2017 Scottish Borders Council election

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2017 Scottish Borders Council election
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←  2012 4 May 2017 (2017-05-04) 2022  →
All 34 seats to Scottish Borders Council
18 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
  MichelleBallantyneMSP.jpg
SNP
Leader Michelle Ballantyne Stuart Bell
Party Conservative SNP
Leader's seat Selkirkshire Tweeddale East
Seats before109
Seats after159
Seat changeIncrease2.svg5Steady2.svg0
Popular vote19,3559,954
Percentage41.6%21.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg18.4%Increase2.svg0.7%
 Third partyFourth party
 
IND
LD
LeaderDavid ParkerKris Chapman
Party Independent Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat Leaderdale and Melrose Tweeddale West
Seats before76
Seats after82
Seat changeIncrease2.svg1Decrease2.svg4
Popular vote11,0503.818
Percentage23.8%8.2%
SwingIncrease2.svg1.1%Decrease2.svg8.3%
Scottish Borders Council election 2017.svg
The 11 multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

David Parker
Independent

Council Leader after election

Shona Haslam
Conservative

2017 Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 4 May 2017, 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.

Contents

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

The council was the first to reveal its administration after the election, with the Conservative group forming a coalition with independents to rule the council. New Tweeddale East councillor Shona Haslam became its leader formally on 18 May. Outgoing independent leader, David Parker, become the council's new convener. [1]

Election results

Scottish Borders local election result 2017
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Conservative 1550+544.141.619,355+18.4
  SNP 911026.521.49,959+0.7
  Independent 832+123.523.811,050+1.1
  Liberal Democrats 204-45.98.23,818-8.3
  Labour 0---0.02.81,283-3.5
  Green 0---0.02.21,030+1.8

Ward results

Tweeddale West

Tweeddale West - 3 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567
SNP Heather Anderson 25.2%1,160      
Conservative Eric Small22.5%1,0361,036.2 1,040.2 1,097.2 1,115.3 1,123.3 1,928.3
Liberal Democrats Kris Chapman16.7%768769.2 783.2 820.2 891.4 1,073.1 1,192.2
Conservative John Anderson21.3%984984.2 987.2 1,003.2 1,018.2 1,030.2  
Green Catriona Hamilton4.7%218221.3 238.4 262.6 332.8   
Labour Julia Reid4.4%201201.5 205.5 224.6    
Independent Tommy Davidson3.7%170170.6 190.6     
Independent Michael Needham1.6%7373.1      
Electorate: 8,167 (Est.)  Valid: 4,610  Spoilt: 78  Quota: 1,153  Turnout: 4,688 (57.4%)  

    Tweeddale East

    Tweeddale East
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345
    Conservative Shona Haslam37.6%1,804    
    SNP Stuart Bell (incumbent)20%960971.7 1,442.7  
    Independent Robin Tatler16.5%793970.4 1,013.7 1,093.4 1,701.3
    Liberal Democrats Amanda Kubie13.6%650881.7 931.1 1,003.5  
    SNP Simon Ritchie12.2%585590.7    
    Electorate: 8,640 (Est.)  Valid: 4,792  Spoilt: 46  Quota: 1,199  Turnout: 4,838 (56%)  

      Galashiels and District

      Galashiels and District - 4 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      1234567
      Conservative Euan Jardine28.5%1,292      
      SNP Andy Anderson20%907      
      Independent Sandy Aitchison (incumbent)11.9%539612.9 640.3 732.4 916.2  
      Independent Harry Scott10.1%460517.8 532.4 592.4 753.1 757 988.3
      SNP John Mitchell (incumbent)11.5%523530.4 558.9 597.7 647.3   
      Independent Bill White (incumbent)8.7%396441.3 462.1 522    
      Liberal Democrats Caledonia Bhatia5.5%249316 369.2     
      Labour David Sharp3.7%167188.5      
      Electorate: 10,980 (Est.)  Valid: 4,533  Spoilt: 66  Quota: 907  Turnout: 4,599 (41.9%)  

        Selkirkshire

        Selkirkshire - 3 seats [2]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        123456789
        Conservative Michelle Ballantyne † (incumbent)27%1,081        
        SNP Elaine Thornton-Nicol22.2%888889 941 956 983 1,031   
        Independent Gordon Edgar (incumbent)12.8%514524 531 569 607 646 652 847 1,083
        Conservative Trevor Adams15.1%606661 663 675 694 713 713 763  
        Independent Kenneth Gunn9.8%392396 403 417 429 456 464   
        Labour Scott Redpath3.7%147148 165 176 219     
        Liberal Democrats Nancy Norman3.3%134136 163 171      
        Independent David Black3.1%123124 125       
        Green Barbra Harvie3%122123        
        Electorate: 7,752 (Est.)  Valid: 4,007  Spoilt: 86  Quota: 1,002  Turnout: 4,093 (52.8%)  

          Leaderdale and Melrose

          Leaderdale and Melrose - 3 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          1234567
          Independent David Parker (incumbent)25.2%1,149      
          Conservative Tom Miers20.5%934934.9 950.9 1,014 1,476.5  
          SNP Kevin Drum††17.8%811812.4 832.5 903.7 910.8 915.5 1,105.3
          Independent Iain Gillespie (incumbent)11.2%510513.3 585.7 720.2 744.4 871.1  
          Conservative Diana Findlay11.5%523523.6 543.7 529.8    
          Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day9.4%426427.5 473.6     
          Independent Rebecca Fraser4.4%202202.7      
          Electorate: 8,673 (Est.)  Valid: 4,555  Spoilt: 78  Quota: 1,139  Turnout: 4,633 (53.4%)  

