2017 Scottish local government election
2017 Scottish Borders Council election The 11 multi-member wards
2017 Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections . The election used the 11 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 34 councillors elected.
Following the 2012 election, the Scottish National Party formed a coalition with the support of the Independents and the Liberal Democrats. The Borders Party also supported this administration. This replaced the previous Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent coalition which existed from 2007-2012.
The council was the first to reveal its administration after the election, with the Conservative group forming a coalition with independents to rule the council. New Tweeddale East councillor Shona Haslam became its leader formally on 18 May. Outgoing independent leader, David Parker, become the council's new convener.[1]
Scottish Borders Local Election Result 2017 Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/− Conservative 15 5 0 +5 44.1 41.6 19,355 +18.4 SNP 9 1 1 0 26.5 21.4 9,959 +0.7 Independent 8 3 2 +1 23.5 23.8 11,050 +1.1 Liberal Democrats 2 0 4 -4 5.9 8.2 3,818 -8.3 Labour 0 - - - 0.0 2.8 1,283 -3.5 Scottish Green 0 - - - 0.0 2.2 1,030 +1.8
2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP 2017: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP 2012-2017 Change: No Change Tweeddale West - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SNP Heather Anderson 25.2% 1,160 Conservative Eric Small 22.5% 1,036 1,036.2 1,040.2 1,097.2 1,115.3 1,123.3 1,928.3 Liberal Democrats Kris Chapman 16.7% 768 769.2 783.2 820.2 891.4 1,073.1 1,192.2 Conservative John Anderson 21.3% 984 984.2 987.2 1,003.2 1,018.2 1,030.2 Scottish Green Catriona Hamilton 4.7% 218 221.3 238.4 262.6 332.8 Labour Julia Reid 4.4% 201 201.5 205.5 224.6 Independent Tommy Davidson 3.7% 170 170.6 190.6 Independent Michael Needham 1.6% 73 73.1 Electorate: 8,167 (Est.) Valid: 4,610 Spoilt: 78 Quota: 1,153 Turnout: 4,688 (57.4%)
2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent 2012-2017 Change: Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem Tweeddale East Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Conservative Shona Haslam 37.6% 1,804 SNP Stuart Bell (incumbent ) 20% 960 971.7 1,442.7 Independent Robin Tatler 16.5% 793 970.4 1,013.7 1,093.4 1,701.3 Liberal Democrats Amanda Kubie 13.6% 650 881.7 931.1 1,003.5 SNP Simon Ritchie 12.2% 585 590.7 Electorate: 8,640 (Est.) Valid: 4,792 Spoilt: 46 Quota: 1,199 Turnout: 4,838 (56%)
Galashiels and District [ edit ] 2012: 2xSNP; 1xBP; 1xIndependent 2017: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 2xIndependent 2012-2017 Change: Independent and Con gain one seat from SNP and BP Galashiels and District - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Euan Jardine 28.5% 1,292 SNP Andy Anderson 20% 907 Independent Sandy Aitchison (incumbent ) 11.9% 539 612.9 640.3 732.4 916.2 Independent Harry Scott 10.1% 460 517.8 532.4 592.4 753.1 757 988.3 SNP John Mitchell (incumbent ) 11.5% 523 530.4 558.9 597.7 647.3 Independent Bill White (incumbent ) 8.7% 396 441.3 462.1 522 Liberal Democrats Caledonia Bhatia 5.5% 249 316 369.2 Labour David Sharp 3.7% 167 188.5 Electorate: 10,980 (Est.) Valid: 4,533 Spoilt: 66 Quota: 907 Turnout: 4,599 (41.9%)
2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent 2012-2017 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Leaderdale and Melrose [ edit ] 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xBP; 1xSNP 2017: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP 2012-2017 Change: Con gain one seat from BP Leaderdale and Melrose - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Independent David Parker (incumbent ) 25.2% 1,149 Conservative Tom Miers 20.5% 934 934.9 950.9 1,014 1,476.5 SNP Kevin Drum †† 17.8% 811 812.4 832.5 903.7 910.8 915.5 1,105.3 Independent Iain Gillespie (incumbent ) 11.2% 510 513.3 585.7 720.2 744.4 871.1 Conservative Diana Findlay 11.5% 523 523.6 543.7 529.8 Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day 9.4% 426 427.5 473.6 Independent Rebecca Fraser 4.4% 202 202.7 Electorate: 8,673 (Est.) Valid: 4,555 Spoilt: 78 Quota: 1,139 Turnout: 4,633 (53.4%)
2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem 2017: 2xCon; 1xSNP 2012-2017 Change: Con gain one seat from Lib Dem Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Conservative John Greenwell (incumbent ) 35.1% 1,592 Conservative Mark Rowley 24.1% 1,096 1,434.3 SNP Donald Moffat (incumbent ) 21.2% 962 983.2 995.3 1,022.9 1,124.7 1,435.7 Liberal Democrats Frances Renton (incumbent ) 11.9% 539 576.5 665 728.6 816.2 Scottish Green Pauline Stewart 3.9% 177 181 201 249 Labour David Smith 3.9% 175 180.4 199.8 Electorate: 8,494 (Est.) Valid: 4,541 Spoilt: 96 Quota: 1,136 Turnout: 4,637 (54.6%)
