Stranraer and the Rhins (ward)

Stranraer and the Rhins
Dumfries and Galloway
Boundary of Stranraer and the Rhins in Dumfries and Galloway from 2017.
Population	14,821 (2021) [1]
Electorate	11,398 (2022)
Major settlements	Stranraer
Scottish Parliament constituency	Galloway and West Dumfries
Scottish Parliament region	South Scotland
UK Parliament constituency	Dumfries and Galloway
Current ward
Created	2017 (2017)
Number of councillors	4
Councillor	Andrew Giusti (Conservative)
Councillor	Ben Dashper (SNP)
Councillor	Chrissie Hill (Conservative)
Councillor	Julie Currie (Conservative)
Created from	Stranraer and North Rhins Wigtown West

Stranraer and the Rhins is one of the twelve electoral wards of Dumfries and Galloway Council. Created in 2017, the ward elects four councillors using the single transferable vote electoral system and covers an area with a population of 14,821 people.

The area has produced strong results for the Conservatives who have won more than 30 per cent of the vote at each election and have held half of the seats since 2022.

Boundaries

The ward was created by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland following the Fifth Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements ahead of the 2017 Scottish local elections. Five of the 13 multi-member wards in Dumfries and Galloway were abolished as a result of the review and replaced by four new ones. Stranraer and the Rhins encompasses an area represented by the former Stranraer and North Rhins and Wigtown West wards. The ward is takes in the westernmost and southernmost part of the council area and runs along part of the boundary with South Ayrshire.

It is situated within Galloway and the historic county of Wigtownshire and includes the Rhins of Galloway double-headed peninsula. The dominant settlement is Stranraer, Dumfries and Galloway’s second largest town, at the head of Loch Ryan. Other settlements include the ferry port of Cairnryan and villages in the Rhins of Galloway including Ardwell, Drummore, Kirkcolm, Leswalt, Port Logan, Portpatrick, Sandhead and Stoneykirk. The ward is the most southerly ward in Scotland as it includes the Mull of Galloway, Scotland's most southernly point. ^[2]

Councillors

Year	Councillors
2017		Willie Scobie (Ind.)		Andrew Giusti (Conservative)		Ros Surtees (SNP)		Tommy Sloan (Labour/ Ind.)
2022	Ben Dashper (SNP)				Chrissie Hill (Conservative)
2025			Julie Currie (Conservative)

Election results

2025 by-election

Stranraer and the Rhins by-election (20 November 2025) - 1 seat

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	Reform	John Roberts	34.4	1,386	1,391	1,399	1,403	1,429	1,455	1,523
	Conservative	Julie Currie	33.5	1,302	1,305	1,321	1,330	1,375	1,417	1,565
	SNP	Simon Jones	13.9	541	545	554	612	659	730
	Labour	John McCutcheon	6.1	239	242	258	283	311
	Independent	Shaun Smith	5.3	207	208	220	239
	Green	Michael Havard	3.6	141	142	158
	Liberal Democrats	Tracey Warman	2.5	96	98
	Heritage	Gisele Skinner	0.7	27
Electorate: 11,573  Valid: 3,939  Spoilt: 29  Quota: 1,971  Turnout: 34.3%

Source: ^{[3] [4]}

2022 election

Main article: 2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election

Stranraer and the Rhins - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	Conservative	Andrew Giusti (incumbent)	32.8	1,518
	SNP	Ben Dashper	23.3	1,074
	Independent	Willie Scobie (incumbent)	22.8	1,051
	Labour	John McCutcheon	9.9	458	478	511	523	582	660
	Conservative	Chrissie Hill	7.3	338	804	806	816	833	861	1,025
	Green	Peter Barlow	2.6	120	126	180	187
	Independent	Tommy Sloan (incumbent)	1.3	59	98	118	198	239
Electorate: 11,398  Valid: 4,618  Spoilt: 108  Quota: 924  Turnout: 41.5%

Source: ^{[5] [6]}

2017 election

2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election

Ward 1 - Stranraer and the Rhins - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	Independent	Willie Scobie (incumbent)	36.53	1,925
	Conservative	Andrew Giusti	32.31	1,703
	SNP	Ros Surtees	14.52	765	869.4	884.62	903.35	919.09	953.34	1,013.39
	Labour	Tommy Sloan	5.92	312	589.94	661.86	694.11	723.69	774.28	912.14
	Independent	Tracy Davidson	3.43	181	251.95	317.4	338.72	381.51
	Independent	Marion McCutcheon (incumbent)	3.15	166	259.55	332.23	363.55	418.26	533.25
	Independent	Robert McCrae	2.33	123	164.13	231.48	242.73
	Scottish Libertarian	Chris Collings	1.80	95	134.77	174.72
Electorate: 11,382  Valid: 5,270  Spoilt: 80  Quota: 1,055  Turnout: 46.3

References

1. "Stranraer and the Rhins". Scottish Government. Retrieved 25 March 2025.
2. "Fifth Statutory Review of Electoral Arrangements; Dumfroes and Galloway Council Area" (PDF). Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland. May 2016. Retrieved 19 April 2022.
3. "Stranraer and the Rhins Electoral Ward Results" (PDF). Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
4. "Ward 01 - Stranraer and the Rhins By-Election 20 November 2025" (PDF). Dumfries and Galloway Council. Retrieved 21 November 2025.
5. "Declaration of Results Report Ward 1 - Stranraer and the Rhins" (PDF). Dumfries and Galloway Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2025.
6. "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 1 - Stranraer and the Rhins" (PDF). Dumfries and Galloway Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 23 February 2025.