2017 Elections to East Lothian Council were held on 4 May 2017 on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections . The election consisted of 6 wards electing three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation , with 22 councillors elected.
This election featured revised ward boundaries to three wards resulting in the reduction of the number of East Lothian councillors from 23 to 22. Two former Musselburgh wards were merged, while losing Wallyford and Whitecraig with 4 councillors being elected. The bulk of the previous Fa'side ward became Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry. Haddington and Lammermuir ward expanded with the addition of Ormiston and Pencaitland and gained a councillor.
Following the elections, Labour announced that they would form a minority administration. This replaced the previous coalition between Labour, the Conservatives and the one Independent councillor.[1]
Election result [ edit ] 2017 East Lothian Council election[2] Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/− Labour 9 1 2 -1 40.9 33.1 13,723 -10.0 Conservative 7 4 0 +4 31.82 27.4 11,382 +13.0 SNP 6 0 3 -3 27.27 27.9 11,584 -2.5 Liberal Democrats 0 0 0 - - 4.75 1,971 -0.85 Scottish Green 0 - - - - 4.49 1,862 New Independent 0 0 1 -1 0.0 2.17 900 -3.73 TUSC 0 - - - - 0.15 63 -0.15
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 [ edit ] Musselburgh [ edit ] 2012: Musselburgh West (2xSNP; 1xLab) Musselburgh East and Carberry (1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xLab) 2017: 2xSNP 1xConservative 1xLab 2012-2017 Change: 2 wards combined due to ward change resulting in one less councillor for Musselburgh. Conservative gain one seat. Musselburgh - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 SNP Stuart Currie (incumbent ) 22.12 1,683 Conservative Katie Mackie 19.34 1,472 1,473 1,478 1,570 Labour Andy Forrest (incumbent ) 15.48 1,178 1,187 1,192 1,266 1,274 1,362 1,924 SNP John Williamson (incumbent ) 11.04 840 960 967 1,007 1,008 1,241 1,278 1,322 1,583 Independent John Caldwell (incumbent ) 10.56 804 809 843 896 907 985 1,015 1,107 Labour Katherine Sangster 7.47 568 570 579 637 644 742 Scottish Green Jason Rose 6.53 497 506 520 630 633 Liberal Democrats Clare Graham 6.17 470 473 487 Independent Theresa Sives 1.26 96 96 Electorate: 15,874 Valid: 7,608 Spoilt: 139 Quota: 1,522 Turnout: 48.8%
Preston, Seton and Gosford [ edit ] 2012: 2xLabour 2xSNP 2017: 2xLabour 1xSNP 1xCON 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain one seat from SNP Preston, Seton and Gosford - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Labour Willie Innes (Incumbent ) †† 24.3 1,801 Conservative Lachlan Bruce 24.1 1,784 SNP Neil Gilbert 16.2 1,197 1,208 1,215 1,260 1,288 1,294 1,322 2,201 Labour Fiona O'Donnell 12.6 932 1,164 1,226 1,261 1,369 1,818 SNP Janis Wilson 11.4 844 852 854 922 936 951 975 Labour Brian Weddell 5.8 429 471 485 501 520 Scottish Green Lesley Orr 3.11 230 234 250 Liberal Democrats Ghill Donald 2.4 180 184 260 300 Electorate: 14,702 Valid: 7,397 Spoilt: 178 Quota: 1,480 Turnout: 51.5%
Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry [ edit ] 2012: 3xLabour 1xSNP (as Fa'side ward) 2017: 2xLabour 1xSNP 1xConservative 2012-2017 Change: Conservatives gain one seat from Labour Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SNP Kenny McLeod (incumbent ) 24.5 1,540 Labour Fiona Dugdale 20.3 1,272 Labour Colin McGinn 15.3 958 969 972 978 1,000 1,102 1,893 Conservative Gordon Mackett 15.7 986 987 988 994 1,054 1,089 1,142 Labour Jim Gillies (incumbent ) 13.3 837 844 854 864 897 1,014 SNP Linda Watson 7.4 464 713 713 725 746 Liberal Democrats Alexander Graham 2.5 159 162 162 176 TUSC Jimmy Haddow 1.0 63 Electorate: 14,699 Valid: 6,279 Spoilt: 127 Quota: 1,256 Turnout: 43.6%
