West Lothian Council election, 2012

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West Lothian Council election, 2012
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All 33 seats to West Lothian Council
17 seats needed for a majority

  First party Second party
 
Leader John McGinty Peter Johnston
Party Labour SNP
Leader's seat Bathgate Livingston South
Last election 14 seats, 36.6% 13 seats, 36.3%
Seats before 14 13
Seats won 16 15
Seat changeIncrease2.svg2Increase2.svg2
First preference 19,90921,083
Percentage 38.1%40.4%
SwingIncrease2.svg1.5%Increase2.svg4.1%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Tom Kerr Stuart Borrowman
Party Conservative Independent
Leader's seat Linlithgow Armadale and Blackridge
Last election 1 seat, 9.4% 1 seat, 4.6%
Seats before 1 1
Seats won 1 1
Seat changeSteady2.svgSteady2.svg
First preference 4,591 2,752
Percentage 8.8% 5.3%
SwingDecrease2.svg0.6%Increase2.svg0.7%

West Lothian Council election 2012.svg

The multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

Peter Johnston
SNP

Council Leader after election

John McGinty
Labour

The 2012 West Lothian Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of West Lothian Council. The election will use the 9 wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with each ward electing three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system a form of proportional representation, with 33 Councillors being elected. The Bathgate Ward gained an additional seat for the 2012 elections. JAMAL The election saw Labour remain the largest party on the Council as they gained 2 seats. The Scottish National Party also made 2 net gains and significantly increased their vote share, outpolling Labour in terms of votes cast. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party retained their single seat on the Council and so to did the Independents. The Action to Save St. John's Hospital group were completely wiped out from the authority losing all of their 3 seats.

West Lothian Council

West Lothian Council is the local authority for the West Lothian area of Scotland and has 33 elected members. Councillors are generally elected every 5 years.

Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 act of the Scottish Parliament making local elections be run under the single transferable vote

The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which provided, amongst other things, for the election of councillors to the local authorities in Scotland by the single transferable vote system.

The single transferable vote (STV) is a voting system designed to achieve proportional representation through ranked voting in multi-seat organizations or constituencies. Under STV, an elector (voter) has a single vote that is initially allocated to their most preferred candidate. Votes are totalled and a quota derived. If their candidate achieves quota, he/she is elected and in some STV systems any surplus vote is transferred to other candidates in proportion to the voters' stated preferences. If more candidates than seats remain, the bottom candidate is eliminated with his/her votes being transferred to other candidates as determined by the voters' stated preferences. These elections and eliminations, and vote transfers if applicable, continue until there are only as many candidates as there are unfilled seats. The specific method of transferring votes varies in different systems.

Contents

Following the election the Labour formed a minority administration with the support of the Conservative and Independent Councillors. This replaced the SNP minority administration which had been supported by the Conservative and Action to Save St. John's Hospital group Councillors from 2007-2012.

Election result

West Lothian Local Election Result 2012
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Labour 16 2 0 +2 48.48 38.1 19,909 +1.5
  SNP 15 2 0 +2 45.45 40.4 21,083 +4.1
  Conservative 1 0 0 - 3.03 8.8 4,591 -0.6
  Independent 1 0 0 - 3.03 5.3 2,752 +0.7
  Action to Save St John's Hospital 0 0 3 -3 - 6.7 3,474 +0.6
  Liberal Democrats 0 - - - - 0.4 200 -4.7
  UKIP 0 - - - - 0.1 78 +0.1
  National Front 0 - - - - 0.2 120 +0.2

Note: Bathgate ward is represented by four councillors, rather than three from 2012. "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 3 May 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

Linlithgow

Linlithgow - 3 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
Conservative Tom Kerr (incumbent) 33.182,112    
SNP Martyn Day (incumbent)†† 28.701,827    
Labour Tom Conn (incumbent) 20.30 1,2921,453 1,478.71,483.21,627.9
SNP David Tait 13.02 829920.3 1,101.41,106.91,186.9
Action to Save St John's Hospital Cherie Finlay 4.40 280396.7 413.6423.8 
National Front Ernest Wilson 0.39 2530.2 30.6  
Electorate: 11,944  Valid: 6,365  Spoilt: 44  Quota: 1,592  Turnout: 6,409 (53.29%)

    Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh

    Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh - 4 seats
    Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
    SNP Diane Calder 28.211,551     
    Labour Tony Boyle 21.111,161     
    Labour Alex Davidson 19.79 1,0881,107.2    
    Action to Save St John's Hospital Ellen Glass (incumbent) 13.93 766791.6 816.1818.7996.9 
    SNP Janet Campbell (incumbent) 11.22 6171,006.4 1,013.21,014.11,054.31,411.2
    Conservative George Thompson 5.75 316320.7 324.1324.6  
    Electorate: 13,558  Valid: 5,499  Spoilt: 99  Quota: 1,100  Turnout: 5,598 (40.56%)

      Livingston North

      Livingston North - 4 seats
      Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8
      SNP Robert De Bold (incumbent) 25.301,551       
      Labour Anne McMillan 21.951,346       
      SNP Andrew Miller (incumbent) 18.14 1,1121,353.5      
      Labour Angela Moohan 11.27 691700.2 710.2813.9839.3944.71,101.91,222.6
      Conservative Alison Adamson 7.81 479486.9 490.4493.9523.6607.5  
      SNP Annmargaret Watson 7.01 430457.8 550.9552562642.7678.9 
      Action to Save St John's Hospital Claire Lynch 6.36 390405.2 412.9415.9453.5   
      Liberal Democrats Caron Marianne Howden 2.15 132139.1 141.5143.1    
      Electorate: 16,271  Valid: 6,131  Spoilt: 90  Quota: 1,227  Turnout: 6,221 (37.68%)

        Livingston South

        Livingston South - 4 seats
        Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
        Labour Lawrence Fitzpatrick (incumbent) 34.892,395     
        SNP Peter Johnston (incumbent) 24.341,671     
        Labour Danny Logue (incumbent) 13.01 8931,631.7    
        SNP John Muir (incumbent) 11.92 818867.1 966.29861,015.61,534.4
        SNP John Lindsay 5.84 401444.9 603.8622.1648.5 
        Conservative Nick Davis 5.45 374425.2 428.8448.9  
        Action to Save St John's Hospital Derreck Allen McCullough 4.55 312376.9 392.4458.9679.3731.3
        Electorate: 16,441  Valid: 6,864  Spoilt: 73  Quota: 1,373  Turnout: 6,937 (41.75%)

          East Livingston and East Calder

          East Livingston and East Calder - 4 seats
          Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
          Labour Dave King (incumbent) 32.141,914    
          SNP Frank Anderson (incumbent) 19.26 1,1471,161.7 1,164.81,180.91,398.6
          SNP Carl John (incumbent) 16.89 1,0061,058.4 1,061.21,094.11,304.3
          Labour Frank Toner 11.45 6821,237.6   
          SNP Lis Bardell 7.62 454462.3 464.5485.9 
          Action to Save St John's Hospital Jean Ann Finch 6.38 380407.9 419.3607.3637.3
          Conservative Evelyn Stirling 6.25 372386.7 389.9  
          Electorate: 14,346  Valid: 5,955  Spoilt: 92  Quota: 1,192  Turnout: 6,047 (41.51%)

            Fauldhouse and the Briech Valley

            Fauldhouse and the Briech Valley - 3 seats
            Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
            Labour David Dodds 33.301,713     
            SNP Garry Knox 17.57 904929.6 949.11,023.61,039.2 
            Labour Cathy Muldoon (incumbent) 17.53 9021,235.7 1,264.51,423.6  
            SNP Greg McCarra (incumbent) 17.42 896905.7 931.21,063.71,085.51,999.8
            Action to Save St John's Hospital Jim Warnock 10.34 532557.4 647.6   
            Conservative Alastair Lowrie 3.83 197202.5     
            Electorate: 11,239  Valid: 5,144  Spoilt: 106  Quota: 1,287  Turnout: 5,250 (45.77%)

