The 2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election took place on 4 May 2017 to elect members of
Dumfries and Galloway Council
Dumfries and Galloway ( sco, Dumfries an Gallowa; gd, Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh) is one of 32 unitary council areas of Scotland and is located in the western Southern Uplands. It covers the historic counties of Dumfriesshire, Kirkcu ...
. The election used the twelve
wards
Ward may refer to:
Division or unit
* Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward
* Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a priso ...
created as a result of the
Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004
The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 9) 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 Commissi ...
, with each ward electing three or four councillors using the
single transferable vote
Single transferable vote (STV) is a multi-winner electoral system in which voters cast a single vote in the form of a ranked-choice ballot. Voters have the option to rank candidates, and their vote may be transferred according to alternate p ...
system form of
proportional representation
Proportional representation (PR) refers to a type of electoral system under which subgroups of an electorate are reflected proportionately in the elected body. The concept applies mainly to geographical (e.g. states, regions) and political divis ...
, with 43 councillors being elected, a reduction of 4 members and 1 ward since 2012.
Following the election the Conservative Party became the largest party, with Labour falling from first place into third place in terms of votes and seats. The SNP also drew with Labour in terms of seats as they both won 11 seats.
This election also saw Independent councillors Willie Scobie and Jane Maitland returned, but saw Marion McCutcheon, George Prentice, Tom McAughtrie, Yen Hongmei Jin, Denis Male and Craig Peacock all losing their seats.
Elaine Murray
Elaine Kildare Murray (born 22 December 1954) is a retired Scottish Labour politician. She was leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council for the 2017–2022 term. She was also the Member of the Scottish Parliament (MSP) for Dumfries from 1999 to ...
, the former Labour MSP for
Dumfriesshire
Dumfriesshire or the County of Dumfries or Shire of Dumfries (''Siorrachd Dhùn Phris'' in Gaelic) is a historic county and registration county in southern Scotland. The Dumfries lieutenancy area covers a similar area to the historic county.
I ...
was elected to the Council in the Nith ward.
Following the election, Ian Carruthers (Annandale South) was elected as the Conservative group leader, Rob Davidson (Abbey) as the SNP group leader and Elaine Murray (Nith) as the Labour group leader. Richard Brodie (Annandale South), is the sole Liberal Democrat councillor.
On 23 May, almost three weeks following the election, Labour and the SNP formed a coalition to form a majority council with Murray as council leader and Rob Davidson as depute leader and civic head. Although the Conservatives were elected the largest party with 16 seats, they remained in opposition.
Election result
Note: "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 2012. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
Ward results
Stranraer and the Rhins
*2012: 1x Ind, 1x SNP, 1xLab
*2017: 1x No description, 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Lab
*2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain extra seat
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West
*2017: 2x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
*2012-2017 Change: New ward
Dee and Glenkens
*2017: 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
*2012-2017 Change: New ward
Castle Douglas and Crocketford
*2017: 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
*2012-2017 Change: New ward
Abbey
*2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
*2017: 1x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
*2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose 1 seat.
North West Dumfries
*2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
*2017: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
*2012-2017 Change: No Change
Mid and Upper Nithsdale
*2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
*2017: 1x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
*2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose 1 seat.
Lochar
*2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
*2017: 1x Lab, 2x Con, 1x SNP
*2012-2017 Change: Con gain from Lab
Nith
*2012: 2x Lab, 1x SNP, 1x Con
*2017: 2x Lab, 1x SNP, 1x Con
*2012-2017 Change: No Change
Annandale South
*2012: 2x Lab, 1x Lib Dem, 1x Con
*2017: 1x Con, 1x Lib Dem, 1x SNP, 1x Lab
*2012-2017 Change: SNP gain from Lab
Annandale North
*2012 Notional: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
*2017: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
*2012-2017 Change: No Change
Annandale East and Eskdale
*2012: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1X Ind
*2017: 2x Con, 1x Lab
*2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. 1 Independent loss.
Changes since the election
*†On 18 October 2018, Dee and Glenkens Conservative councillor Patsy Gilroy resigned her seat. She was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of the Stewartry by
Her Majesty The Queen
The precise style of British sovereigns has varied over the years. style is officially proclaimed in two languages:UK ParliamentRoyal Titles Act 1953(1 & 2 Eliz. 2 c. 9) Proclamation of 28 May 1953 made in accordance with the Royal Titles Act 195 ...
on 5 November 2018. A by-election was held on 13 December 2018. The seat was won by Pauline Drysdale of the Conservative party.
*††On 26 February 2019, Labour Cllr Ronnie Nicholson resigned from the party and became an Independent.
*†††On 12 April 2019, Castle Douglas and Crocketford Conservative Cllr David James resigned from the party and became an Independent claiming the party avoided making policies.
*††††On 5 July 2019, Mid and Upper Nithsdale SNP Cllr Andrew Wood resigned from the party and became an Independent. On 21 September 2020, Cllr. Wood announced that he had joined the Conservative party.
*†††††On 25 October 2019, Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Conservative Cllr Graham Nicol died suddenly. A by-election was held on the 23 January 2020.
The seat was won by Jackie McCamon of the Conservative party.
By-elections since 2017
References
list of candidates 2017
{{United Kingdom local elections, 2017
2017
File:2017 Events Collage V2.png, From top left, clockwise: The War Against ISIS at the Battle of Mosul (2016-2017); aftermath of the Manchester Arena bombing; The Solar eclipse of August 21, 2017 ("Great American Eclipse"); North Korea tests a ser ...
2017 Scottish local elections