2012 Moray Council election

Last updated
2012 Moray Council election
Coat of arms of Moray Area Council.svg
←  2007 3 May 2012 (2012-05-03) 2017  →
All 26 seats to Moray Council
14 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
 
LeaderGary CoullStewart Cree
Party SNP Independent
Leader's seat Speyside Glenlivet Keith and Cullen
Last election9 seats, 35.2%12 seats, 36.9%
Seats before1012
Seats won1010
Seat changeIncrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 2
Popular vote10,1247,386
Percentage39.4%28.8%
SwingIncrease2.svg 4.2%Decrease2.svg 8.1%
 Third partyFourth party
 
LeaderAllan WrightJohn Divers
Party Conservative Labour
Leader's seat Heldon and Laich Elgin City South
Last election3 seats, 15.8%2 seats, 8.7%
Seats before22
Seats won33
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 1
Popular vote4,5012,351
Percentage17.5%9.2%
SwingIncrease2.svg 1.7%Increase2.svg 0.5%
Moray Council election 2012.svg
Results by ward
MorayCouncilMay2012.svg
Council Leader before election

Gordon McDonald
Independent

Council Leader after election

Allan Wright
Conservative

The 2012 Moray Council election was held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other 31 local authorities in Scotland. The election used the eight wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 26 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.

Contents

The election saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) increase their representation by 1 seat, equalling the seat numbers of the independents who lost 2 seats, while becoming the largest party on the council in terms of vote share. The Conservatives retained their 3 seats while Labour gained an additional seat.

Following the election, a coalition was formed between the independents and the Conservatives which was a continuance of the arrangement from 2007 to 2012.

Background

Previous election

The previous election in 2007 were the first in Moray to use the STV electoral system. The results in 2007 saw the traditionally independent controlled council become a independent-Conservative controlled council. The independent group lost 4 seats, as the SNP gained 6, and the Conservatives gained 2. Labour lost 3, and the Liberal Democrats lost any representation on the council.

2007 Moray Council election results
PartySeatsVote share
Independent 1236.9%
SNP 935.2%
Conservative 315.8%
Labour 28.7%

Source: [1]

Composition

There were 2 by-elections in the 2007-12 term. One by-election was in the Elgin City South ward, which resulted in an SNP gain from independent. [2] The other by-election was held in the Forres ward, which resulted in an independent gain from Conservative. [3]

Composition of Moray Council
Party2007 electionDissolution
Independent 1212
SNP 910
Conservative 32
Labour 33

Source: [4]

Results

2012 Moray Council election result
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  SNP 1010Increase2.svg 138.539.510,124Increase2.svg 4.2
  Independent 1013Decrease2.svg 238.528.87,386Decrease2.svg 8.1
  Conservative 311Steady2.svg11.517.54,501Increase2.svg 1.7
  Labour 310Increase2.svg 111.59.22,351Increase2.svg 0.5
  Scottish Green 000Steady2.svg0.02.8719New
  UKIP 000Steady2.svg0.01.3340Increase2.svg 1.0
  Liberal Democrats 000Steady2.svg0.00.7167Decrease2.svg 1.1
  Scottish Senior Citizens 000Steady2.svg0.00.378Decrease2.svg 1.0
Total26 25,666

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.

Source: [1] [4] [5]

Ward results

Speyside Glenlivet

Speyside Glenlivet – 3 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123
Independent Fiona Murdoch (incumbent)27.59%771  
SNP Pearl Paul (incumbent)27.17%759  
SNP Mike McConnachie (incumbent)22.87%639656.6 705.6
Conservative David Gambles13.46%376393.2 395
UKIP Matthew Desmond5.73%160168 170.1
UKIP Don Gatt3.19%8996.1 97.9
Electorate: 7,059  Valid: 2,794  Spoilt: 40  Quota: 699  Turnout: 2,834 (39.58%)  

    Keith and Cullen

    Keith and Cullen – 3 seats
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345
    SNP Gary Coull (incumbent)42.45%1,319    
    Independent Ron Shepherd (incumbent)22.59%702750.5 866.7  
    Independent Stewart Cree (incumbent)15.25%474591.5 706.1 752.5 964.8
    Conservative Valery Dickson10.04%312336.2    
    SNP Hazel Thain9.66%300615.2 633.5 650.6  
    Electorate: 7,810  Valid: 3,107  Spoilt: 33  Quota: 777  Turnout: 3,140 (39.78%)  

      Buckie

      Buckie – 3 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      1234
      SNP Gordon McDonald (incumbent)38.37%967   
      Independent Anne McKay (incumbent) ††25.71%648   
      Independent Joe Mackay (incumbent) ††††22.10%557596.9 607.2 728.6
      Conservative Margaret Gambles7.1%179183.2 184.9  
      SNP Linda Scobie McDonald6.71%169449.1 451.7 457.5
      Electorate: 7,336  Valid: 2,520  Spoilt: 39  Quota: 631  Turnout: 2,559 (34.35%)  

