Elections to Falkirk Council were held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the nine wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 , with 32 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system .
The election saw Labour remain the largest party on the Council despite being outpolled in terms of votes by the Scottish National Party . The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party saw their vote share fall but held their Council seats and Independents returned 3 seats as they did in the 2007 Local Elections.
Following the election, the controlling administration consists of 14 Labour members, 2 Conservative and 1 Independent (Cllr Buchanan). Opposition is 13 SNP members and 2 Independent (Cllrs Spears and McCabe). The Council Leader is Cllr Craig C Martin, Provost is Cllr Reid and the Depute Provost Cllr Patrick.
Falkirk Local Election Result 2012
Party
Seats
Gains
Losses
Net gain/loss
Seats %
Votes %
Votes
+/−
Labour
14
-
-
-
43.75
37.74
16,150
+1.54
SNP
13
-
-
-
40.63
40.48
17,321
+5.38
Independent
3
-
-
-
9.4
10.54
4,512
-1.36
Conservative
2
-
-
-
6.3
11.23
4,806
-2.27
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.
Bo'ness and Blackness
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2007: 2xSNP; 1xLab
2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab
2007-2012 Change: No change
Bo'ness and Blackness – 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
SNP
Ann Ritchie (incumbent )
37.67
1,526
Labour
Adrian Mahoney (incumbent )
21.03
852
900.1
1,010.8
1,780.8
Labour
David Aitchison
20.39
826
850.9
910.2
SNP
Sandy Turner (incumbent )
11.40
462
848.3
915.9
956.1
Conservative
Lynn Munro
9.50
385
401.5
Electorate: 11,250 Valid: 4,051 Spoilt: 79 Quota: 1,013 Turnout: 4,130 (36.01%)
2007: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: No change
Grangemouth – 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Labour
Allyson Black (incumbent )
24.68
1,201
SNP
David Balfour
22.58
1,099
Independent
Robert Spears (incumbent )
17.71
862
877.9
882.4
963.6
1,064.6
Labour
Joan Paterson
10.33
503
675.4
678.6
695.6
725.8
739.3
815.4
978.4
SNP
Andrew Cowie
8.69
423
432.3
538.8
562.2
596.2
608.9
683.7
Conservative
Amanda Nicol
5.73
279
285
286.3
309.8
Independent
Jim Waugh
5.59
272
275.4
277.4
331.6
377.9
412.7
Independent
David Sharp
4.68
228
231.6
233.4
Electorate: 12,350 Valid: 4,867 Spoilt: 124 Quota: 974 Turnout: 4,991 (39.41%)
2007: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: No change
Denny and Banknock – 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SNP
John McNally (incumbent )†
28.23
1,502
Labour
Jim Blackwood (incumbent )
22.35
1,189
Independent
Brian McCabe
11.69
622
676.9
680.9
714.1
801.2
977.6
1,133.3
SNP
Martin D. Oliver (incumbent )
10.73
571
870.1
879.4
900.1
972.5
1,062.6
1,148
Labour
Terrie Hay
8.33
443
459
539.7
563.2
614.7
684.9
Independent
Alexander John Waddell (incumbent )
7.72
411
433.1
439.6
480.2
539.5
Independent
Khalid Hamid
7.27
387
398.9
406.4
428.2
Conservative
David Grant
3.70
197
200.7
204.5
Electorate: 12,350 Valid: 5,321 Spoilt: 95 Quota: 1,065 Turnout: 5,416 (39.45%)
Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst
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2007: 2xLab; 2xSNP
2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
2007-2012 Change: No change
Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst – 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
Labour
Charles MacDonald (incumbent )
26.28
1,377
Labour
Craig Martin (incumbent )
25.42
1,332
SNP
Stephen Bird
23.61
1,237
SNP
Steven Carleschi (incumbent )
17.33
908
986.1
1,052.9
Conservative
Jim Flynn
7.35
385
437.3
480.8
Electorate: 14,121 Valid: 5,239 Spoilt: 86 Quota: 1,048 Turnout: 5,325 (37.1%)
Bonnybridge and Larbert
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2007: 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLab
2012: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: No change
Bonnybridge and Larbert – 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
SNP
Tom Coleman (incumbent )
30.95
1,387
Labour
Linda Gow (incumbent )
27.56
1,235
Independent
Billy Buchanan (incumbent )
22.72
1,018
1,042.7
1,073.3
1,138.4
Conservative
Elliot Roy
8.39
379
385
394.2
430.1
SNP
Lynda Kenna *
6.67
299
493.8
512.9
560.8
Independent
Chris Harley
3.70
166
176.7
192.6
Electorate: 11,746 Valid: 4,481 Spoilt: 71 Quota: 1,121 Turnout: 4,552 (38.15%)
Sitting Councillor from a different ward.
