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2017 Falkirk Council election

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Main article: 2017 Scottish local elections

2017 Elections to Falkirk Council were held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the nine wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 30 councillors being elected, a reduction of 2 members from 2012. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.

Following the 2012 election, the controlling administration consisted of 14 Labour members, 2 Conservatives and 1 Independent (Cllr Buchanan). Opposition is 13 SNP members and 2 Independent (Cllrs Spears and McCabe). The Council Leader is Cllr Craig C Martin, Provost is Cllr Reid and the Depute Provost Cllr Patrick.

2017 Falkirk Council election
← 2012 4 May 2017 (2017-05-04) 2022 →
All 30 seats to Falkirk Council
16 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Cecil Meiklejohn Craig Martin John Patrick
Party SNP Labour Conservative
Leader's seat Falkirk North Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst Falkirk South
Last election 13 seats, 40.6% 14 seats, 43.8% 2 seats, 6.3%
Seats before 13 14 2
Seats won 13 14 2
Seats after 12 9 7
Seat change -1 -5 +5
  Fourth party
 
Leader Billy Buchannan
Party Independent
Leader's seat Bonnybridge and Larbert
Last election 3 seats, 9.4%
Seats before 1
Seats won 3
Seats after 2
Seat change -1
Council Leader before election

Craig Martin
Labour

Council Leader after election

Cecil Meiklejohn
SNP

Election result summary

Falkirk Local Election Result 2017
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  SNP 12 0 1 -1 40.0 38.8 20,861
  Labour 9 0 5 -5 30.0 23.1 12,421
  Conservative 7 5 0 +5 23.3 24.5 13,168
  Independent 2 0 1 -1 6.7 9.8 5,308
  Scottish Green - - - - 0.0 3.6 1,933
  Other parties - - - - 0.0 0.1 63

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections in May 2012. The number of Falkirk Council seats was reduced by 2 in the 2017 election. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

Bo'ness and Blackness

  • 2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2017: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain one seat from SNP
Bo'ness and Blackness – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Ann Ritchie (incumbent) 27.97 1,510      
Conservative Lynn Munro 26.15 1,412      
Labour David Aitchison 20.49 1,106 1,116.38 1,130.17 1,381.23
SNP Alan Gilbert 14.1 761 880.73 882.71 892.69
Scottish Green Mari-Ellena Corvi 5.78 312 324.72 333.19 360.08
Labour Michael Burnett 5.52 298 302.24 312.82  
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 5,399   Spoilt: 137   Quota: 1350   Turnout: 5,536 (46.8%)  

Grangemouth

  • 2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
  • 2017: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
  • 2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose seat.
Grangemouth – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP David Balfour (incumbent) 26.95 1,510          
Labour Allyson Black (incumbent) 23.22 1,301 1,309.44 1,332.73 1,483.53    
Conservative James Bundy 18.38 1,030 1,031.79 1,040 1,074.58 1,094.4  
Independent Robert Spears (incumbent) 17.49 980 988.08 1,004.58 1,247.12 1,274.46 1,834.19
SNP Margaret-Ann Milne 12.06 676 756.82 799.39      
Scottish Green Judith McLaughlin 1.91 107 109.72        
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 5,604   Spoilt: 99   Quota: 1,402   Turnout: 5,703 (44.3%)  

[1]

Denny and Banknock

  • 2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Independent
Denny and Banknock – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
SNP Paul Garner (incumbent) 26.3 1,664                  
Labour Jim Blackwood (incumbent) 15.27 965 976.27 976.51 996.75 1,019.23 1,020.57 1,233.78 1,359.61    
Conservative Nigel Harris 14.49 916 918.16 918.16 924.16 950.16 950.39 964.43 1,068.91 1,086.46 1,314.59
SNP Fiona Collie 13.98 884 1,200.27 1,210.99 1,255.15 1,274.11          
Independent Brian McCabe (incumbent) 10.87 687 719.13 722.85 737.57 780.57 782.45 811.89 984.92 1,002.97  
Independent Alexander John Waddell 8.26 522 528.47 529.47 537.7 615.95 616.69 640.97      
Labour Khalid Hamid 4.97 314 322.87 323.11 333.35 355.83 356.51        
Independent Anne Montgomery 3.65 231 232.92 235.16 247.4            
Scottish Green Cheryl Brind 1.89 119 122.84 125.08              
Solidarity Sean Mellon 0.3 19 21.64                
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 6,321   Spoilt: 95   Quota: 1,265   Turnout: 6,416 (44.1%)  

Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst

  • 2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Labour
Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Conservative Jim Flynn 27.85 1,968            
SNP Gary Bouse 27.18 1,921            
Labour Joan Coombes * 13.53 956 1,069.44 1,098.21 1,154.31 1,229.31 1,251.22 2,106.01
SNP Laura Murtagh 13.3 940 955.48 1,350.04 1,374.34 1,530.07    
Labour Martin Murray 12.03 850 964.01 980.63 997.67 1,050.7 1,070.97  
Scottish Green Chris Marsh 4.12 291 328.16 358.51 408.87      
Independent Safia Ali 1.99 141 198.71 206.1        
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 7,067   Spoilt: 133   Quota: 1,414   Turnout: 7,200 (44%)  
  • = Outgoing Councillor for Grangemouth ward.

Bonnybridge and Larbert

  • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
  • 2017: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Labour
Bonnybridge and Larbert – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP Tom Coleman (incumbent)† 33.7 1,898          
Conservative David Grant 24.31 1,368 1,389.43 1,404.2 1,427.07    
Independent Billy Buchanan (incumbent) 20.15 1,134 1,225.91 1,271.58 1,394.9 1,400.54 1,902.47
Labour Linda Gow (incumbent) 15.71 884 963.51 992.13 1,110.3 1,115.96  
Scottish Green David Robertson 3.84 216 384.58 417.2      
Independent Janine Rennie 2.27 128 153.3        
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 5,628   Spoilt: 51   Quota: 1,408   Turnout: 5,679 (45.1%)  

Falkirk North

  • 2012: 2xSNP; 2xLab
  • 2017: 2xSNP; 2xLab
  • 2012-2017 Change: No change
Falkirk North – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP David Alexander (incumbent) 35.82 2,326          
Labour Denis Goldie * 17.22 1,118 1,160.83 1,208.1 1,313.84    
SNP Cecil Meiklejohn (incumbent) 16.33 1,060 1,864.91        
Conservative Wendy Chandrachud 14.11 916 933.22 948.14 978.61 979.61  
Labour Robert Bissett 12.95 841 908.11 962.4 1,102.62 1,113.75 1,563.47
Scottish Green Debra Pickering 3.56 231 263.23 519.28      
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 6,492   Spoilt: 196   Quota: 1,299   Turnout: 6,688 (41%)  
  • = Outgoing Councillor for Falkirk South.

Falkirk South

  • 2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
  • 2017: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
  • 2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose seat.
Falkirk South – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
SNP Lorna Binnie 35.68 2,216
Conservative John Patrick (incumbent) 32.09 1,993
Labour Pat Reid *††† 27.15 1,686
Scottish Green Donnie Buchanan 5.07 315
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 6,210   Spoilt: 71   Quota: 1,553   Turnout: 6,281 (48.3%)  
  • = Sitting Councillor from Falkirk North.

