2007 Scottish local government election
The 2007 Highland Council election was held on 3 May 2007; the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament and to the 31 other councils in Scotland. Previous elections to the council had been conducted using the single member plurality system (a.k.a. 'First Past the Post'). Changes implemented by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 meant that future local government elections were to be conducted using the Single Transferable Vote , beginning with those in 2007. The 80 Highland Councillors were now to be elected from 22 wards, returning either three or four members.
The election saw Independent councillors retain their plurality, despite losing a significant number of members, and the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party both increasing their representation, with that of the Labour Party decreasing. The Independent and SNP groups subsequently went into coalition to form the Administration of the council.
Incumbent councillors are marked with *
[ edit ] North, West and Central Sutherland – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 SNP George Farlow 19.9% 586 588 599 641 676 687 716 778 Liberal Democrats Robbie Rowantree 14.0% 410 415 418 461 495 549 598 651 659 Scottish Senior Citizens Russel Taylor 10.7% 314 325 329 345 365 414 475 514 520 Independent Linda Munro 10.3% 303 318 358 368 383 391 437 518 524 Independent David Forbes 10.1% 297 316 330 338 350 365 416 Independent William Johnston 9.6% 282 288 300 304 308 325 Conservative Margaret Payne 7.4% 216 222 224 227 232 Labour Dave Andrews 6.3% 184 185 186 198 Scottish Green Ailsa Spindler 5.7% 168 172 176 Independent Kirstie Dawson 3.4% 99 100 Independent Michael Otter 2.7% 80 Electorate: 4,996 Valid: 2,939 Quota: 735 Turnout: 60.0%
Thurso – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Independent Donald Mackay * 30.1% 1,001 Independent John Rosie 21.2% 704 762 781 842 Liberal Democrats Marion Thurso 16.3% 541 573 599 627 631 824 SNP Donald Mackintosh 13.0% 433 445 449 465 466 518 Labour Roger Saxon* 12.3% 408 428 437 454 457 Independent Ian Grant 3.8% 125 136 156 Conservative Alexander Bain 3.4% 112 118 Electorate: 6,388 Valid: 3,324 Quota: 832 Turnout: 53.0%
Wick – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 Independent Bill Fernie * 30.3% 793 Independent Katrina MacNab * 17.2% 451 505 556 648 SNP Niall Smith 16.9% 443 457 489 542 Liberal Democrats Graeme Smith * 15.5% 407 436 458 578 Labour Jim Oag 14.0% 366 378 399 Independent Heather Miller 3.7% 98 105 Conservative Jack Brooker 1.8% 46 48 Independent Laurel Bush 0.6% 17 19 Electorate: 5,817 Valid: 2,621 Quota: 656 Turnout: 46.3%
Landward Caithness – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 SNP David Bremner 18.8% 871 888 888 957 Independent Willie MacKay 18.2% 845 929 Liberal Democrats David Flear * 17.4% 805 918 918 1,067 Independent Robert Coghill 14.2% 657 723 723 815 Labour Bill Mowat 11.5% 532 552 552 Conservative Colin Sutherland 11.5% 531 558 558 601 Liberal Democrats Alastair MacDonald* 7.5% 349 Independent Duncan Winfield 0.9% 41 Electorate: 8,231 Valid: 4,631 Quota: 927 Turnout: 57.3%
East Sutherland and Edderton [ edit ] East Sutherland and Edderton – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Liberal Democrats Ian Ross * 22.8% 838 844 855 866 894 943 Labour Deirdre Mackay 19.2% 703 712 717 745 792 833 840 902 SNP Derek Louden 13.9% 511 518 524 537 550 576 578 620 Independent Jim McGillivray 13.1% 482 493 536 550 573 667 669 790 Conservative Michael Napper 11.5% 423 428 437 449 459 491 493 Independent Jimmy Melville 6.9% 252 260 283 296 318 Independent Evelyn MacKenzie 4.2% 155 158 161 178 Independent Gordon Campbell 3.4% 125 126 135 Independent Gordon Clunie 3.1% 114 121 Independent Richard Easson 1.1% 40 Solidarity Frank Ward 0.7% 27 Electorate: 6,126 Valid: 3,670 Quota: 918 Turnout: 61.1%
