2022 Stirling Council election

Last updated
2022 Stirling Council election
  2017 5 May 2022 (2022-05-05)2027 

All 23 seats to Stirling Council
12 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
 
LeaderScott FarmerNeil BennyDanny Gibson
Party SNP Conservative Labour
Leader's seat Stirling West Stirling West Stirling North
Last election9 seats, 34.7%9 seats, 37.2%4 seats, 16.2%
Seats before894
Seats won876
Seat changeDecrease2.svg 1Decrease2.svg 2Increase2.svg 2
Popular vote12,19611,5225,899
Percentage33.3%31.5%16.1%
SwingDecrease2.svg 1.4%Decrease2.svg 5.7%Decrease2.svg 0.1%

 Fourth partyFifth party
 
LeaderAlasdair TollemacheAlasdair MacPherson
Party Green Independent
Leader's seat Dunblane and Bridge of Allan Bannockburn
Last election1 seat, 6.6%0 seat, 2.0%
Seats before12
Seats won11
Seat changeSteady2.svgIncrease2.svg 1
Popular vote2,5462,103
Percentage7.0%5.7%
SwingIncrease2.svg 0.4%Increase2.svg 2.4%

Stirling Council election 2017.svg
The 7 multi-member wards

Council Leader before election

Scott Farmer
SNP

Council Leader after election

Chris Kane
Labour

Elections to Stirling Council were held on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the seven wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 23 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.

Contents

The election saw Labour increase their representation on the council by two. The SNP lost one seat and the Greens retained their single seat. The Conservatives saw their representation on the council drop by two seats. The Liberal Democrats failed to win representation and one independent candidate won a seat.

Background

Previous election

At the previous election in 2017, the Conservatives won 9 seats, an increase of 5 and a vote share increase of 17.2%. Also on 9 seats was the SNP. Next were Labour, who won the next largest amount of seats, winning 4. The sole Green councillor, also held their seat. In the aftermath of the 2017 election a new coalition was agreed between the SNP and Labour with Labour Councillor Christine Simpson becoming Provost of Stirling and the SNP's Graham Houston becoming depute convener of the council. [1]

2017 Stirling Council election result
PartySeatsVote share
Conservative 937.2%
SNP 934.7%
Labour 416.2%
Green 16.6%

Source: [2]

Electoral system

The election used the 7 wards created following the fifth statutory review of electoral arrangements conducted by Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland in 2016, with 23 councillors elected. Each ward elected either three or four councillors, using the single transferable vote (STV) electoral system – a form of proportional representation – where candidates are ranked in order of preference.

Results

2022 Stirling Council election result
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  SNP 801Decrease2.svg 134.833.312,196Decrease2.svg 1.4
  Conservative 702Decrease2.svg 230.431.511,522Decrease2.svg 5.7
  Labour 620Increase2.svg 226.116.15,899Decrease2.svg 0.1
  Green 100Steady2.svg4.37.02,546Increase2.svg 0.4
  Independent 110Increase2.svg 14.35.72,103Increase2.svg 2.4
  Liberal Democrats 000Steady2.svg0.05.01,841Increase2.svg 1.7
  Scottish Family 000Steady2.svg0.01.2428New
  Alba 000Steady2.svg0.00.261New
Total23 36,596

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 4 May 2017. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

Trossachs and Teith

Trossachs and Teith - 3 seats [3]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345678
Conservative Martin Earl (incumbent)37.82,031
SNP Gene Maxwell19.21,0311,053.0 1,054.0 1,064.7 1,238.4 1,377.5
SNP John Watson14.2761773.5 774.5 785.5 874.2 945.2 974.7
Labour Josh Hamilton9.1491530.6 534.9 610.1 764.2
Green Wendy Faulkner8.3444480.2 485.5 537.6
Conservative Elaine Watterson7.2385881.6 893.3 926.7 950.9 1,078.8 1,079.2 1,262.4
Liberal Democrats Galen Milne3.5188218.4 223.8
Scottish Family Dolores Hughes0.84146.1
Electorate: 9,475  Valid: 5,372  Spoilt: 100  Quota: 1,344  Turnout: 57.8%  

