Leith Walk (ward)

Last updated

Leith Walk.svg
Location of the ward [1]

Leith Walk is one of the seventeen wards used to elect members of the City of Edinburgh Council. [2] Established in 2007 along with the other wards, it currently elects four councillors. Its territory spans the area between Edinburgh city centre and the port of Leith to its north-east, centred around Leith Walk, the primary thoroughfare between them.

Contents

Northern parts of the ward fall within the historic burgh of Leith, but other neighbourhoods such as Broughton, Powderhall, Hillside and Canonmills (divided between Leith Walk and Inverleith wards) were always part of Edinburgh. Bonnington and Pilrig are on the boundary between the two burghs [3] but entirely within Leith Walk ward, which in 2019 had a population of 34,651. [4]

Councillors

ElectionCouncillors
2007 Louise A Lang
(Liberal Democrats)
Deidre Brock
(SNP)
Maggie Chapman
(Greens)
Angela Blacklock
(Labour)
2012 Nick Gardner
(Labour)
2015Lewis Ritchie
(SNP)
Marion Donaldson
(Labour)
2017 Susan Rae
(Greens)
Amy McNeese-Mechan
(SNP)
2019Rob Munn
(SNP)
2022 Jack Caldwell
(Liberal Democrats)
James Dalgleish
(Labour)

Election results

2022 election

Leith Walk - 4 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
123456789101112
Scottish Green Susan Rae (incumbent)25.92,847           
SNP Amy McNeese-Mechan (incumbent)20.42,248           
Labour James Dalgleish18.72,0582,184 2,186 2,186 2,196 2,224      
Liberal Democrats Jack Caldwell12.01,3171,400 1,402 1,413 1,433 1,446 1,456 1,469 1,506 1,563 1,995 2,513
SNP Rob Munn (incumbent)10.31,1321,405 1,447 1,449 1,459 1,485 1,488 1,534 1,580 1,633 1,648  
Conservative Bonus Fombo6.9763766 766 770 796 797 799 811 819 833   
Alba Joe Smith1.2135138 138 144 148 155 155      
Communist Richard Charles Shillcock1.1119141 141 145 147        
Socialist Labour David Don Jacobson1.0113139 139 141 148 184 187 206 242    
Scottish Family Niel Deepnarain1.0106108 108 119         
Women's Equality David Renton0.998147 147 154 167 180 181 202     
Freedom Alliance (UK)Jon Pullman0.56062 62          
Electorate: 26,683  Valid: 10,996  Spoilt: 134  Quota: 2,200  Turnout: 41.7%  

    Source: [5] [6]

    2019 by-election

    On 28 January 2019, Labour councillor Marion Donaldson announced she was resigning from the council citing reports of internal party tensions. A by-election was held on 11 April 2019 and was won by Robb Munn of the SNP. [7] [8] [9]

    Leith Walk By-election (11 April 2019) [10]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    1234567891011
    SNP Rob Munn35.72,5962,598 2,598 2,598 2,612 2,616 2,630 2,721 2,763 3,021 4,487
    Scottish Green Lorna Slater 25.51,8551,856 1,856 1,856 1,865 1,869 1,904 2,093 2,223 2,765  
    Labour Nick Gardner15.51,1231,124 1,124 1,126 1,136 1,140 1,157 1,320 1,497   
    Conservative Dan McCroskrie10.7777777 779 781 784 811 825 912    
    Liberal Democrats Jack Caldwell8.6623624 624 626 628 633 652     
    Independent Kevin Illingworth1.5110112 112 122 126 143      
    UKIP Steven Alexander1.28588 97 97 98       
    Socialist Labour David Jacobsen0.85656 56 56        
    Independent John Scott0.21616 17         
    For Britain Paul Stirling0.21414          
    Scottish Libertarian Tom Laird0.212          
    Electorate: 24,197  Valid: 7,267  Spoilt: 67  Quota: 3,634  Turnout: 30.3%  

      2017 election

      2017 City of Edinburgh Council election [11]

      Leith Walk - 4 seats [12]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456789
      Scottish Green Susan Rae19.69%2,0972,105 2,125 2,246     
      SNP Lewis Ritchie (incumbent)17.84%1,9001,901 1,903 1,923 1,949.4 2,052.2 2,090.4 2,125.9 2,209.4
      SNP Amy McNeese-Mechan16.62%1,7701,772 1,777 1,788 1,817.5 1,870.9 1,912.9 1,971.4 2,107.7
      Labour Marion Donaldson (incumbent)15.04%1,6021,605 1,617 1,692 1,715.9 1,821.6 2,529.8  
      Conservative Cristina Marga14.42%1,5361,541 1,544 1,600 1,602.6 1,683.2 1,719.3 1,784.5  
      Labour Nick Gardner (incumbent)7.45%793795 803 839 849.3 912.7    
      Independent Harald Tobermann4.06%432459 463 511 522.6     
      Liberal Democrats Vita Zaporozcenko3.74%398400 403       
      Socialist Labour David Don Jacobsen0.62%6667        
      Independent Alan Gordon Melville0.52%55        
      Electorate: 24,160  Valid: 10,649  Spoilt: 167  Quota: 2,130  Turnout: 10,816 (44.8%)  

        On 20 February 2018, SNP Cllr. Lewis Ritchie resigned from the party and became an Independent, following complaints about his behaviour arising out of allegedly punching someone in a taxi. [13]

