2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election

2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election

←  2017 5 May 2022 (2022-05-05) 2027 →
All 22 seats to West Dunbartonshire Council 12 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Leader Martin Rooney Jonathon McColl Jim Bollan Party Labour SNP West Dunbartonshire Community Leader's seat Lomond Lomond Leven Last election 8 seats, 33.6% 10 seats, 40.1% 1 seat, 7.8% Seats before 8 10 1 Seats won 12 9 1 Seat change 4 1 Popular vote 12,473 12,676 1,462 Percentage 41.9% 42.6% 4.9% Swing 8.3% 2.5% 2.9%
Council Leader before election Jonathan McColl SNP Council Leader after election Martin Rooney Labour

The 2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election was held on 5 May 2022, on the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the six wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 22 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system - a form of proportional representation.

The SNP minority administration formed after the 2017 election was replaced with a new Labour majority administration.

Results

2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election result

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour	12	4	0	4	54.5	41.9	12,473	8.3
	SNP	9	0	1	1	40.9	42.6	12,676	2.5
	West Dunbartonshire Community	1	0	0		4.5	4.9	1,462	2.9
	Conservative	0	0	2	2	0.0	8.9	2,644	3.6
	Scottish Green	0	0	0		0.0	0.7	206	0.4
	Scottish Family	0	0	0		0.0	0.4	121	New
	TUSC	0	0	0		0.0	0.2	73	New
	Independent	0	0	1	1	0.0	0.2	51	5.1
	Scottish Libertarian	0	0	0		0.0	0.2	45	New
	Sovereignty	0	0	0		0.0	0.1	30	New

Ward results

Lomond

• 2017: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
• 2022: 2xLab; 1xSNP
• 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one seat from Con

Lomond - 3 seats ^[1]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	SNP	Jonathan McColl (incumbent)	34.5	1,494
	Labour	Martin Rooney (incumbent)	21.7	938	1,017.4	1,163.1
	Labour	Hazel Sorrell	16.6	719	782.1	969.3	1,035.0	1,433.5
	Conservative	Sally Page (incumbent)	15.4	666	680.9	731.0	735.2
	West Dunbartonshire Community	Drew MacEoghainn	11.8	509	620.7
Electorate: 9,111  Valid: 4,326  Spoilt: 75  Quota: 1,082  Turnout: 48.3%

Leven

• 2017: 2xSNP; 1xWDCP; 1xLab
• 2022: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xWDCP;
• 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one from SNP

Leven - 4 seats ^[2]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Ian Dickson (incumbent)	25.7	1,494
	Labour	John Millar (incumbent)	18.7	1,089	1,095.2	1,101.2	1,116.8	1,184.3
	Labour	Michelle McGinty	16.4	956	963.3	966.3	997.8	1,116.8	1,130.7	1,280.3
	West Dunbartonshire Community	Jim Bollan (incumbent)	16.4	953	972.2	988.4	1,047.1	1,136.1	1,138.2	1,500.6
	SNP	Ronnie McColl	11.2	653	913.3	917.3	1,007.6	1,017.3	1,017.9
	Conservative	Matthew Dillon	7.2	420	421.1	432.1	439.3
	Scottish Green	Paula Baker	3.5	206	226.5	231.7
	Independent	Sian Wilkie	0.9	51	51.7
Electorate: 13,820  Valid: 5,822  Spoilt: 129  Quota: 1,165  Turnout: 43.1%

Dumbarton

• 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
• 2022: 2xLab; 2xSNP
• 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one from Con

Dumbarton - 4 seats ^[3]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	SNP	Karen Conoghan (incumbent)	33.8	2,171
	Labour	David McBride (incumbent)	31.8	2,045
	Labour	Gurpreet Singh Johal	14.5	950	987	1,546.5
	Conservative	Brian Walker (incumbent)	9.4	601	602.9	642.4	682.5	686.5	696.4
	SNP	Chris Pollock	8.2	592	1,246.2	1,265.4	1,291.8	1,295.8	1,305.8
	TUSC	Lynda McEwan	1.1	73	86.9	99.9	123.0	127.7	137.4
	Scottish Libertarian	Johnathan Rainey	0.7	45	49.7	54.8	62.3	68.5
	Sovereignty	Kelly Wilson	0.5	30	30.8	32.2	34.3
Electorate: 13,336  Valid: 6,524  Spoilt: 163  Quota: 1,305  Turnout: 50.1%

