2022 Orkney Islands Council election

Last updated

2022 Orkney Islands Council election
2007 Flag of Orkney.svg
  2017 5 May 2022 (2022-05-05)2027 

21 seats to Orkney Islands Council
11 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond party
 
LeaderJames Stockan [1] Steve Sankey &
Helen Woodsford-Dean
Party Independent Scottish Green
Leader's seat Stromness and South Isles East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray & contested West Mainland
Last election18 seats, 83.5%1 seat, 4.5%
Seats before181
Seats won192
Seat changeIncrease2.svg1Increase2.svg1
Popular vote7,3371,256
Percentage85.4%14.6%
SwingIncrease2.svg1.9ppIncrease2.svg9.9pp

2022 Orkney Islands Council election, parties.svg
2022 Orkney Islands Council election, incumbency.svg

Council Leader before election

James Stockan
Independent

Council Leader after election

James Stockan
Independent

Elections to the Orkney Islands Council were held on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election used the six wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 21 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system. [2]

Contents

Ward boundaries differ slightly from previous elections, with minor changes being made to the two Kirkwall wards, as well as the boundary nearest Kirkwall in East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray. [3]

At the previous election in 2017, independent councillors won the most seats and ran the council.

Background

Composition

There were no official changes to the political composition of the council in the preceding term. However, independent councillor John Ross Scott did announce he had joined the Greens in 2021, which did not change his affiliation on the council. [4] One by-election was held and resulted in an independent hold. [5]

Party2017 resultComposition at
dissolution
Independents1818
Orkney Manifesto Group 22
Greens 11

Retiring councillors

WardPartyRetiring councillor
Kirkwall West and Orphir Orkney Manifesto Group John Richards
West Mainland Independent Harvey Johnston
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray IndependentNorman Rae Craigie
Andrew Drever
Scottish Greens Steve Sankey
North Isles IndependentGraham Sinclair

Boundary changes

Following the passing of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, a review of the boundaries was undertaken in North Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. The Act allowed single- or two-member wards to be created to provide better representation of island communities. As a result, the boundaries of the existing wards were changed but the number of councillors remained the same. North Isles, Stromness and South Isles and West Mainland were unchanged. The boundaries in and around Kirkwall were amended to better reflect local ties. Kirkwall Airport and neighbouring communities were placed in Kirkwall wards instead of East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray while the boundary between Kirkwall East and Kirkwall West and Orphir was amended by the harbour to make a more identifiable boundary. [3] [6]

Election result

2022 Orkney local election result
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Independent 1921Increase2.svg190.585.47,337Increase2.svg2.2
  Scottish Green 221Increase2.svg19.514.61,256Increase2.svg9.9

Ward summary

Results of the 2022 Orkney Islands Council election
by ward
Ward %
Cllrs
 %
Cllrs
Total
Cllrs
Ind Green
Kirkwall East 71.9328.114
Kirkwall West and Orphir 86.3313.714
Stromness and South Isles 86.3313.703
West Mainland 88.2411.804
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray 85.5314.503
North Isles 10033
Total85.41914.6221

Ward results

Kirkwall East

Kirkwall East - 4 seats [7]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12
Scottish Green John Ross Scott (incumbent)28.10%476
Independent Steven Heddle (incumbent)25.27%428
Independent Gwenda Shearer (incumbent)24.38%413
Independent David Dawson (incumbent)16.82%285340.5
Independent Graham MacDonald5.43%92134.0
Electorate: 3,700  Valid: 1,694  Spoilt: 6  Quota: 339  Turnout: 45.9%  

