1974 Western Isles Islands Council election

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1974 Western Isles Islands Council election
Western Isles Council Flag.svg
7 May 1974 (1974-05-07) 1978  

All 30 seats to Western Isles Council
16 seats needed for a majority
 First party
 
LeaderDonald Macauley
Party Independent
Leader's seatUig West
Seats won30
Popular vote6,430
Percentage100.0%

Council Convener after election

Donald Macauley
Independent

The first election to the Western Isles Islands Council was held on 7 May 1974 as part of the wider 1974 Scottish regional elections. All candidates stood as Independents, and 16 candidates were elected unopposed. [1]

Contents

Several members of political parties ran as independent candidates. This included Roderick MacLeod in Shawbost, who had contested the Western Isles constituency for the Conservatives in 1970, and Mary McCormack, election agent for Labour candidate Andrew Wilson in February 1974, both of whom were unsuccessful. [2]

After the election, Reverend Donald Macaulay and Stornoway Provost Sandy Matheson were tied in a 15-15 vote among councillors to become the council's first convener. Macaulay was elected upon the drawing of a lot. [3]

Aggregate results

Western Isles Council election, 1974 [1] [4]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Independent 30100.00100.006,430

Ward results

Stornoway Newton
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Sandy Matheson 369 71.9%
Independent Alasdair MacLeod14428.1%
Majority22543.8%
Independent hold
Stornoway Goathill
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Albert Nicoll unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Stornoway Bayhead
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Alasdair Rae MacKenzie 341 73.2%
Independent Marie MacMillan12526.8%
Majority21646.4%
Independent hold
Stornoway Manor
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent James Macrae unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Aignish
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent John Crichton unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Tiumpan
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Donald Mackay unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Gress
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Peter MacLeod 310 59.3%
Independent George Mackay21340.7%
Majority9718.6%
Independent hold
Coll
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Kenneth MacDonald 284 52.1%
Independent James MacLennan26147.9%
Majority234.2%
Independent hold
Port of Ness
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Donald Morrison 277 60.0%
Independent Roderick Morrison18540.0%
Majority9220.0%
Independent hold
Dell
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Kathleen MacAskill unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Barvas
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent John Paterson unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Shawbost
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Malcolm MacLeod 238 41.0%
Independent Roderick MacLeod14725.3%
Independent William MacLeod14525.0%
Independent Angus MacLeod518.8%
Majority9115.7%
Independent hold
Laxdale
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Donald MacLeod unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Coulregrein
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Kenneth MacDonald unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Sandwick
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent William MacDonald 228 57.9%
Independent Mary McCormack16642.1%
Majority9215.8%
Independent hold
Uig East
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Jack Macarthur 371 81.4%
Independent Norman Maciver4910.7%
Independent Malcolm Macarthur367.9%
Majority33270.7%
Independent hold
Uig West
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Donald Macaulay unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
North Lochs
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Donald Martin 282 53.5%
Independent Angus MacLeod21743.5%
Majority6510.0%
Independent hold
Kinloch
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Ian Maclennan unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Lochs Park
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Malcolm Macinnes 189 77.7%
Independent Joyce MacKay5422.2%
Majority13555.5%
Independent hold
Harris North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Donald Mackinnon 318 72.8%
Independent John Halford-MacLeod11927.2%
Majority11945.6%
Independent hold
Harris Middle
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Andrew Mundy unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Harris South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Wilfred Leonard unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
North Uist North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Roderick MacLeod 338 73.6%
Independent Montague Ford12126.4%
Majority21747.2%
Independent hold
North Uist South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent James Robertson 193 50.8%
Independent John Macdonald15641.1%
Independent James Macarthur318.2%
Majority379.7%
Independent hold
Benbecula
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Calum Maclennan unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
South Uist
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Dugald Morrison unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Lochboisdale
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Roderick Mackinnon 272 57.6%
Independent John Macinnes20042.4%
Majority7215.2%
Independent hold
Barra North
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Reginald Allan unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold
Barra South
PartyCandidateVotes%
Independent Hugh Morrison unopposed unopposed
Majorityunopposedunopposed
Independent hold

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References

  1. 1 2 Western Isles Council, 1974
  2. "Lively Election Scene". West Highland Free Press. 19 April 1974.
  3. Western Isles Islands Council Minutes. 16 May 1974.
  4. "Western Isles Islands Council Election Results". Stornoway Gazette. 11 May 1974.