2012 Scottish Borders Council election

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2012 Scottish Borders Council election
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All 34 seats to Scottish Borders Council
18 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
LeaderJim FullartonJohn MitchellDavid Parker
Party Conservative SNP Independent
Leader's seatEast BerwickshireGalashiels and DistrictLeaderdale and Melrose
Last election11 seats, 32.4%6 seats, 17.6%5 seats, 14.7%
Seats before1264
Seats won1097
Seat changeDecrease2.svg1Increase2.svg3Increase2.svg2
Popular vote8,6447,7238,454
Percentage23.2%20.8%22.7%
SwingDecrease2.svg3.6Increase2.svg2.0Decrease2.svg1.6
 Fourth partyFifth party
 
LeaderGraham GarvieSandy Aitchison
Party Liberal Democrats Borders
Leader's seatTweeddale EastGalashiels and District
Last election10 seats, 29.4%2 seats, 5.9%
Seats before102
Seats won62
Seat changeDecrease2.svg4-
Popular vote6,1383,755
Percentage16.5%10.1%
SwingDecrease2.svg8.1Increase2.svg4.8
Scottish Borders Council election 2012.svg
The 11 multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

David Parker
Independent

Council Leader after election

David Parker
Independent

Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election used the 11 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, a form of proportional representation, with 34 Councillors elected. [1]

Contents

The election saw the Scottish Conservative Party remain the largest party on the Council though they lost 1 seat. The Scottish National Party replaced the Scottish Liberal Democrats as the second largest party by gaining 3 seats at the expense of the latter. The Lib Dems were reduced to 6 seats. Independents increased their numbers to 7 seats while the Borders Party retained their 2 seats.

Following the election the Scottish National Party formed a coalition with the support of the Independents and the Liberal Democrats. The Borders Party are also supporting this administration. This replaced the previous Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent coalition which existed from 2007-2012.

Election results

Scottish Borders Local Election Result 2012
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 1012-129.4123.228,644-3.58
  SNP 941+326.4720.757,723+1.95
  Independent 731+220.5922.718,454-1.61
  Liberal Democrats 604-417.6516.496,138-8.11
  Borders 20005.8810.093,755+4.79
  Labour 0----6.312,347+4.41
  Scottish Green 0----0.44161-0.46

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.

Ward results

Tweeddale West

Tweeddale West - 3 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Liberal Democrats Catriona Bhatia (incumbent)25.62919    
Conservative Nathaniel Buckingham††24.67885887.4 978.6  
SNP Willie Archibald (incumbent)21.75780782.1 833.4 839.6 934.3
Labour Julia Reid9.37336337.2 389.3 393.1  
Liberal Democrats Nancy Norman9.31334347.9 415.5 449.4 548.9
Borders David Pye9.28333334.4    
Electorate: 7,577  Valid: 3,587  Spoilt: 34  Quota: 897  Turnout: 3,621 (47.34%)  

    Tweeddale East

    Tweeddale East
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456
    SNP Stuart Bell26.41990     
    Conservative Gavin Logan (incumbent)24.78929934.4 971.8   
    Liberal Democrats Graham Garvie (incumbent)16.38614622.3 674.5 686.7 811.9 1,087.9
    Labour Robin Tatler15.23571579.6 629.9 631.2 731.2  
    Borders Frances Pringle9.20345352.9 439 448.7   
    Independent David Cox8.00300307.1     
    Electorate: 8,106  Valid: 3,749  Spoilt: 32  Quota: 938  Turnout: 3,781 (46.25%)  

      Galashiels and District

      Galashiels and District - 4 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456
      Borders Sandy Aitchison (incumbent)22.45822     
      SNP Bill Herd *20.95766     
      Independent Bill White13.69501522.9 524.6 590.6 701 894.8
      SNP John Mitchell (incumbent)13.45492506 532.5 593.5 639.9 762
      Liberal Democrats Rick Kenney11.40417432.9 434.8 490.3 609.4  
      Conservative Fiona Lackenby (incumbent)10.56386402.5 403.2 409.6   
      Labour Robbie Tatler7.47273280.8 281.7    
      Electorate: 10,813  Valid: 3,657  Spoilt: 69  Quota: 732  Turnout: 3,726 (33.82%)  

