2007 Aberdeenshire Council election

Elections to Aberdeenshire Council were held on 3 May 2007 the same day as the other Scottish local government elections and the Scottish Parliament general election. The election was the first one using 19 new wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, each ward would elect three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation. The new wards replaced 68 single-member wards which used the plurality (first past the post) system of election.

2007 Aberdeenshire Council election

← 2003 3 May 2007 (2007-05-03) 2012 →
All 68 seats to Aberdeenshire Council 35 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party   Party Liberal Democrats SNP Last election 28 seats, 33.5% 18 seats, 27.6% Seats won 24 22 Seat change 4 4 Popular vote 24,175 33,120 Percentage 25.2% 34.5% Swing 8.3% 6.9%   Third party Fourth party   Party Conservative Independent Last election 11 seats, 21.0% 11 seats, 14.5% Seats won 14 8 Seat change 3 3 Popular vote 19,946 12,182 Percentage 20.8% 12.7% Swing 0.2% 1.8%
2007 Aberdeenshire Council Election Results Map

The council remained under no overall control and a coalition was formed between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

Background

Previous election

Further information: 2003 Aberdeenshire Council election

At the previous election in 2003 the Liberal Democrats won 28 seats, falling 7 seats short of an overall majority. The SNP, Conservative and Independent groups also fell well short of an overall majority.

2003 Aberdeenshire Council election result

Party	Seats	Vote share
Liberal Democrats	28	33.5%
SNP	18	27.6%
Conservative	11	21.0%
Independent	11	14.5%

Source:^[1]

Composition

There was one by-election in the 2003-07 term. The seat was held by the Conservatives.

Composition of Aberdeenshire Council

Party	2003 election	Dissolution
Liberal Democrats	28	28
SNP	18	18
Conservative	11	11
Independent	11	11

Source:^[2]

Results

2007 Aberdeenshire Council election result

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Liberal Democrats	24	-	-	4	35.3	25.2	24,175	8.3
	SNP	22	-	-	4	32.4	34.5	33,120	6.9
	Conservative	14	-	-	3	20.6	20.8	19,946	0.2
	Independent	8	-	-	3	11.8	12.7	12,182	1.8
	Labour	0	-	-		0.0	5.4	5,189	2.1
	Scottish Green	0	-	-		0.0	1.1	1,097	New
	Solidarity	0	-	-		0.0	0.1	112	New
	BNP	0	-	-		0.0	0.1	87	New

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 1 May 2003. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Source:^[3][4]

Ward results

Banff and District

Banff and District - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	SNP	Ian Gray	24.0	1,088	1,092	1,103	1,142
	Liberal Democrats	Jack Mair	15.3	694	704	713	773	773	848	915	1,132
	Independent	John Cox	15.2	691	707	742	791	791	925	1,055	1,257
	Conservative	Neil Chalmers	13.6	616	626	640	666	666	741	792
	SNP	Kathryn Parr	11.0	500	509	525	554	558	609
	Independent	Sandy Buchan	8.4	383	398	438	475	475
	Scottish Green	Jonny Barton	6.6	298	301	319
	Independent	John Calder	3.8	172	180
	Independent	Ian Page	2.1	94
Electorate: 8,815   Valid: 4,536   Spoilt: 105   Quota: 1,135   Turnout: 53.1%

Troup

Troup - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2
	SNP	Mitchell Burnett	47.7	1,798
	Conservative	John Duncan	24.3	914	1,060
	Independent	Sydney Mair	20.4	770	975
	Liberal Democrats	Ian Findlay	7.6	286	422
Electorate: 7,563   Valid: 3,768   Spoilt: 53   Quota: 943   Turnout: 50.9%

Fraserburgh and District

Fraserburgh and District - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Brian Topping	27.1	1,487
	SNP	Ian Tait	20.6	1,131
	Independent	Michael Watt	15.1	831	865	869	890	918	1,041	1,370
	SNP	Andy Ritchie	14.5	795	1,022	1,037	1,046	1,060	1,090	1,165
	Independent	Dennis Duthie	9.3	509	520	522	554	587	728
	Conservative	Bob Sim	8.5	466	482	484	490	522
	Liberal Democrats	Dominique-Paul Lonchay	3.0	164	167	168	171
	Independent	James Milne	2.0	109	116	116
Electorate: 11,011   Valid: 5,492   Spoilt: 168   Quota: 1,099   Turnout: 51.8%