              Whitburn and Blackburn

              Whitburn and Blackburn - 4 seats
              Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8
              Labour George Paul (incumbent) 32.591,896       
              SNP Jim Dickson (incumbent) 27.681,610       
              Labour Barry Robertson 11.96 6961,356.2      
              Action to Save St John's Hospital George Beurskens (incumbent) 10.64 619639.8 668.9712.4729.7760.3886.4 
              SNP Mary Dickson 9.66 562575.1 964986.7996.91,012.31,058.51,317.4
              Conservative Stuart Martin 4.66 271273.3 277.5287.6312.2337.1  
              National Front Neil McIvor 1.63 9598.5 100.7104.5108.6   
              Liberal Democrats Robert Durie Howden 1.17 6872.2 75.883.7    
              Electorate: 11,239  Valid: 5,817  Spoilt: 108  Quota: 1,164  Turnout: 5,925 (41.75%)

                Bathgate

                Bathgate - 4 seats
                Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
                Labour John McGinty (incumbent) 22.591,314      
                SNP Jim Walker (incumbent) 22.041,282      
                Labour Harry Cartmill 19.56 1,1381,231.1     
                SNP William H. Boyle (incumbent) 18.69 1,0871,094.8 1,123.81,127.91,135.21,174.71,215.1
                Independent Jamie Firth 6.63 453214.7 218.4222.3236.9293.7 
                Conservative Charles Kennedy 5.93 345347.5 349.9352.8371405.4455.9
                SNP Calum Laurie 5.14 299303.6 347.8349.7355.2371.1397.4
                Action to Save St John's Hospital Douglas Banks 3.35 195198.5 201.9207.8224.3  
                UKIP Alistair Forrest 1.34 7879 79.880.8   
                Electorate: 13,933  Valid: 5,817  Spoilt: 108  Quota: 1,164  Turnout: 5,925 (41.75%)

                  Armadale and Blackridge

                  Armadale and Blackridge - 3 seats
                  Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2
                  Independent Stuart Borrowman (incumbent) 56.682,541 
                  SNP Isabel Hutton (incumbent)† 19.21 8611,217.5
                  Labour Jim Dixon (incumbent) 17.58 7881,283.1
                  SNP Dean Williamson 3.75 168229.5
                  Conservative Marion Kerr 2.79 125246.8
                  Electorate: 11,247  Valid: 4,483  Spoilt: 49  Quota: 1,121  Turnout: 4,532 (39.86%)

                    Post-election Changes

                    Linlithgow and East Falkirk (UK Parliament constituency) Parliamentary constituency in the United Kingdom

                    Linlithgow and East Falkirk is a county constituency of the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom, created for use in the 2005 general election. It replaced most of Falkirk East and Linlithgow.

                    By Elections since 2012

                    Armadale and Blackridge By-election (26 March 2015)- 1 Seat [1]
                    Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4
                    SNP Sarah King 43.4% 1,6201,647 1,6761,874
                    Labour Andrew McGuire 27.0% 1,0091,018 1,0741,382
                    Independent Scott Mackay 20.3% 756786 868 
                    Conservative Ian Burgess 6.8% 255264   
                    Scottish Green Jenny Johnson 2.4% 90   
                    Electorate: 12,315  Valid: 3,730  Spoilt: 46  Quota: 1,866  Turnout: 3,776 (30.7%)
                      Linlithgow By-election (1 October 2015)- 1 Seat [2]
                      Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
                      SNP David Tait 43.1% 2,0492,061 2,0992,2342,325
                      Labour David Manion 22.9% 1,0881,131 1,1751,2791,644
                      Conservative Ian Burgess 20.5% 973992 1,0561,070 
                      Scottish Green Maire McCormack 5.9% 282303 346  
                      Independent Brenda Galloway 4.8% 230246    
                      Liberal Democrats Caron Lindsay 2.8% 133    
                      Electorate: 12,516  Valid: 4,755  Spoilt: 28  Quota: 2,378  Turnout: 4,783 (38.2%)

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                        References

                        1. ↑ http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/6866/By-Election-results---Armadale-and-Blackridge/pdf/Document2.pdf
                        2. ↑ http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/8470/Linlithgow-By-Election

                        http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/Council_and_government/pol_elec_democracy/elections_and_voting/election_results

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