        Selkirkshire

        Selkirkshire - 3 seats
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345
        Conservative Michelle Ballantyne 24.28799832   
        SNP Kenneth Gunn (incumbent)20.39671696 696.8 744.9  
        Liberal Democrats Vicky Davidson (incumbent)19.72649708 710.8 821.4 1,042.6
        Independent Gordon Edgar18.14597673 674.1 762.4 983.5
        Borders Leven Brown9.09299340 341.7   
        Independent Gordon Harrison8.39276    
        Electorate: 7,714  Valid: 3,291  Spoilt: 36  Quota: 823  Turnout: 3,327 (42.66%)  

          Leaderdale and Melrose

          Leaderdale and Melrose - 3 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          Independent David Parker (incumbent)36.341,304     
          Borders Nicholas Watson (incumbent)†17.31621705.9 758.9 929.6  
          SNP Jim Torrance††††15.55558632.4 706.8 742.6 747.6 969.6
          Conservative Peter Duncan 12.29441488.3 500.2    
          Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day (incumbent)12.24439527.1 568.3 715.8 726.8  
          Labour Agnes Craig6.27225258.6     
          Electorate: 8,292  Valid: 3,588  Spoilt: 21  Quota: 898  Turnout: 3,609 (43.27%)  

            Mid Berwickshire

            Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345
            SNP Donald Moffat (incumbent)31.971,133    
            Conservative John Greenwell21.46747768.9 1,085.9  
            Liberal Democrats Frances Renton (incumbent)18.24635703.3 753.9 804.6 1,110.9
            Borders Tom Miers15.34534598.5 635.3 688.3  
            Conservative Trevor Jones (incumbent)12.41432446.6    
            Electorate: 8,209  Valid: 3,481  Spoilt: 43  Quota: 871  Turnout: 3,524 (42.4%)  

              East Berwickshire

              East Berwickshire - 3 seats
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              1234567
              Independent Michael Cook (incumbent)35.961,236      
              Conservative Jim Fullarton (incumbent)21.24730835.9 875.4    
              SNP Joan Umpherston Campbell15.74541583.3 600.9 602.2 629.5 699 906.9
              Labour Kenryck Lloyd-Jones12.66435472.1 485.9 486.6 521.9 596.9  
              Liberal Democrats Ken Webb6.58226263.1 285.9 289.5 329   
              Independent Jack Johnston3.96136192.9 226.9 229.7    
              Borders Cat MacDonald-Home3.87133161.6      
              Electorate: 8,383  Valid: 3,437  Spoilt: 37  Quota: 860  Turnout: 3,474 (41%)  

                Kelso and District

                Kelso and District - 3 seats
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                12345678
                Conservative Tom Weatherston (incumbent)23.98777777 794 824    
                Liberal Democrats Alec Nicol (incumbent)22.5729756 791 832    
                Conservative Simon Mountford14.29463471 482 518 522.6 529.2 610.1 703.7
                SNP Maggie Stanfield12.75413444 462 507 510.5 511.6 590.1  
                Independent Yvonne Huggins-Haig10.0324331 365 435 438.7 440.2   
                Borders Diana Miers7.81253269 306      
                Independent Colin McGrath5.09165176       
                Scottish Green Michael Scott3.58116       
                Electorate: 8,242  Valid: 3,240  Spoilt: 24  Quota: 811  Turnout: 3,264 (39.31%)  

                  Jedburgh and District

                  Jedburgh and District - 3 seats
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  1234567
                  SNP Jim Brown (incumbent)23.44759793 837    
                  Conservative Sandy Scott (incumbent)21.68702704 769 771.1 948.5  
                  Independent Rory Stewart16.95549580 642 650.2 781.1 801.9 1,050.6
                  Conservative Len Wyse (incumbent)12.75413417 430 432.5    
                  Liberal Democrats John Bathgate11.98388409 459 464.7 539 567.4  
                  Borders Trevor Jackson7.97258292      
                  Labour David Robert Scott Sharp5.22169      
                  Electorate: 8,242  Valid: 3,238  Spoilt: 45  Quota: 810  Turnout: 3,283 (45.24%)  