    Forth and Endrick

    Forth and Endrick - 3 seats [4]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    1234567
    SNP Rosemary Fraser24.11,4511,454.0 1,484.0 1,570.0
    Conservative Paul Henke18.81,1301,140.0 1,180.0 1,272.0 1,272.4 1,291.1 2,334.0
    Conservative Thomas Heald17.31,0431,048.0 1,071.0 1,153.0 1,153.3 1,175.6
    Labour Gerry McGarvey14.0846857.0 996.0 1,137.0 1,140.4 1,438.0 1,481.1
    SNP Paul Goodwin11.1671672.0 687.0 719.0 776.4
    Independent Rob Davies‡ (incumbent)7.8468489.0 548.0
    Liberal Democrats James MacLaren5.7345355.0
    Scottish Family Liam McKechnie1.169
    Electorate: 10,854  Valid: 6,023  Spoilt: 72  Quota: 1,506  Turnout: 56.2%  

      Dunblane and Bridge of Allan

      Dunblane and Bridge of Allan - 4 seats [5]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345678910
      Conservative Douglas Dodds (incumbent)21.61,536
      SNP Graham Houston (incumbent)17.81,2661,268.0 1,269.0 1,293.0 1,317.3 1,815.3
      Green Alasdair Tollemache (incumbent)16.01,1381,141.0 1,147.0 1,156.0 1,207.5 1,260.5 1,466.4
      Labour Ewan Dillon11.9842846.9 850.9 856.9 901.1 910.1 957.4 971.2 1,330.5 1,577.0
      Liberal Democrats Fayzan Rehman9.4665669.2 674.2 674.2 748.3 760.3 785.6 799.6
      Conservative Willy Stirling8.4598686.2 701.4 705.4 819.0 819.0 823.3 824.9 956.0
      SNP Ahsan Khan7.9564564.2 564.2 569.2 581.2
      Independent Alastair George Majury (incumbent)5.3377382.2 387.2 396.2
      Alba Bill Cowan0.96161.1 64.1
      Scottish Family Nickie Willis0.75050.3
      Electorate: 11,911  Valid: 7,097  Spoilt: 102  Quota: 1,420  Turnout: 60.4%  

        Stirling North

        Stirling North - 4 seats [6]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        1234567
        SNP Susan McGill (incumbent)25.71,305
        Conservative Rachel Nunn22.81,161
        Labour Danny Gibson (incumbent)20.21,029
        SNP Jim Thomson (incumbent)12.6642872.7 878.2 879.6 886.3 908.4 1,474.8
        Green Amy Smith13.7695727.3 735.6 737.9 751.7 852.1
        Liberal Democrats Oliver Franklin3.7190195.3 254.1 257.6 276.2
        Scottish Family Shena McLelland1.36464.9 77.7 78.3
        Electorate: 11,589  Valid: 5,117  Spoilt: 91  Quota: 1,018  Turnout: 44.7%  

          Stirling West

          Stirling West - 3 seats [7]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          1234567
          Conservative Neil Benny (incumbent)23.81,3131,334.0 1,364.0 2,041.0
          SNP Scott Farmer (incumbent)21.91,2071,214.0 1,239.0 1,240.0 1,258.9 1,279.9 2,038.4
          Labour Jen Preston20.01,1001,118.0 1,268.0 1,302.0 1,509.2
          SNP Morag Fulton13.8760768.0 792.0 801.0 809.1 834.0
          Conservative Alastair Pettigrew13.3730742.0 762.0
          Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman5.2285296.0
          Scottish Family Michael Willis2.0110
          Electorate: 10,192  Valid: 5,505  Spoilt: 95  Quota: 1,377  Turnout: 54.9%  

            Stirling East

            Stirling East - 3 seats [8]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            123456
            SNP Gerry McLaughlan30.71,177
            Conservative Bryan Flannagan (incumbent)23.3893895.0 905.0 925.0 931.2 999.2
            Labour Chris Kane (incumbent)21.6829839.4 848.4 877.7 933.9 1,019.6
            SNP Grant Thoms8.0306488.4 497.4 502.2 578.7 650.0
            Independent Gary McGrow7.9303305.8 310.8 323.0 359.7
            Green Linda Hendry4.7182189.8 194.1 213.9
            Liberal Democrats Gordon Murphy2.49193.2 98.2
            Scottish Family David Tortolano1.45353.6
            Electorate: 8,587  Valid: 3,834  Spoilt: 71  Quota: 959  Turnout: 45.5%  