        2015 by-election

        SNP councillor Deidre Brock was elected as an MP for Edinburgh North and Leith (UK Parliament constituency) on 7 May 2015 and resigned her Council seat on 24 June 2015. [14] Green Councillor Maggie Chapman resigned her seat on 30 June 2015 to focus her efforts on winning a Scottish Parliament seat in North East Scotland. [15] A by-election for both seats was held on 10 September 2015, Lewis Ritchie defending the SNP seat and Labour's Marion Donaldson taking the other. [16]

        Leith Walk By-election (10 September 2015)- 2 Seats
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345678910
        SNP John Ritchie36.2%2,290         
        Labour Marion Donaldson25.7%1,6231,650.1 1,653.1 1,659.6 1,661.7 1,680.4 1,697.6 1,798.2 1,990.2 2,717.3
        Scottish Green Susan Rae21.8%1,3811,464.6 1,469.8 1,483.4 1,495.3 1,502.7 1,576.1 1,653.3 1,729.9  
        Conservative Gordon Murdie7.9%501503.8 505.8 506.9 507 540.2 541.2 574.6   
        Liberal Democrats Mo Hussain4%255261.6 263 265.3 265.3 267.4 271.6    
        UKIP Alan Melville1.6%102105.6 105.6 106.8 106.8      
        Scottish Socialist Natalie Reid1.5%97107.7 107.7 108.2 122 125.2     
        Left Unity Bruce Whitehead0.5%3233.6 33.7 33.9       
        Independent John Scott0.4%2629 30        
        Scottish Libertarian Tom Laird0.3%1717.9         
        Electorate: 25,521  Valid: 6,324  Spoilt: 83  Quota: 2,109  Turnout: 6,407 (25.1%)  

          2012 election

          2012 City of Edinburgh Council election

          Leith Walk - 4 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          1234567891011
          SNP Deidre Brock (incumbent)†††22.11735          
          Labour Angela Blacklock (incumbent)21.31674          
          Scottish Green Maggie Chapman †††† (incumbent)20.31593          
          Labour Nick Gardner11.9937947 1029 1035 1050 1065 1089 1115 1225 1350 1519
          Conservative Miles Briggs 8.1637640 644 645 651 653 656 675 784 816  
          SNP Seumas Ross Skinner6.4502630 632 635 639 649 674 708 741   
          Liberal Democrats Jamie Paterson5.1400403 406 410 424 429 434 445    
          TUSC John McArdle1.4109110 111 113 119 128      
          Independent Alex Wilson1.4109110 110 111 112 153 181     
          Independent Jimmy McIntosh1.29192 93 93 97       
          Liberal John Hein0.96971 72 72        
          Electorate: 22,147  Valid: 7,856  Spoilt: 156  Quota: 1572  Turnout: 35.47%  

            2007 election

            2007 City of Edinburgh Council election

            2007 Council election: Leith Walk
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345678910
            SNP Deidre Brock 22.32,550         
            Liberal Democrats Louise A Lang19.02,1702,217.17 2,217.29 2,240.22 2,291.06     
            Labour Angela Blacklock16.91,9371,965.54 1,966.54 1,975.35 1,997.40 2,003.09 2,041.43 2,173.28 2,215.25 3,161.41
            Scottish Green Maggie Chapman 15.31,7541,824.81 1,829.81 1,911.26 1,953.36 1,967.18 2,103.10 2,424.74  
            Labour Trevor Davies10.01,1441,156.81 1,156.81 1,165.28 1,180.09 1,183.88 1,196.35 1,312.35 1,333.29  
            Conservative Iain McGill9.71,1141,129.49 1,133.61 1,133.96 1,149.24 1,154.49 1,162.67    
            Solidarity Adrian Cannon1.8203228.16 230.27 273.069 283.23 284.33     
            Liberal John Hein1.7193207.33 207.44 211.02       
            Scottish Socialist Linda Somerville1.6182192.95 193.06        
            Independent Peter Clifford0.11616.58         
            Electorate: 21,485  Valid: 11,263  Spoilt: 188  Quota: 2,253  Turnout: 53.3%  

              References

              1. "Map of City of Edinburgh wards, councillors and MSPs". Edinburgh.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
              2. "United Kingdom: Scotland | Council Areas and Electoral Wards". City Population. 30 June 2019. Retrieved 28 March 2021.
              3. Explore Leith with our interactive map, Leith Local History Society
              4. Electoral Ward: Leith Walk Archived 12 October 2023 at the Wayback Machine , Scottish Government Statistics
              5. "Ward 12 Leith Walk Results". City of Edinburgh Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
              6. "Ward 12 Leith Walk Transfer Report". City of Edinburgh Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
              7. "Edinburgh Labour councillor quits amid reports of internal party tensions". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
              8. Council, The City of Edinburgh. "By-election for electoral ward 12: Leith Walk". Edinburgh.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 1 April 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
              9. "SNP candidate Rob Munn victorious in Leith Walk by-election". Edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
              10. "By-election for electoral ward 12: Leith Walk result - The City of Edinburgh Council". Edinburgh.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019. Retrieved 14 April 2019.
              11. "Local Government Election 2017 results". Edinburgh.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
              12. Council, The City of Edinburgh. "Local Government Election results 2017". Edinburgh.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 7 February 2019. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
              13. "SNP councillor quits party amid punch claims". HeraldScotland. Retrieved 6 February 2019.
              14. "BROCK STEPS DOWN FROM WARD 12". Broughtonspurtle.org.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
              15. Brooks, Cameron. "Edinburgh councillor resigns to focus on becoming north-east MSP". Pressandjournal.co.uk. Retrieved 14 November 2021.
              16. "Notices for the Leith Walk Ward By-Election | Leith Walk Ward By-Election | The City of Edinburgh Council". 14 August 2015. Archived from the original on 14 August 2015. Retrieved 14 November 2021.