[ edit ] Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SNP Jean Urquhart 26.1% 1,486 Liberal Democrats Biz Campbell * 21.8% 1,242 Independent Richard Greene 13.9% 792 849 858 964 983 1,037 1,147 Independent Audrey Sinclair 10.7% 608 633 648 658 780 829 882 Conservative John Scott 7.9% 451 473 483 502 514 618 662 Labour Christine Conniff 6.2% 354 393 407 423 438 470 Independent Marie Tait 5.8% 328 354 358 371 377 Independent Donald Macdonald 4.1% 232 248 264 270 Independent Alastair Armitstead 3.5% 199 238 242 Electorate: 9,593 Valid: 5,692 Quota: 1,139 Turnout: 60.6%
Cromarty Firth – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Independent Carolyn Wilson * 29.7% 1,348 SNP Maxine Smith 22.5% 1,021 Liberal Democrats Martin Rattray 14.3% 647 718 743 764 788 819 942 Independent Mike Finlayson 9.7% 438 533 545 562 595 644 769 Labour John MacInnes 9.7% 438 485 495 511 526 544 590 Independent John Connell* 6.8% 307 364 377 388 408 437 Conservative Hamish Keir 3.1% 141 158 161 165 Independent Mary MacDonald 2.3% 104 156 163 167 184 Solidarity Findlay Walker 1.9% 88 97 105 Electorate: 9,260 Valid: 4,532 Quota: 907 Turnout: 49.6%
Tain and Easter Ross [ edit ] Tain and Easter Ross – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Independent Alasdair Rhind * 36.2% 1,406 Liberal Democrats Richard Durham * 16.2% 627 707 717 768 800 843 892 1,007 SNP Jim McCreath 12.0% 465 480 498 509 520 537 557 605 Independent Alan Torrance * 11.2% 436 545 549 558 582 603 674 823 Independent Murray MacLeod 7.6% 294 375 377 390 410 430 507 Independent Michael Herd 5.3% 204 228 233 252 262 277 Labour Sunny Moodie 3.8% 148 160 162 171 173 Conservative David Rutherford 3.2% 124 140 144 146 Independent John Boocock 3.0% 116 127 133 Scottish Socialist Donnie Fraser 1.5% 59 63 Electorate: 7,000 Valid: 3,879 Quota: 970 Turnout: 56.4%
Dingwall and Seaforth [ edit ] Dingwall and Seaforth – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Independent Margaret Paterson * 23.1% 1,078 Liberal Democrats Angela MacLean * 21.8% 1,015 SNP Peter Cairns 18.3% 853 875 887 902 967 Independent David Chisholm * 13.7% 639 656 669 711 748 755 837 Labour Michael MacMillan* 11.9% 556 584 603 613 667 672 709 Conservative Gerald Lowe 4.7% 218 228 234 246 261 264 Scottish Green David Jardine 4.4% 207 221 231 243 Independent David Edes 2.2% 102 112 116 Electorate: 8,996 Valid: 4,666 Quota: 934 Turnout: 52.9%
Black Isle – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Independent Billy Barclay * 24.4% 1,233 Independent Isobel McCallum * 19.5% 985 1,050 Liberal Democrats David Alston * 19.3% 973 1,006 1,016 SNP Craig Fraser 11.1% 558 576 579 580 609 696 764 Independent Okain McLennan 8.6% 433 468 478 480 503 586 745 Conservative Morris Downie 8.1% 408 429 433 434 453 470 Scottish Green John Wood 5.3% 267 273 275 277 338 Labour Chris Birt 3.8% 192 198 199 200 Electorate: 7,959 Valid: 5,049 Quota: 1,010 Turnout: 64.2%
Eilean a' Cheò – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Liberal Democrats Drew Millar * 21.2% 960 Independent Hamish Fraser * 17.6% 795 803 833 907 Independent John Laing * 16.2% 734 742 761 833 833 922 SNP Ian Renwick 14.8% 669 675 684 712 713 772 Independent John Murray 11.0% 498 506 534 630 631 693 Labour Vicki Samuels 7.8% 351 356 365 378 378 Independent Iain MacDonald* 7.5% 338 343 356 Conservative John Hodgson 3.9% 178 180 Electorate: 7,990 Valid: 4,523 Quota: 905 Turnout: 57.8%
Caol and Mallaig – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Independent Bill Clark * 24.8% 975 985 Independent Allan Henderson 22.4% 881 892 892 909 929 958 1,048 Independent Eddie Hunter 14.0% 550 558 558 573 621 633 690 704 795 Labour Mairi MacLean 12.0% 473 477 477 491 502 517 535 550 625 SNP David Ingham 9.9% 389 395 395 404 418 430 451 459 Independent Sandra Casey 4.8% 188 194 194 203 216 248 Conservative Chris Carver 4.0% 156 159 159 169 174 Independent George MacLeod 3.8% 151 160 160 165 Independent Alistair MacGregor 2.5% 100 101 101 Independent Scott Waugh 1.6% 64 Electorate: 6,625 Valid: 3,927 Quota: 982 Turnout: 60.6%