              Bannockburn

              Bannockburn - 3 seats [9]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              12345678
              Independent Alasdair MacPherson (incumbent)26.0955
              Labour Margaret Brisley (incumbent)20.7762770.1 775.3 794.8 813.3 839.8 900.8 1,188.2
              SNP Brian Hambly20.4749755.2 756.3 764.6 786.9 1,085.1
              Conservative Stuart McLuckie19.1702705.1 717.2 731.5 737.6 739.6 743.9
              SNP Diane Tortolano8.3306310.1 313.1 320.2 345.8
              Green Marie Stadtler2.48788.8 93.0 101.1
              Liberal Democrats Hilary MacPherson2.17778.5 81.6
              Scottish Family Sophie Hendry1.14141.9
              Electorate: 8,777  Valid: 3,679  Spoilt: 64  Quota: 920  Turnout: 42.6%  

                Notes

                Aftermath

                Despite the SNP winning the most seats, Labour formed a minority administration after the Conservatives voted in favour of it. [13]

                In October 2022, Labour councillor Ewan Dillon quit the party to become an independent. This reduced the ruling Labour administration to five councillors. [14]

                2023 Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election

                In December 2022, SNP councillor Graham Houston died. [15] [16] A by-election was held on 16 March 2023 and was won by Conservative candidate Robin Kleinman. [17] [18]

                Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election (16 March 2023) – 1 seat
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                123456
                Conservative Robin Kleinman41.01,8321,849 1,861 1,959 2,172 2,473
                SNP Ahsan Khan26.91,2021,205 1,416 1,491 1,683  
                Labour David Wilson13.4600609 670 871   
                Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman8.9399404 475    
                Green Clare Andrews8.7389390     
                Scottish Family Nickie Willis1.150     
                Electorate: 11,792  Valid: 4,074  Spoilt: 26  Quota: 2,237  Turnout: 38.1%  

                  Source:

                  January 2024 Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election

                  On 8 November 2023, Conservative councillor Douglas Dodds resigned his seat, citing "personal and health reasons." [19] [20] A by-election was on 25 January 2024 and was won by Conservative candidate Thomas Heald. [21] [22]

                  Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election (25 January 2024) – 1 seat
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  123456
                  Conservative Thomas Heald37.81,6441,653 1,714 1,738 1,998 2,286
                  SNP Ahsan Khan23.31,0001,006 1,037 1,266 1,531  
                  Labour David Wilson20.2869874 989 1,147   
                  Green Clare Andrews10.1433442 485    
                  Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman6.8292296     
                  Scottish Family Michael Willis1.250     
                  Electorate: 11,778  Valid: 4,288  Spoilt: 27  Quota: 2,145  Turnout: 36.6%  

                    Source:

                    August 2024 Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election

                    In May 2024, independent councillor Ewan Dillon resigned after pleading guilty to the possession of indecent images. [23] [24] A by-election was held on 15 August 2024 to elect his replacement, and was won by Labour candidate David Wilson. [25] [26]

                    Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election (15 August 2024) – 1 seat
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    123456
                    Conservative Stuart McLuckie27.91,1431,214 1,284 1,328 1,361  
                    Labour David Wilson23.3952981 1,101 1,390 1,826 2,252
                    SNP John Watson18.8770793 826 1,076   
                    Green Andrew Adam16.1659670 760    
                    Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman8.4345382     
                    Independent Alastair Majury5.5225     
                    Electorate: 12,057  Valid: 4,094  Spoilt: 21  Quota: 2,048  Turnout: 34.1%  

                      Source:

                      Bannockburn by-election

                      In October 2024, Labour councillor Marget Brisley died. [27] [28] A by-election was held on 23 January 2025 to elect her replacement, and was won by SNP candidate Bob Buchanan. [29] [30]

