1973 Zetland County Council election

Last updated

1973 Zetland County Council election
Flag of Shetland.svg
  1970 May 8, 1973 (1973-05-08) 1974  

24 of 30 seats on the Zetland County Council
16 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
 
LeaderEdward ThomasonClem Robb
Party Independent Shetland Democratic Group
Leader's seatUnst North (defeated)Delting South
Seats won1311
Seat changeDecrease2.svg11Increase2.svg11
Popular vote2,078566
Percentage78.6%21.4%
SwingDecrease2.svg21.4Increase2.svg21.4

Council Convener before election

Edward Thomason
Independent

Council Convener after election

George Blance
Independent

Elections to the Zetland County Council were held on 8 May 1973 as part of Scottish local elections. This was the last election for the County Council before its incorporation along with the Lerwick Town Council into the Shetland Islands Council in 1975. Elections were held in every part of Shetland except Lerwick to elect 24 landward members to the County Council, who would be joined by six nominated members from the Lerwick Town Council.

Contents

The election saw an unusually partisan competition between supporters and opponents of the County Council's policy on North Sea oil. The Shetland Democratic Group was formed to oppose the council's attempts to gain private legislation to exert direct control over oil developments in Shetland, objecting to proposals that would allow the council to take equity in industrial development and gain compulsory purchase powers. [1]

The Shetland Democratic Group gained 11 seats and defeated incumbent Convener Edward Thomason but failed to win enough support to gain control of the Zetland County Council. Supporters of the council's policy elected George Blance, a nominated member from the Lerwick Town Council, as the council's final Convener, defeating Shetland Democratic Group member John Jamieson by 18 votes to 12. The council's continued support for private legislation led to the passage of the Zetland County Council Act 1974, providing the council with powers to become a harbour authority, control harbour developments, invest in securities of bodies corporate, implement compulsory purchases in specified areas relating to oil developments and to establish a reserve fund from oil revenues. [2] These powers would be inherited by the Shetland Islands Council in 1975.

13 seats were uncontested, including seven of the Shetland Democratic Group's 11 gains. [3]

Election results

Zetland County Council Election Result 1973 [4]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Independent 13011Decrease2.svg1154.2%78.6%2,078Decrease2.svg21.4
  Shetland Democratic Group 11110Increase2.svg1145.8%21.4%566Increase2.svg21.4

Ward results

Aithsting
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Iain Caldwell 151 54.9%
Independent Robert Garrick (Incumbent)12445.1%
Majority279.8%
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Bressay
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent James Irvine (Incumbent) 122 78.2%
Independent Brenda Scott3420.8%
Majority8857.4%
Independent hold
Burra
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent William Cumming (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Cunningsburgh
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Joan McLeod (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Delting North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Fraser Peterson (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Delting South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Clem Robb (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Dunrossness North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group James Leask (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Dunrossness South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Raymond Bentley (Incumbent) 150 63.3%
Independent Arthur M. Irvine8736.7%
Majority6326.6%
Independent hold
Fetlar
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent John Laurenson (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Gulberwick and Quarff
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Arthur Irvine (Incumbent) 45 51.4%
Shetland Democratic Group Alistair Leask4348.6%
Majority22.8%
Independent hold
Nesting and Lunnasting
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Andrew Riddell 149 68.3%
Independent William Hamilton (Incumbent)6931.7%
Majority8036.6%
Independent hold
Northmavine North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Robert Balfour 46 55.4%
Independent Andrew Cromarty (Incumbent)3744.6%
Majority910.8%
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Northmavine South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group John Jamieson (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Sandness
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Peter Garriock unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Sandsting
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent A.I. Tulloch (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Sandwick
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Thomas Stove (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Tingwall
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Andrew Irvine (Incumbent) 327 55.7%
Independent Martin Williamson26044.3%
Majority6711.4%
Independent hold
Unst North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group William Thomson 249 70.5%
Independent Edward Thomason (Incumbent)10429.5%
Majority14541.0%
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Unst South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group Alan Fraser (Incumbent) unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Walls
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Williamina Tait (Incumbent) 195 79.9%
Independent Peter Hick4920.1%
Majority14659.8%
Independent hold
Whalsay and Skerries
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Frederick Dainty unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Whiteness and Weisdale
PartyCandidateVotes%
Shetland Democratic Group John Johnson 77 37.0%
Independent John Rae (Incumbent)6732.2%
Independent George Morrison6430.8%
Majority104.8%
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent
Yell North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Sandy Cluness 156 80.0%
Independent Robert Manson3920.0%
Majority11760.0%
Independent hold
Yell South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Robert Gray unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold

By-elections since 1973

1974 Yell North by-election
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent David Johnson unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold

References

  1. "Pro-Bill Members Retain Control". The Shetland Times. 24 May 1973.
  2. Nevis Institute (1978). The Shetland Report: A constitutional study prepared for the Shetland Islands Council by The Nevis Institute under the Chairmanship of Lord Kilbrandon. Edinburgh. p. 63.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  3. "Landslide for "Democrats"". The Shetland Times. 11 May 1973.
  4. Stewart, James. "County Council Election May 1973". Shetland History Online. Retrieved 25 January 2022.