Lower Braes

  • 2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2012-2017 Change: No change
Lower Braes – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Conservative Malcolm Nicol (incumbent) 34.49 1,864              
SNP Adanna McCue 30.19 1,632              
Labour Alan Nimmo (incumbent) 14.06 760 894.04 944.99 961.84 970.94 1,066.33 1,146.65 1,446.12
Independent Ricky Wilson 10.34 559 633.98 669.5 684.89 725.99 779.78 993.11  
Independent Steven Jackson (incumbent) 5.27 285 339.93 359.32 369.06 421.23 472.93    
Scottish Green Chris Brind 3.02 163 181.68 282.9 293.23 303.1      
Independent Sam Hemple 1.81 98 121.07 128.28 137.12        
UKIP Stuart Martin 0.81 44 89.04 91.96          
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 5,405   Spoilt: 50   Quota: 1,352   Turnout: 5,455 (46.2%)  

Upper Braes

  • 2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP
  • 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Labour
Upper Braes – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Conservative James Kerr†† 30.22 1,701            
Labour John McLuckie (incumbent)†† 23.85 1,342 1,441.91          
SNP Gordon Hughes (incumbent) 18.27 1,028 1,036.61 1,040.73 1,066.78 1,093.98 1,218.31 2,112.31
SNP Farah Farzana 14.84 835 837.07 838.76 890.08 910.68 978.8  
Independent Jim Robertson 6.4 360 401.68 409.18 449.03 602.12    
Independent Neil Durning 3.25 183 224.17 228.32 262      
Scottish Green Tom McLaughlin 3.18 179 193.12 196.92        
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 5,628   Spoilt: 104   Quota: 1,408   Turnout: 5,732 (46.5%)  

Changes since 2017

  • † On 30 November 2017 Bonnybridge and Larbert SNP Cllr Tom Coleman died following a short illness.[2] A by-election was held on 15 February 2018 and the seat was retained by his son, Niall.
  • †† On 21 September 2018 Upper Braes Labour Cllr John McLuckie and Conservative Cllr James Kerr were suspended by both of their respective parties and became Independents having been charged by the police following an investigation into planning irregularities in Falkirk although both being cleared at a later date.[3]
  • †††On 29 July 2021 Falkirk South Labour Cllr Pat Reid announced he was resigning his seat.[4] A by-election will be held on 14 October and was gained by Emma Russell of the SNP.[5]

By-elections since 2017

Bonnybridge and Larbert By-election (15 February 2018)[6][7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
SNP Niall Coleman 38.6 1,295 1,300 1,354 1,619 1,866
Conservative George Stevenson 32.4 1,088 1,096 1,115 1,280
Labour Linda Gow 24.2 813 821 858
Scottish Green David Robertson 3.7 124 129
UKIP Stuart Martin 1.0 35
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 3,355   Spoilt: 30   Quota: 1,678   Turnout: 3,385 (26.5%)  
Falkirk South By-election (14 October 2021)[8][9]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Emma Russell 39.2 1,691 1,844 2,019 2,472
Conservative Sarah Patrick 38.9 1,678 1,694 1,903  
Labour James Marshall 15.7 678 733    
Scottish Green Stuart Duffin 6.2 267      
Electorate: TBC   Valid: 4,313   Spoilt: 44   Quota: 2,157   Turnout: 4,364 (32.5%)  

References

  1. ^ "Ward 2 – Grangemouth". Falkirk Council. Retrieved 6 May 2017.
  2. ^ Buchanan, Jill (1 December 2017). "Death of Falkirk Provost Tom Coleman". Falkirk Herald. Archived from the original on 29 July 2018.
  3. ^ "Falkirk councillors charged over planning concerns". BBC News. 21 September 2018. Archived from the original on 15 August 2019.
  4. ^ Paterson, Kirsty (29 July 2021). "Long-serving former Falkirk Provost Pat Reid resigns". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021.
  5. ^ "SNP victory in Falkirk Council by-election".
  6. ^ Pitcaithly, Mary (16 February 2018). "Bonnybridge and Larbert by-election result". Falkirk Council. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  7. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report" (PDF). Falkirk Council. 15 February 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2021.
  8. ^ Pitcaithly, Mary (16 February 2018). "Falkirk South by-election result". Falkirk Council. Archived from the original on 13 October 2021. Retrieved 13 October 2021.
  9. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report" (PDF). Falkirk Council. 15 February 2018. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 October 2021.
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