                      Bannockburn by-election (23 January 2025) - 1 seat
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      123456
                      SNP Bob Buchanan35.9565590 597 605 664 863
                      Labour Yvonne Dickson23.9376384 401 448 528  
                      Reform William Docherty22.7358360 367 425   
                      Conservative Moira Benny10.7169171 186    
                      Liberal Democrats William Galloway3.55565     
                      Green Marie Stadtler3.453     
                      Electorate: 9,097  Valid: 1,576  Spoilt: 22  Quota: 789  Turnout: 17.6%  

                        Source: [31]

                        Stirling East by-election

                        In August 2025, Conservative councillor Bryan Flannagan resigned. [32] [33] A by-election was held on 30 October 2025 and was won by SNP candidate Josh Fyvie. [34] [35] [36]

                        Stirling East by-election (30 October 2025) - 1 seat
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                        123456
                        SNP Josh Fyvie36.4808813 827 905 988 1,245
                        Labour Yvonne Dickson23.9530540 577 622 710  
                        Reform William Docherty23.3517523 572 578   
                        Conservative James Corbett6.6147156     
                        Green Marie Stadtler6.3141158 167    
                        Liberal Democrats William Galloway3.679     
                        Electorate: 8,662  Valid: 2,222  Spoilt: 28  Quota: 1,112  Turnout: 26.0%  

                          Source: [37] [38]

                          References

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                          2. Teale, Andrew. "Local Election Results 2017". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          3. "Stirling Ward 1 results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          4. "Ward 2 - Forth and Endrick results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          5. "Ward 3 - Dunblane and Bridge of Allan results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          6. "Ward 4 - Stirling North results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          7. "Ward 5 - Stirling West results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          8. "Ward 6 - Stirling East results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          9. "Ward 7 - Bannockburn results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
                          10. "Racist tweets councillor leaves Tories". BBC News. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
                          11. Jones, Gareth Iwan (12 May 2017). "Second newly-elected Tory councillor embroiled in offensive Twitter row". Daily Record. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
                          12. "Racist tweets councillor Robert Davies leaves Scottish Conservatives". BBC News. 29 September 2017.
                          13. Wilson, Louise (19 May 2022). "Comment: Labour's 'grown-up politics' is all talk". Holyrood.
                          14. Marjoribanks, Kaiya (19 October 2022). "Stirling councillor leaves Labour to become independent in political switch". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
                          15. Marzella, Chris (20 December 2022). "Tributes paid as Stirling councillor Graham Houston dies aged 74". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          16. Fitzpatrick, Tara (19 December 2022). "Tributes paid to 'dedicated' SNP councillor following death at 74". STV News. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          17. "Scottish Tories win Stirling council by-election overtaking SNP as largest group". The National. 17 March 2023. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          18. Meighan, Craig (17 March 2023). "Tories become largest party at Stirling Council after by-election win". STV News. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          19. Marzella, Chris (30 January 2024). "Former Stirling Provost quit after allegations of 'racist comments' were made". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
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                          22. McFarlane, Stuart (31 January 2024). "By-election win in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan for Conservatives". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          23. Observer, Stirling (22 May 2024). "Scots councillor admits downloading indecent material involving children". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          24. "Ex-Dunblane councillor caught with child sex abuse images given community payback". The Herald. 31 July 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
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                          26. "Labour's David Wilson wins Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election". The Courier. 15 August 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          27. Marjoribanks, Kaiya; McFarlane, Stuart (28 October 2024). "BREAKING: Stirling Council leader Margaret Brisley dies aged 79". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          28. "Scottish council leader dies less than two months after taking office". The National. 28 October 2024. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
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                          32. Watson, Alex (5 August 2025). "Stirling East councillor quits after 8 years". The Courier. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          33. Marjoribanks, Kaiya (6 August 2025). "Councillor resignation could leave control of Stirling Council on a knife edge". Daily Record. Retrieved 29 October 2025.
                          34. "18-year-old SNP candidate wins crucial Scottish city council by-election". The National. 31 October 2025. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
                          35. Watson, Alex (31 October 2025). "18-year-old SNP candidate wins pivotal Stirling East by-election". The Courier. Retrieved 31 October 2025.
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