Aird and Loch Ness – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Independent Margaret Davidson * 24.6% 1,215 Independent Helen Carmichael 22.8% 1,125 SNP Drew Hendry 18.1% 892 916 940 964 993 Liberal Democrats Hamish Wood 11.1% 550 584 607 644 757 759 866 Conservative Margaret Chown 7.2% 355 373 388 405 422 423 Independent John Martin 6.5% 322 352 373 462 494 495 598 Labour Andrew MacKintosh 5.9% 292 305 312 326 Independent Alexander Nicol 3.9% 192 225 232 Electorate: 8,463 Valid: 4,943 Quota: 989 Turnout: 59.4%
Inverness West – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 SNP Pauline Munro 28.8% 965 Liberal Democrats Alex Graham 25.1% 840 Independent Jimmy MacDonald * 23.2% 778 813 814 900 Labour Caroline Parr 16.0% 536 561 562 604 Conservative Mary Fraser 6.9% 230 244 245 Electorate: 6,581 Valid: 3,349 Quota: 838 Turnout: 51.7%
Inverness Central– 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 SNP Donnie Kerr 21.9% 1,019 Independent Peter Corbett * 16.6% 776 784 796 809 872 912 Liberal Democrats Janet Campbell 15.6% 729 743 767 793 843 934 Labour Bet McAllister 15.4% 720 725 735 884 919 933 Independent William Smith* 12.3% 575 581 588 597 642 693 Conservative David Bonsor 5.8% 268 270 273 275 299 Independent Ivor Bisset 5.4% 252 257 267 270 Labour Tej Manda 5.1% 237 241 249 Solidarity George MacDonald 1.9% 88 98 Electorate: 9,704 Valid: 4,664 Quota: 933 Turnout: 49.2%
Inverness Ness-side [ edit ] Inverness Ness-side – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Liberal Democrats David Henderson 22.5% 1,127 SNP John Finnie 20.2% 1,016 Independent Norrie Donald * 14.9% 750 770 772 803 875 981 1,081 Labour Fraser Parr 13.7% 688 700 701 718 745 775 805 Liberal Democrats Angus Dick* 9.3% 468 514 516 560 587 630 714 Conservative Margaret MacDonald 7.1% 361 368 369 374 391 402 Independent Thomas Lamont 4.6% 232 234 235 251 289 Independent Steve Rodger 4.5% 226 235 235 247 Independent Jean Slater 1.6% 82 83 84 Solidarity Steve Arnott 1.4% 70 70 71 Electorate: 8,800 Valid: 5,020 Quota: 1,005 Turnout: 58.0%
Inverness Millburn – 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Labour Jimmy Gray * 31.2% 1,123 SNP Ian Brown 27.9% 1,005 Liberal Democrats Kenneth MacLeod 14.2% 510 573 595 635 808 Independent Etta Mackay 11.9% 430 467 486 571 677 Conservative Donald MacKenzie 9.9% 356 377 383 405 Independent Willie Fraser 4.9% 178 191 208 Electorate: 6,495 Valid: 3,602 Quota: 901 Turnout: 56.1%
Culloden and Ardersier [ edit ] Culloden and Ardersier – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 SNP Robert Wynd * 28.7% 1,335 Independent Roddy Balfour * 28.1% 1,308 Labour John Ford * 17.5% 816 887 924 Liberal Democrats Glynis Sinclair 14.3% 663 763 825 Conservative John Ross 6.8% 318 346 393 Independent Jim Ferguson 4.6% 213 272 392 Electorate: 8,721 Valid: 2,387 Quota: 931 Turnout: 54.0%
Nairn – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 SNP Liz MacDonald * 30.7% 1,576 Independent Sandy Park * 16.6% 855 946 1,006 1,088 Independent Laurie Fraser * 13.0% 669 754 852 917 942 1,050 Liberal Democrats Graham Marsden 10.4% 535 612 635 696 703 808 Independent Jim Lennon 9.3% 476 521 594 633 645 696 Labour Ron Stevenson 7.8% 402 434 452 467 470 Conservative Bob Ross 6.9% 356 373 377 Independent David Fraser 5.3% 273 320 Electorate: 9,009 Valid: 5,142 Quota: 1,029 Turnout: 58.1%
Inverness South – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 SNP Roy Pedersen 27.0% 1,058 Liberal Democrats Thomas Prag 23.0% 902 Labour John Holden 17.1% 671 721 749 803 Independent Jim Crawford 13.4% 524 586 613 803 Conservative Donald MacDonald 10.5% 413 443 461 503 Independent Barrie Haycock 9.0% 353 384 394 Electorate: 7,287 Valid: 3,921 Quota: 785 Turnout: 54.5%
Badenoch and Strathspey [ edit ] Badenoch and Strathspey – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Liberal Democrats Stuart Black * 31.2% 1,720 SNP David Fallows 24.4% 1,347 Independent Gregor Rimell * 13.3% 736 824 871 1,014 1,105 Conservative Les Durance 9.6% 532 606 623 653 710 Independent Jaci Douglas 8.8% 484 603 625 770 900 Scottish Senior Citizens Donald Scobbie 6.4% 350 427 460 500 Independent Angela Cox 6.3% 347 416 443 Electorate: 9,969 Valid: 5,516 Quota: 1,104 Turnout: 56.2%