        Fochabers Lhanbryde

        Fochabers Lhanbryde – 3 seats
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1234
        Conservative Douglas Ross (incumbent)39.5%1,318   
        SNP Margo Howe21.82%728768.7 810.2 1,335
        SNP Anita McDonald (incumbent)18.34%612676.1 708.2  
        Labour Sean Morton15.34%512583.5 714.7 793.9
        Liberal Democrats Peter Horton5.0%167304.1   
        Electorate: 7,717  Valid: 3,337  Spoilt: 28  Quota: 835  Turnout: 3,365 (43.24%)  

          Heldon and Laich

          Heldon and Laich – 4 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          SNP Carolle Ralph†20.0%797807    
          Independent Eric McGillivray (incumbent)18.44%735828    
          Conservative Allan Wright (incumbent)17.26%688699 703.4 703.5 763.7 835.8
          SNP David Stewart (incumbent)17.01%678687 692.1 699.4 740.9  
          Independent Chris Tuke14.65%584659 670 670.4 764.1 921.7
          Scottish Green James Mackessack-Leitch6.57%262279 281.3 281.7   
          Independent John Gordon6.05%241     
          Electorate: 10,287  Valid: 3,985  Spoilt: 56  Quota: 798  Turnout: 4,041 (38.74%)  

            Elgin City North

            Elgin City North – 3 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345
            Labour Barry Jarvis (incumbent)29.85%766    
            SNP Mike Shand (incumbent)23.23%596612.5 661.7  
            SNP Patsy Gowans20.07%515526.9 550.4 566.8 688.3
            Conservative Frank Brown17.46%448466.9 565.8 566.3  
            Independent Darren Margach9.39%241274.2    
            Electorate: 8,386  Valid: 2,566  Spoilt: 31  Quota: 642  Turnout: 2,597 (30.6%)  

              Elgin City South

              Elgin City South – 3 seats
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              12
              Labour John Divers (incumbent)37.57%1,073 
              Conservative James Allan25.0%714810.1
              SNP Graham Leadbitter (incumbent)23.63%675771.1
              SNP John Sharp (incumbent)13.8%394434
              Electorate: 8,356  Valid: 2,856  Spoilt: 40  Quota: 715  Turnout: 2,896 (34.18%)  

                Forres

                Forres – 4 seats
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                12345678910
                Independent George Alexander25.19%1,134         
                Independent Lorna Creswell (incumbent)12.77%575650.4 675.5 690.1 814.9 866.5 870.6 987.2  
                SNP Aaron McLean12.15%547559.1 568.5 574.7 588.4 924.1    
                Conservative Paul McBain10.35%466483.5 486.7 507.1 529.4 540.2 541    
                Scottish Green Fabio Villani10.15%457474.7 488.1 492.1 524.2 548.6 551.9 614.2 630.7  
                SNP Irene Ogilvie (incumbent)9.53%429440.3 443.7 446.9 478.2      
                Independent Anne Audrey Skene9.11%410441.2 450.8 468.7 549.9 569.3 571.7 731.6 764.2 1,072.5
                Independent Jeff Hamilton (incumbent)6.98%314343.8 349.8 356.2       
                UKIP Ian Meiklejohn2.02%9196.1 98.5        
                Scottish Senior Citizens Andy Anderson1.73%7885.4         
                Electorate: 10,999  Valid: 4,501  Spoilt: 50  Quota: 901  Turnout: 4,551 (40.92%)  

                  Aftermath

                  As no single political group on the council won enough seats for a majority, the independent group and the Conservative group continued their coalition administration which had been in place since the 2007 election.

                  2013 Heldon and Laich by-election

                  SNP councillor Carolle Ralph resigned her seat on 7 December 2012. The by-election was held in the Heldon and Laich ward on 7 March 2013 and was won by independent candidate John Cowe. [6]

                  Heldon and Laich by-election (7 March 2013) – 1 Seat
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  12345
                  Independent John Cowe31.49721,020 1,058 1,273 1,507
                  SNP Stuart Crowther26.9833844 891 960 1,005
                  Conservative Pete Bloomfield15.3473490 516 558  
                  Independent Nick Traynor13.5418459 496   
                  Scottish Green James Edward Mackessack-Leitch7.4228242    
                  Independent Jeff Hamilton5.7175    
                  Electorate: 10,579  Valid: 3,099  Spoilt: 38  Quota: 1,550  Turnout: 29.7%  

                    Source: [7] [8]

                    2014 Buckie by-election

                    Independent councillor Anne McKay resigned her seat on 13 November 2013. [9] A by-election was held in the Buckie ward on 30 January 2014 and was won by independent candidate Gordon Cowie.