            Mid Berwickshire

            Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            123456
            Conservative John Greenwell (incumbent)35.1%1,592     
            Conservative Mark Rowley24.1%1,0961,434.3    
            SNP Donald Moffat (incumbent)21.2%962983.2 995.3 1,022.9 1,124.7 1,435.7
            Liberal Democrats Frances Renton (incumbent)11.9%539576.5 665 728.6 816.2  
            Green Pauline Stewart3.9%177181 201 249   
            Labour David Smith3.9%175180.4 199.8    
            Electorate: 8,494 (Est.)  Valid: 4,541  Spoilt: 96  Quota: 1,136  Turnout: 4,637 (54.6%)  

              East Berwickshire

              East Berwickshire - 3 seats [3]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              1234567
              Conservative Jim Fullarton (incumbent)35.6%1,505      
              Conservative Carol Hamilton23.1%9791,357     
              SNP Helen Laing19.6%831835 841 893 932 1,001 1,203
              Liberal Democrats Danny Robertson6.5%276296 352 398 475 627  
              Labour Eddy Coulson7.1%301309 328 359 408   
              Independent Michael Clift4.2%178185 233 259    
              Green Kate Duncan3.8%162166 178     
              Electorate: TBC  Valid: 4,232  Spoilt: 66  Quota: 1,059  Turnout: 49.0%  

                Kelso and District

                Kelso and District - 3 seats [4]
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                12345678
                Conservative Tom Weatherston (incumbent)28%1,212       
                Conservative Simon Mountford (incumbent)25%1,083       
                Liberal Democrats Euan Robson14.7%636675 675 700 741 788 955 1,370
                SNP Alison Lamond16.5%713715 715 731 749 809 850  
                Independent Ian Aitchison7.7%333362 362 389 401 424   
                Green Colin Shaughnessy3%129133 133 144 164    
                Labour Sally Prentice2.7%116119 119 124     
                Independent Colin McGrath2.4%104114 114      
                Electorate: TBC  Valid: 4,326  Spoilt: 89  Quota: 1,082  Turnout: 53.1%  

                  Jedburgh and District

                  Jedburgh and District - 3 seats [5]
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  1234567
                  Conservative Sandy Scott (incumbent)28.5%1,094      
                  Conservative Scott Hamilton26.8%1,026      
                  SNP Jim Brown (incumbent)19.7%755759 760 768 795 877 1,150
                  Independent Rory Stewart (incumbent)15.6%600633 657 708 747 801  
                  Green Charles Strang4.5%171179 183 185 218   
                  Labour Kenryck Lloyd-Jones3.1%119128 133 135    
                  Independent Harvey Oliver1.8%7082 90     
                  Electorate: TBC  Valid: 3,835  Spoilt: 56  Quota: 959  Turnout: 54.4%  

                    Hawick and Denholm

                    Hawick and Denholm - 3 seats [6]
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    123456
                    Independent Stuart Marshall (incumbent)63.3%2,283     
                    Conservative Neil Richards16.5%596952    
                    SNP Clair Ramage13.3%478696 697 738 764 905
                    Liberal Democrats Ian Turnbull3.9%140393 410 432 471  
                    Labour David Byrne1.6%5798 101 114   
                    Green Kevin Ferguson1.4%5193 95    
                    Electorate: TBC  Valid: 3,605  Spoilt: 26  Quota: 902  Turnout: 50.9%  

                      Hawick and Hermitage

                      Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats [7]
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      12
                      Independent Watson McAteer *43.2%1,496 
                      Conservative George Turnbull (incumbent)26.4%912 
                      Independent Davie Paterson (incumbent)19.2%665936
                      SNP Iain Whyte11.2%386482
                      Electorate: TBC  Valid: 3,459  Spoilt: 53  Quota: 865  Turnout: 50.3%  

                        Changes since 2017

                        By-elections since 2017

                        Selkirkshire By-election (22 February 2018) [10]
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                        1234567
                        Conservative Trevor Adams39.91,3801,251 1,262 1,276 1,307 1,342  
                        Independent Caroline Penman29.71,0401,049 1,080 1,125 1,231 1,522 2,028
                        SNP John Mitchell19.8691717 729 758 797   
                        Independent Kenneth Gunn6.3219226 238 249    
                        Labour Scott Redpath3.8134144 158     
                        Liberal Democrats Jack Clark2.795103      
                        Green Barbra Harvie2.070      
                        Valid: 3,496  Spoilt: 44  Quota: 1,749  Turnout: 3,536 (45.1%)  
                          Leaderdale and Melrose By-election (11 March 2021) [11]
                          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                          1234567
                          Conservative Jenny Linehan39.91,3801,389 1,399 1,406 1,451 1,653 1,969
                          SNP John Paton-Day30.21,0421,051 1,069 1,120 1,156 1,297  
                          Liberal Democrats Jonny Adamson15.6538542 566 615 682   
                          Independent Mary Douglas4.6159177 194 224    
                          Green Michael Needham4.4152155 175     
                          Labour Scott Redpath3.3115120      
                          Independent Karen Wilks2.069      
                          Electorate: TBC  Quota: 1,728  Turnout: (38.2%)  

                            References

                            1. ↑ "Conservatives and independents to run Scottish Borders Council". BBC News. 9 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
                            2. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 4 Selkirkshire results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            3. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 7 East Berwickshire results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            4. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 8 Kelso and District results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            5. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 9 Jedburgh and District results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            6. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 10 Hawick and Denholm results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            7. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 11 Hawick and Hermitage results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            8. ↑ "Michelle Ballantyne resigns as Selkirkshire councillor". Border Telegraph. 4 December 2017.
                            9. ↑ "Councillor's death a 'great shock' to colleagues". 9 March 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
                            10. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Local government by-election results". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                            11. ↑ Council, Scottish Borders. "Local government by-election results". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
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