2007: 2xLab; 2xSNP
2012: 2xSNP; 2xLab
2007-2012 Change: No change
Falkirk North – 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
SNP
David Alexander (incumbent )
36.46
1,915
Labour
Craig Martin (incumbent )
20.98
1,102
Labour
Pat Reid (incumbent )
19.25
1,011
1,070.6
SNP
Cecil Meiklejohn (incumbent )
16.73
879
1,604.5
Conservative
Robert Edward Ardis
6.59
346
361.8
Electorate: 13,878 Valid: 5,253 Spoilt: 129 Quota: 1,051 Turnout: 5,382 (37.85%)
2007: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2007-2012 Change: No change
Falkirk South – 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Labour
Dennis Goldie
23.96
1,279
SNP
Colin Chalmers
21.74
1,160
Conservative
John Patrick (incumbent )
15.76
841
844.6
846.9
856.9
984.9
998.4
1,212.7
Labour
Gerry Goldie (incumbent )
15.72
839
1,025.6
1,031.5
1,039.5
1,184.9
SNP
Georgie Thomson (incumbent )
12.59
672
675.3
748.1
754.7
854.3
874.9
Independent
Joe Lemetti (incumbent )
8.71
465
472.3
477.6
519.9
Independent
Hugh McGinlay
1.52
81
81.3
82.4
Electorate: 13,207 Valid: 5,337 Spoilt: 100 Quota: 1,068 Turnout: 5,437 (40.41%)
2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
2007-2012 Change: No change
Lower Braes – 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
Conservative
Malcolm Nicol (incumbent )
35.99
1,447
SNP
Steven Jackson (incumbent )
31.32
1,259
Labour
Alan Nimmo (incumbent )
27.78
1,117
SNP
Robbie Landsman
4.90
197
Electorate: 9,948 Valid: 4,020 Spoilt: 100 Quota: 1,068 Turnout: 4,120 (40.41%)
2007: 2xLab; 1xSNP
2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP
2007-2012 Change: No change
Upper Braes – 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Labour
John McLuckie (incumbent )
32.26
1,361
SNP
Gordon Hughes (incumbent )
29.79
1,257
SNP
Ricky Wilson
13.46
568
592.5
757.9
862.9
Conservative
Alan Rust
13.04
550
565.5
573.5
Labour
Rosie Murray
11.45
483
712.3
725.3
905.9
1,176.5
Electorate: 11,033 Valid: 4,219 Spoilt: 101 Quota: 1,055 Turnout: 4,320 (38.24%)
Post-Election Changes
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† Denny and Banknock SNP Cllr John McNally was elected as an MP for Falkirk on 7 May 2015.[1] He resigned his Council seat in June and a by-election was held on 13 August 2015 which was held by the SNP's Paul Garner.
By-elections since 2012
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Denny and Banknock By-election (13 August 2015) – 1 Seat[ 1]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
SNP
Paul Garner
69.1%
2,576
Labour
Andrew Bell
14.7%
549
Conservative
David Grant
11.6%
431
Scottish Green
Brian Capaloff
4.6%
170
Electorate: 14,462 Valid: 3,726 Spoilt: 34 Quota: 1,864 Turnout: 3,760 (26.1%)