                    Buckie by-election (30 January 2014) – 1 Seat
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    123
                    Independent Gordon Cowie43.9830907 1,034
                    SNP Linda McDonald35.5670679 710
                    Independent Marc Macrae11.7220248  
                    Conservative Margaret Gambles7.6143  
                    Electorate: 7,872  Valid: 1,889  Spoilt: 26  Quota: 933  Turnout: 24.3%  

                      Source: [10] [11]

                      Elgin City North by-election

                      Labour councillor Barry Jarvis resigned his seat on 26 September 2014 to train as a teacher. [9] A by-election was held in the Elgin City North ward on 11 December 2014 and the seat was won by the SNP candidate Kirsty Reid.

                      Elgin City North by-election (11 December 2014) – 1 Seat
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      12345
                      SNP Kirsty Ella Reid38.0728748 764 773 850
                      Independent Sandy Cooper24.6472483 499 595 693
                      UKIP Captain Craig Ahab Graham15.0287305 316 368  
                      Conservative Alex Griffiths14.2273280 299   
                      Labour Ramsay Urquhart4.28184    
                      Scottish Green Morvern Forrest4.077    
                      Electorate: 9,263  Valid: 1,918  Spoilt: 20  Quota: 960  Turnout: 20.9%  

                        Source: [12] [13]

                        2015 Buckie by-election

                        Independent councillor Joe Mackay died on 12 January 2015 after a fall from his mobility scooter. [14] A by-election was held in the Buckie ward to fill the vacancy on 26 March 2015 and the seat was won by the SNP candidate Sonya Warren.

                        Buckie by-election (26 March 2015) – 1 Seat
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                        1
                        SNP Sonya Warren59.51,485
                        Independent Norman Calder27.9696
                        Conservative Tim Eagle12.6315
                        Electorate: 7,798  Valid: 2,496  Spoilt: 25  Quota: 1,249  Turnout: 32.3%  

                          Source: [15] [16]

                          2015 Heldon and Laich by-election

                          Independent councillor Eric McGillivray announced on 31 July 2015 he was standing down from the council for personal reasons. [17] A by-election was held in the Heldon and Laich ward on 1 October 2015 and the seat was won by independent candidate Dennis Slater.

                          Heldon and Laich by-election (1 October 2015) – 1 Seat
                          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                          123
                          Independent Dennis Slater41.11,3231,382 1,775
                          SNP Joyce O'Hara31.11,0031,054 1,100
                          Conservative Pete Bloomfield21.8703725  
                          Scottish Green James Edward Mackessack-Leitch6.0192  
                          Electorate: 11,070  Valid: 3,221  Spoilt: 27  Quota: 1,612  Turnout: 29.3%  

                            Source: [18]

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                            References

                            1. 1 2 Faulds, Allan. "Moray Council 2022". Ballot Box Scotland. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
                            2. ↑ "Ward 7 - Elgin City South By-Election" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
                            3. ↑ "Declaration of Results from Local Government By-Election" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
                            4. 1 2 Teale, Andrew. "Local Election Results 2012". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 10 July 2024.
                            5. ↑ "2012 Scottish Local Elections" (PDF). Electoral Reform Society. p. 30. Retrieved 24 July 2024.
                            6. ↑ "Cowe wins Moray by-election". Northern Scot . Archived from the original on 11 November 2014. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
                            7. ↑ "Local Government By-Election - Electoral Ward No. 5 - Heldon and Laich" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            8. ↑ "Local Government By-Election Electoral Ward No. 5 - Heldon and Laich (Transfers)" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            9. 1 2 "Moray councillor announces resignation". Northern Scot . Archived from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            10. ↑ "Local Government By-Election - Electoral Ward No. 3 - Buckie" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            11. ↑ "Local Government By-Election Ward 3 - Buckie" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            12. ↑ "Local Government By-Election - Electoral Ward No. 6 - Elgin City North" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            13. ↑ "Local Government By-Election Ward 6 - Elgin City North" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            14. ↑ Robertson, John (13 January 2015). "Tributes paid to Veteran Moray councillor Joe Mackay". Northern Scot . Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            15. ↑ "Local Government By-Election - Electoral Ward No. 3 - Buckie" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            16. ↑ "Local Government By-Election - Ward 3 - Buckie" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 29 July 2024.
                            17. ↑ "Moray Councillor Eric McGillivray standing down". British Broadcasting Corporation . 31 July 2015. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
                            18. ↑ "Local Government By-Election - Electoral Ward No. 5 - Heldon and Laich" (PDF). Moray Council. Retrieved 28 July 2024.
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