Fort William and Ardnamurchan [ edit ] Fort William and Ardnamurchan – 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Liberal Democrats Michael Foxley * 20.4% 1,059 Independent Donald Cameron 18.1% 939 940 972 1,004 1,024 1,123 SNP Bren Gormley 15.0% 778 780 804 825 862 911 920 966 1,035 Labour Brian Murphy * 9.7% 501 503 520 536 558 597 609 667 712 Conservative Andrew Baxter 7.2% 372 373 382 402 437 457 464 503 Independent Thomas MacLennan* 6.2% 322 323 345 354 375 410 428 Independent Darren Woods 6.1% 317 317 329 346 365 Independent Patricia Jordan 5.2% 271 273 298 330 373 418 436 554 657 Independent Drew McFarlane-Slack* 4.6% 241 242 258 275 Independent Iain Thornber 3.8% 195 196 207 Independent Neil Clark* 3.7% 194 195 Electorate: 8,616 Valid: 5,189 Quota: 1,038 Turnout: 61.3%
Post-election changes [ edit ] On 6 May 2007, Badenoch and Strathspey Cllr Gregor Rimell became a Liberal Democrat and ceased to be an Independent On 26 October 2007, Tain and Easter Ross Cllr Richard Durham became an Independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats On 12 December 2007, Tain and Easter Ross Cllr Alan Torrance became a member of the Scottish National Party and ceased to be an Independent On 3 April 2008, Landward Caithness Cllr David Bremner became an Independent, separate from the Administration, after being expelled from the Scottish National Party In 2008, Wick Cllr Graeme Smith became a member of the Independent Members Group after leaving the Liberal Democrats On 13 March 2009, North, West and Central Sutherland Cllr Linda Munro became a Liberal Democrat and ceased to be an Independent On 17 February 2011 Inverness Central Cllr Janet Campbell became a member of the Independent Members Group after leaving the Liberal Democrats. On 17 February 2011 Culloden and Ardersier Cllr Glynis Sinclair became an Independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats. She joined the Scottish National Party on 24 May 2011 2007-2011 by-elections [ edit ] On 23 April 2009 the Liberal Democrat's Alasdair Christie won a by-election which arose following the death of former Independent Councillor Jimmy MacDonald on 31 January 2009
On 7 April 2011 the SNP's Gail Ross won a by-election which arose following the resignation of Independent Councillor Katrina MacNab
Tain and Easter Ross [ edit ] On 9 June 2011 Independent Fiona Robertson won a by-election which arose following the death of SNP Councillor Alan Torrance
Tain and Easter Ross By-Election (9 June 2011)- 1 seat[ 3] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 SNP Derek William Louden 33.23% 837 860 928 1,037 Independent Fiona Robertson 32.20% 811 840 933 1,204 Independent Ruairidh MacKenzie 18.54% 467 481 547 Liberal Democrats Antony Gardner 12.19% 307 318 Independent Michael Herd 3.85% 97 Independent gain from SNP Swing Electorate: 6,962 Valid: 2,519 Spoilt: 17 Quota: 1,260 Turnout: 2,536
On 3 November 2011 the Liberal Democrat's Carolyn Caddick won a by-election which arose following the resignation of Labour Councillor John Holden
Inverness South By-Election (3 November 2011)- 1 seat[ 4] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 SNP Kenneth Archer Gowans 33.94% 885 903 922 967 1,005 1,084 Liberal Democrats Carolyn Ann Caddick 28.65% 747 761 777 830 971 1,091 Labour Katherine MacKenzie-Geegan 11.81% 308 319 327 357 379 Conservative David Louis Kinsley Bonsor 11.12% 290 300 336 339 Scottish Green Gale Louise Falconer 6.02% 157 172 189 Scottish Christian Donald MacLeod Boyd 4.83% 126 130 Independent David McGrath 3.60% 94 Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing Electorate: 9,760 Valid: 2,607 Spoilt: 13 Quota: 1,304 Turnout: 2,620
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