North Berwick Coastal [ edit ] 2012: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP 2017: 2xCon 1xLabour 2012-2017 Change: Conservatives gain one seat from SNP North Berwick Coastal - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Conservative Jeremy Douglas Findlay 27.16 1,703 Labour Jim Goodfellow (incumbent ) 23.73 1,488 1,497 1,573 Conservative Jane Henderson 21.38 1,341 1,454 1,474 1,475 1,589 SNP Laura Lowe Forrest 17.97 1,127 1,128 1,233 1,234 1,335 Liberal Democrats Robert O'Riordan 5.07 318 323 388 389 Scottish Green Eurig Scandrett 4.67 293 294 Electorate: 10,752 Valid: 6,270 Spoilt: 114 Quota: 1,568 Turnout: 59.4%
Haddington and Lammermuir [ edit ] 2012: 1xConservative 1xLabour 1xSNP 2017: 1xConservative 2xLabour 1xSNP 2012-2017 Change: No change Haddington and Lammermuir - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Brian Small † 29.03 2,262 Labour John McMillan (incumbent ) 18.71 1,458 1,593 Labour Shamin Akhtar (incumbent ) 15.00 1,169 1,234 1,256 1,316 1,627 SNP Tom Trotter (incumbent ) 14.66 1,142 1,153 1,155 1,236 1,327 1,333 2,227 SNP Ruth Currie 11.41 889 894 895 947 1,007 1,017 Liberal Democrats Kelvin Pate 7.29 568 791 795 889 Scottish Green Cris Thacker 3.88 302 329 330 Electorate: 14,095 Valid: 7,790 Spoilt: 108 Quota: 1,559 Turnout: 56.0%
Dunbar and East Linton [ edit ] 2012: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP 2017: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP 2012-2017 Change: No change Dunbar and East Linton - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Conservative Sue Kempson 29.86 1,834 Labour Norman Hampshire (incumbent ) 26.59 1,633 SNP Paul McLennan (incumbent ) 17.04 1,047 1,054 1,064 1,094 1,199 2,216 SNP Isobel Knox 13.2 811 819 828 852 1,177 Scottish Green Sarah Beattie-Smith 8.79 540 569 584 761 Liberal Democrats Elisabeth Wilson 4.49 276 392 421 Electorate: 10,995 Valid: 6,141 Spoilt: 43 Quota: 1,536 Turnout: 56.4%
Retiring councillors [ edit ] Changes since 2017 [ edit ] † On 26 February 2019, Haddington and Lammermuir Councillor Brian Small resigned his seat.[7] A by-election followed was held on 9 May 2019. The seat was won by Craig Hoy of the Conservative Party.[8] †† On 24 October 2021, Preston, Seton and Gosford Councillor and Leader of East Lothian Council, Willie Innes, passed away after a long illness.[9] By-elections since 2017 [ edit ] Haddington and Lammermuir by-election 9 May 2019 Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Conservative Craig Hoy 35.01 2,212 2,249 2,428 2,759 3,277 SNP Lorraine Glass 29.53 1,866 1,874 2,044 2,469 Labour Neal Black 21.51 1,359 1,370 1,589 Liberal Democrats Stuart Crawford 12.25 774 782 UKIP David Sisson 1.71 108 Electorate: 14,396 Valid: 6,319 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 3,160 Turnout: 44.2%
Preston, Seton and Gosford by-election 20 January 2022 [10] [11] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Labour Colin Yorkston 38.53 1,793 1,815 1,861 1,927 2,390 SNP Janis Wilson 26.16 1,217 1,242 1,258 1,391 1,458 Conservative Andy Ovens 24.80 1,154 1,173 1,204 1,212 Scottish Green Tim Porteus 4.96 231 241 266 Liberal Democrats Ben Morse 2.92 136 154 Independent Calum Miller 2.62 122 Electorate: 14,952 Valid: 4,696 Spoilt: 43 Quota: 2,327 Turnout: 31.4%
References [ edit ]