Valid: 3,663 Spoilt: 29 Quota: 1,832.00 Turnout: 3,692 (45.65%)
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West By-election (23 January 2020)
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
Conservative
Jackie McCamon
61.8
2,177
SNP
Tony Berretti
25.5
898
Scottish Green
Peter Barlow
6.4
225
Labour
Gill Hay
6.3
220
Quota: Turnout: 3,520 (32.5%)