                    Hawick and Denholm

                    Hawick and Denholm - 3 seats
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    123456
                    Independent Stuart Marshall (incumbent)56.721,734     
                    Conservative Zandra Elliott (incumbent)†††13.97427580.1 589.3 618.2 633.2 802.3
                    SNP Alastair Cranston 12.46381506.2 523.9 539.3 593.1 749.9
                    Liberal Democrats Watson McAteer8.60263482.6 493.8 507.2 542.3  
                    Labour Michael A Grieve4.81147191.1 205.9 215.2   
                    Borders Mary Douglas2.457596.8 105.8    
                    Independent Craig Bryson0.983088.1     
                    Electorate: 7,183  Valid: 3,057  Spoilt: 34  Quota: 765  Turnout: 3,091 (42.56%)  

                      Hawick and Hermitage

                      Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      1234567
                      Independent Davie Paterson (incumbent)44.931,302      
                      Liberal Democrats Ron Smith (incumbent)18.12525676.1 687.7 706.4 785.2  
                      Conservative George Turnbull (incumbent)17.70513614 616.5 641.2 657.6 686.3 779.9
                      SNP Tommy Stevenson8.25239300.2 309.5 323.9 368.9 377.2  
                      Labour Bill Cumming6.59191246.8 258.4 270.3    
                      Borders Frank Little2.8382115.2 124.8     
                      Scottish Green Kevin Ferguson1.594665.5      
                      Electorate: 7,041  Valid: 2,898  Spoilt: 34  Quota: 725  Turnout: 2,932 (41.16%)  

                        Post Election Changes

                        By-elections since 2012

                        Leaderdale and Melrose By-election (2 May 2013) - 1 Seat [2]
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                        123456
                        Conservative Rachael Hamilton27.57956975 982 1,038 1,283  
                        Borders Iain Gillespie23.48814844 900 1,118 1,444 2,066
                        Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day21.46744756 816 983   
                        SNP Harry Cummings17.68613623 666    
                        Labour Robin Tatler6.78235238     
                        UKIP Sherry Fowler3.03105     
                        Electorate: 8,386  Valid: 3,467  Spoilt: 20  Quota: 1,734  Turnout: 3,487 (41.58%)  
                          Tweeddale West By-election (10 October 2013) - 1 Seat [3]
                          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                          1234567
                          Conservative Keith Cockburn42.651,1551,165 1,176 1,193 1,255 1,288 1,616
                          Liberal Democrats Nancy Norman25.0677682 690 759 858 1,034  
                          SNP Morag Kerr13.26359369 373 409 444   
                          Borders David Pye8.4228237 245 272    
                          Labour Veronica McTernan7.5203204 207     
                          UKIP Mars Goodman1.564344      
                          Independent David Cox1.5643      
                          Electorate: 7,707  Valid: 2,708  Spoilt: 21  Quota: 1,355  Turnout: 2,729 (35.41%)  
                            Hawick and Denholm By-election (22 May 2014) - 1 Seat [4]
                            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                            1234567
                            Independent Watson McAteer25.5732750 803 900 1,010 1,222 1,505
                            Conservative Trevor Adams21.6622627 638 665 692 798  
                            Liberal Democrats Ian Turnbull15.7450455 485 545 637   
                            SNP Harry Stoddart14.6419423 461 505    
                            Independent Marion Short11.3326334 385     
                            Independent Davie Paterson8.7250269      
                            Independent Craig Bryson2.674      
                            Valid: 2,873  Spoilt: 47  Quota: 1,437  Turnout: 2,920 (%)  

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                              References

                              1. ↑ "Election results for the 2012 Council election - Scottish Borders Council". 11 June 2012. Archived from the original on 11 June 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2021.
                              2. ↑ "Election results - Leaderdale and Melrose by-election count reports". scotborders.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 4 March 2016.
                              3. ↑ "Scottish Elections :: Tweeddale West By-Election 2013 - election result". scottishelections.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014.
                              4. ↑ "Scottish Elections :: Hawick and Denholm By-Election 2014 - election result". scottishelections.org.uk. Archived from the original on 5 August 2014.
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