Kilpatrick

• 2017: 2xLab; 1xSNP
• 2022: 2xLab; 1xSNP
• 2017-2022 Change: no change

Kilpatrick - 3 seats ^[4]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2
	Labour	Douglas McAllister (incumbent)	49.1	1,903
	SNP	Gordon Scanlan	25.4	986
	SNP	Marina Scanlan	12.5	486	524.2
	Labour	Lawrence O'Neill (incumbent)	7.0	272	1,020.6
	Conservative	David Jardine	5.9	229	269.7
Electorate: 8,987  Valid: 4,059  Spoilt: 183  Quota: 970  Turnout: 45.2%

Clydebank Central

• 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
• 2022: 2xSNP; 2xLab
• 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one seat from Independent

Clydebank Central - 4 seats ^[5]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4
	SNP	Diane Docherty (incumbent)	41.0	1,903
	Labour	Craig Edward	25.8	1,199
	Labour	Claire Steel	13.9	645	717.7	900.7	1,137.8
	SNP	Sophie Traynor	11.1	531	1,367.8
	Conservative	Liam Wilson	7.9	366	368.6	384.2	390.5
Electorate: 11,820  Valid: 4,848  Spoilt: 204  Quota: 929  Turnout: 41.0%

Clydebank Waterfront

• 2017: 2xSNP; 2xLab
• 2022: 2xSNP; 2xLab
• 2017-2022 Change: no change

Clydebank Waterfront - 4 seats ^[6]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	SNP	James McElhill	31.8	1,493
	Labour	Daniel Lennie (incumbent)	25.9	1,217
	SNP	Lauren Oxley	16.3	767	1,179.9
	Labour	June McKay	11.5	540	571.5	811.4	822.1	868	1,093.5
	Conservative	Holly Moscrop	7.7	362	367.2	374.2	376.6	403.9
	SNP	Jacob Toland	4.2	196	255.3	259.5	475.1	493.2	500.8
	Scottish Family	Brian Michael Lally	2.6	121	125.4	129.5	130.6
Electorate: 11,537  Valid: 4,696  Spoilt: 158  Quota: 940  Turnout: 42.1%

Aftermath

Labour won twelve seats, giving them the majority they needed to regain control of the council from the SNP, who had won control in 2017. ^[7] Martin Rooney was appointed Council Leader, with Michelle McGinty serving as his deputy. ^[8]

Clydebank Central SNP councillor Diane Docherty quit the SNP group in January 2023, and now sits as an Independent. ^{[9] [10]}

In July 2024 Labour councillor and Provost Douglas McAllister was elected to Parliament for the West Dunbartonshire constituency during the 2024 United Kingdom general election, and as such stood back from being Provost. ^[11]

Ex-council leader Dumbarton SNP councillor Jonathon McColl quit the SNP group on 19 August 2024, and now sits as an Independent. ^{[12] [13]}

Clydebank Waterfront Labour councillors Daniel Lennie and June McKay quit the Labour group in August 2024, and now sit as Independents. ^[14] This resulted in the Labour group losing control of the council. ^[15] However in September 2024, it was announced that Labour will retain control of the council as a minority administration, as opposition councillors were unable to form a coalition administration. ^[16]

On 28 August 2024, Dumbarton councillor Karen Murray Conaghan was elected to serve as the new Provost, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the history of the council. ^[17]

Clydebank Central by-election

A by-election was held on 13 June 2024 after Clydebank Central Labour councillor Craig Edward was removed from the party group after being charged with possession of indecent images and had resigned as a councillor after pleading guilty. ^{[18] [19]} It was won by the Labour candidate Fiona Hennebry. ^[20]

Clydebank Central by-election (13 June 2024) - 1 seat

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4
	Labour	Fiona Hennebry	49.6	1,398	1,400	1,404	1,425
	SNP	Marina Scanlan	38.9	1,095	1,099	1,118	1,127
	Conservative	Ewan McGinnigle	4.4	125	126	126	130
	Independent	Andrew Muir	3.1	87	87	91	98
	Liberal Democrats	Kai Robert Murray Pyper	1.8	52	56	59
	Communist	Nathan Hennebry	1.7	47	47
	Independent	Kelly Wilson	0.4	12
Electorate: 11,702  Valid: 2,816  Spoilt: 29  Quota: 1,409  Turnout: 24.3%