    Kirkwall West and Orphir

    Kirkwall West and Orphir - 4 seats [7]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    Independent Leslie Manson (incumbent)20.7%320
    Independent Ivan Taylor16.3%252254.7 254.7 284.8 345.8
    Independent Sandy Cowie (incumbent)16.2%250252.6 254.6 290.7 357.0
    Scottish Green Kristopher Leask13.7%211211.7 213.7 233.8 258.0 267.6 274.5 347.3
    Independent Leslie Sinclair11.3%175176.0 184.0 199.1 217.4 232.0 244.1
    Independent Beverly Clubley10.3%159159.8 160.8
    Independent Barbara Foulkes (incumbent)10.0%155157.8 161.8 189.1
    Independent Cameron Whittle1.4%2121
    Electorate: 3,630  Valid: 1,543  Spoilt: 10  Quota: 309  Turnout: 1,553 (42.8%)  

      Stromness and South Isles

      Stromness and South Isles - 3 seats [7]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456
      Independent James Stockan (incumbent)30.7%353
      Independent Graham Bevan24.4%281305.5
      Independent Lindsay Hall15.2%175180.3 182.8 205.0 262.2 354.8
      Scottish Green Maia Brodie13.7%157160.5 162.1 169.3
      Independent Rob Crichton (incumbent)10%115135.8 144.3 174.2 220.9
      Independent Magnus Thomson (incumbent)6%6975.6 77.9
      Electorate: 2,233  Valid: 1,150  Spoilt: 7  Quota: 288  Turnout: 1,157 (51.8%)  

        West Mainland

        West Mainland - 4 seats [7]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345
        Independent Owen Tierney (incumbent)30.2%554
        Independent Rachael Anne King (incumbent)26.0%477
        Independent Jean Stevenson15.5%284352.5 401.6
        Independent Duncan Tullock (incumbent)12.9%237313.6 338.3 354.7 383.7
        Scottish Green Helen Woodsford-Dean11.8%217226.1 242.9 248.2 276.6
        Independent Sean Lewis3.5%6471.1 78.7 83.1
        Electorate: 3,663  Valid: 1,833  Spoilt: 18  Quota: 367  Turnout: 1,851 (50.9%)  

          East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray

          East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray - 3 seats [7]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          12345
          Independent Raymie Peace47.8%642
          Independent Gillian Skuse20.7%278380.6
          Scottish Green Eric Page14.5%195216.4 223.6 252.0
          Independent Julie Rickards8.8%118165.5 185.1
          Independent James Moar8.3%111205.5 214.3 284.3 378.2
          Electorate: 2,664  Valid: 1,344  Spoilt: 7  Quota: 337  Turnout: 1,351 (50.7%)  

            North Isles

            North Isles - 3 seats [7]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12
            Independent Heather Woodbridge (Incumbent)43.1%443
            Independent Stephen Clackson (incumbent)24.9%256314.9
            Independent Mellissa Thomson19.8%204268.3
            Independent Paul Rendall7.4%76113.6
            Independent Sebastian Hadfield-Hyde4.9%5055.4
            Electorate: 1,853  Valid: 1,029  Spoilt: 10  Quota: 258  Turnout: 1,039 (56.1%)  

              Changes since 2022 Election

              Council Leader James Stockan announced his intention to resign from the council in January 2024. [8] A by-election was held to fill his seat on 28 March 2024 and was won by Janette Park. [9]

              By-elections since 2022

              Stromness and South Isles By-election (28 March 2024)
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              1
              Independent Janette Park85.7757
              Independent Magnus Thomson14.2125
              Quota: 442  Turnout: 883 (39.8%)  

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                References

                1. "James Stockan". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
                2. "Elections". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
                3. 1 2 "2019 Reviews of Electoral Arrangements". Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
                4. "Councillor John Ross Scott joins Scottish Greens". The Orcadian. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
                5. "Heather Woodbridge wins North Isles council seat". The Orcadian. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
                6. "News Release" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. May 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
                7. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Local Government Election - 5 May 2022". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
                8. "Orkney Islands Council leader James Stockan to step down". BBC News. 15 January 2024.
                9. "Janette Park wins Stromness and South Isles seat". The Orcadian. 28 March 2024.