2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x SNP 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Independent East Berwickshire - 3 seats[3] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Jim Fullarton (incumbent ) 35.6% 1,505 Conservative Carol Hamilton 23.1% 979 1,357 SNP Helen Laing 19.6% 831 835 841 893 932 1,001 1,203 Liberal Democrats Danny Robertson 6.5% 276 296 352 398 475 627 Labour Eddy Coulson 7.1% 301 309 328 359 408 Independent Michael Clift 4.2% 178 185 233 259 Scottish Green Kate Duncan 3.8% 162 166 178 Electorate: TBC Valid: 4,232 Spoilt: 66 Quota: 1,059 Turnout: 49.0%
2012: 2 x Conservative, 1 x Liberal Democrat 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x Liberal Democrat 2012-2017 Change: No Change Kelso and District - 3 seats[4] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Conservative Tom Weatherston (incumbent ) 28% 1,212 Conservative Simon Mountford (incumbent ) 25% 1,083 Liberal Democrats Euan Robson 14.7% 636 675 675 700 741 788 955 1,370 SNP Alison Lamond 16.5% 713 715 715 731 749 809 850 Independent Ian Aitchison 7.7% 333 362 362 389 401 424 Scottish Green Colin Shaughnessy 3% 129 133 133 144 164 Labour Sally Prentice 2.7% 116 119 119 124 Independent Colin McGrath 2.4% 104 114 114 Electorate: TBC Valid: 4,326 Spoilt: 89 Quota: 1,082 Turnout: 53.1%
Jedburgh and District [ edit ] 2012: 1 x SNP, 1 x Conservative, 1 x Independent 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x SNP 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative from Independent Jedburgh and District - 3 seats[5] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Sandy Scott (incumbent ) 28.5% 1,094 Conservative Scott Hamilton 26.8% 1,026 SNP Jim Brown (incumbent ) 19.7% 755 759 760 768 795 877 1,150 Independent Rory Stewart (incumbent ) 15.6% 600 633 657 708 747 801 Scottish Green Charles Strang 4.5% 171 179 183 185 218 Labour Kenryck Lloyd-Jones 3.1% 119 128 133 135 Independent Harvey Oliver 1.8% 70 82 90 Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,835 Spoilt: 56 Quota: 959 Turnout: 54.4%
2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP 2017: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP 2012-2017 Change: No Change Hawick and Denholm - 3 seats[6] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Independent Stuart Marshall (incumbent ) 63.3% 2,283 Conservative Neil Richards 16.5% 596 952 SNP Clair Ramage 13.3% 478 696 697 738 764 905 Liberal Democrats Ian Turnbull 3.9% 140 393 410 432 471 Labour David Byrne 1.6% 57 98 101 114 Scottish Green Kevin Ferguson 1.4% 51 93 95 Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,605 Spoilt: 26 Quota: 902 Turnout: 50.9%
Hawick and Hermitage [ edit ] 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Liberal Democrat, 1 x Conservative 2017: 2 x Independent, 1 x Conservative 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Independent gain from Liberal Democrats Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats[7] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 Independent Watson McAteer * 43.2% 1,496 Conservative George Turnbull (incumbent ) 26.4% 912 Independent Davie Paterson (incumbent ) 19.2% 665 936 SNP Iain Whyte 11.2% 386 482 Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,459 Spoilt: 53 Quota: 865 Turnout: 50.3%
Sitting Councillor from Hawick and Denholm Ward. † On 4 December 2017, Selkirkshire Conservative Cllr Michelle Ballantyne resigned her seat upon her election to the Scottish Parliament.[8] A by-election was held on 22 February 2018 and the seat was won by Independent candidate, Caroline Penman. †† On 9 March 2020, it was announced that Leaderdale and Melrose SNP Cllr Kevin Drum had died over the weekend.[9] A by-election took place a year later in March 2021 and was won by the Scottish Conservatives. By-elections since 2017 [ edit ] Selkirkshire By-election (22 February 2018)[10] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Trevor Adams 39.9 1,380 1,251 1,262 1,276 1,307 1,342 Independent Caroline Penman 29.7 1,040 1,049 1,080 1,125 1,231 1,522 2,028 SNP John Mitchell 19.8 691 717 729 758 797 Independent Kenneth Gunn 6.3 219 226 238 249 Labour Scott Redpath 3.8 134 144 158 Liberal Democrats Jack Clark 2.7 95 103 Scottish Green Barbra Harvie 2.0 70 Valid: 3,496 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 1,749 Turnout: 3,536 (45.1%)
Leaderdale and Melrose By-election (11 March 2021)[11] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Jenny Linehan 39.9 1,380 1,389 1,399 1,406 1,451 1,653 1,969 SNP John Paton-Day 30.2 1,042 1,051 1,069 1,120 1,156 1,297 Liberal Democrats Jonny Adamson 15.6 538 542 566 615 682 Independent Mary Douglas 4.6 159 177 194 224 Scottish Green Michael Needham 4.4 152 155 175 Labour Scott Redpath 3.3 115 120 Independent Karen Wilks 2.0 69 Electorate: TBC Quota: 1,728 Turnout: (38.2%)