Kilpatrick by-election

In September 2024 Labour councillor and newly elected Member of Parliament Douglas McAllister resigned as a councillor. A by-election was held in the Kilpatrick ward on 28 November 2024. ^{[21] [22]}

Kilpatrick by-election (28 November 2024) - 1 seat

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Labour	William Rooney	42.75	725	731	736	753	782	814
	SNP	Marina Scanlan	30.31	514	514	518	523	559	564
	Reform UK	David Haydn Smith	10.38	176	178	184	186	191	200
	Conservative	Ewan McGinnigle	5.72	97	97	97	102	103
	Scottish Green	Paula Baker	4.30	73	83	84	95
	Liberal Democrats	Kai O'Connor	3.71	63	64	66
	Scottish Family	Andrew Muir	1.47	25	25
	Communist	Dylan McAllister	1.36	23
Electorate: 8,879  Valid: 1,696  Spoilt: 9  Quota: 849  Turnout: 19.2%

Clydebank Waterfront by-election

In March the incumbent SNP councillor resigned from the council triggering a by-election.

Clydebank Waterfront by-election (15 May 2025) - 1 seat

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Kevin Crawford	35.6	1039	1042	1061	1095	1098	1123	1331
	Reform UK	David Smith	26.3	768	722	780	782	808	840	919
	Labour	Maureen McGlinchey	25.3	739	742	745	759	770	822
	Liberal Democrats	Cameron Eoin Stewart	4.7	138	138	138	154	167
	Conservative	Brian Walker	2.9	84	85	85	87
	Scottish Green	Eryn Browning	2.6	76	77	83
	Alba	Kristopher Duncan	1.6	47	51
	Scottish Family	Andrew Muir	0.9	25
Electorate: 11,657  Valid: 2,916  Spoilt: 38  Turnout: 25.3%

Eryn Browning was deselected as the Scottish Greens' candidate, but retained their logo attached to her name on the ballot. ^[23]

References

1. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 1 - Lomond" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
2. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 2 - Leven" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
3. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 3 - Dumbarton" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
4. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 4 - Kilpatrick" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
5. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 5 - Clydebank Central" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
6. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 6 - Clydebank Waterfront" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
7. Grant, Tom (6 May 2022). "Council elections 2022: Labour win West Dunbartonshire". Clydebank Post. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
8. Clarke, Fraser (23 May 2022). "West Dunbartonshire Council's new Labour leader is named". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
9. Stewart-Robertson, Tristan (18 January 2023). "Clydebank councillor quits party over gender recognition reforms". Clydebank Post. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
10. Walker, David (18 January 2023). "SNP councillor and sister of MP resigns from party over gender reform stance". Scottish Daily Express . Retrieved 29 August 2024.
11. Macdonald, Aiden (21 August 2024). "West Dunbartonshire Labour MP to step down from council roles". Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
12. Macdonald, Aiden (21 August 2024). "Dumbarton councillor Jonathan McColl resigns from SNP". Dumarton and Vale of Leven Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
13. Clarke, Fraser (21 August 2024). "BREAKING: Former West Dunbartonshire Council leader Jonathan McColl resigns from SNP". Daily Record (Scotland) . Retrieved 28 August 2024.
14. Clarke, Fraser (28 August 2024). "Two West Dunbartonshire councillors quit Labour group ahead of Provost decision". Daily Record (Scotland) . Retrieved 28 August 2024.
15. Clarke, Fraser (28 August 2024). "Labour relinquish control of West Dunbartonshire Council". Daily Record (Scotland) . Retrieved 29 August 2024.
16. Paterson, Kirsteen (25 September 2024). "Labour to lead West Dunbartonshire Council after rivals pass on administration". Holyrood. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
17. Moore, Emily (28 August 2024). "First female Provost of West Dunbartonshire has been elected". Clydebank Post. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
18. Grant, Tom (28 November 2022). "Ex Labour councillor facing indecent images charge now sits as independent". The National.
19. Stewart-Robertson, Tristan (26 March 2024). "Disgraced former councillor Craig Edward JAILED". Clydebank Post.
20. "New Councillor for Clydebank Central following by election". West Dumbartonshire Council. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
21. "By-election announced for West Dunbartonshire's Kilpatrick ward". West Dunbartonshire Council. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
22. "Ward 4 - Kilpatrick Results Count Spreadsheet" (PDF). West Dunbartonshire Council. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025.
23. "Clydebank by-election candidate suspended and reported to police". Clydebank Post. 1 May 2025.