Central Buchan

Central Buchan - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	SNP	Sandy Stronach	20.2	1,096
	Independent	Norman Smith	19.4	1,054	1,054	1,080	1,142
	Conservative	Peter Chapman	17.2	933	933	974	1,022	1,031	1,087
	Independent	Albert Howe	14.6	790	790	822	911	933	1,016	1,016	1,283
	SNP	Norma Thomson	13.2	718	726	771	804	812	870	870
	Labour	Carol Donald	5.9	318	318	363	378	381
	Independent	Jim Conn	4.9	265	265	290
	Liberal Democrats	Betty May	4.7	253	253
Electorate: 10,020   Valid: 5,427   Spoilt: 91   Quota: 1,086   Turnout: 55.4%

Peterhead North and Rattray

Peterhead North and Rattray - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Anne Allan	22.4	1,018
	Independent	Alan Buchan	20.9	948	948
	SNP	Fiona McRae	15.0	682	696	699	713	735	763	1,316
	Conservative	Robert Thomas	14.4	655	655	659	667	704	803	819
	SNP	Sandy Allan	12.9	585	666	671	685	718	752
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Hassan	6.3	288	290	292	304	356
	Independent	Ian Cowie	5.6	256	257	265	289
	Solidarity	Steven Will	2.5	112	113	115
Electorate: 10,274   Valid: 4,544   Spoilt: 150   Quota: 909   Turnout: 46.0%

Peterhead South and Cruden

Peterhead South and Cruden - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	SNP	Stephen Smith	29.4	1,205
	SNP	Stuart Pratt	21.6	888	1,016	1,032
	Liberal Democrats	Sam Coull	21.0	861	870	894	895	1,032
	Independent	Raymond Matthew	13.0	535	542	637	638	767
	Conservative	Steven Owen	10.3	422	425	443	443
	Independent	Veronica Johnston	4.7	193	196
Electorate: 8,813   Valid: 4,104   Spoilt: 108   Quota: 1,027   Turnout: 48.1%

Turriff and District

Turriff and District - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	SNP	Sandy Duncan	41.9	1,916
	Conservative	Alistair Duffus Strachan	17.4	796	882	901	932
	Liberal Democrats	Anne Robertson	17.3	790	948	962	1,071	1,372
	Independent	Alisan Norrie	16.4	748	900	935	971	1,304
	Labour	Ann Marie Sheal	5.1	232	270	279
	BNP	Gary Raikes	1.9	87	119
Electorate: 8,679   Valid: 4,569   Spoilt: 52   Quota: 1,143   Turnout: 53.5%

Mid-Formartine

Mid Formartine - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	SNP	Allan Hendry	33.6	2,035
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Johnston	27.4	1,661
	Conservative	Jim Gifford	17.1	1,034	1,141	1,182	1,261
	Liberal Democrats	John Kevin Loveday	11.2	677	855	1,134	1,210	1,227
	Labour	Steve Thomson	7.7	469	558	586	613	618
	Independent	Howard Kershaw	3.1	188	290	306
Electorate: 11,047   Valid: 6,064   Spoilt: 59   Quota: 1,213   Turnout: 55.9%

Ellon and District

Ellon and District - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	SNP	Rob Merson	40.5	2,458
	Liberal Democrats	Isobel Davidson	23.2	1,407
	Conservative	Gillian Louise Owen	14.4	872	1,033	1,053	1,197	1,274
	Liberal Democrats	Debra Margaret Storr	8.6	524	777	899	1,049	1,326
	Labour	Ann Thorpe	7.5	456	587	599	648
	Independent	Diane Ripley	5.8	352	542	555
Electorate: 11,186   Valid: 6,069   Spoilt: 69   Quota: 1,214   Turnout: 55.4%

West Garioch

West Garioch - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	SNP	Alison Grant	35.5	1,555
	Liberal Democrats	Sheena Margaret Lonchay	22.2	973	1,063	1,085	1,169
	Liberal Democrats	Hazel Al-Kowarri	18.4	807	884	899	981	1,027	1,358
	Conservative	David Clucas	15.8	694	746	775	821	830
	Labour	Ricky Simpson	6.0	263	293	303
	Independent	Terry Rigby	2.1	93	125
Electorate: 8,036   Valid: 4,385   Spoilt: 58   Quota: 1,097   Turnout: 55.7%

Inverurie and District

Inverurie and District - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	SNP	Bryan Hunter Stuart	29.6	1,515
	Liberal Democrats	Mike Raeburn	25.7	1,316
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Kitts-Hayes	16.9	865	975	1,172
	Conservative	Richard Cowling	14.9	762	823	837	864	928	1,190
	Labour	Ellis Thorpe	11.1	567	637	659	693	737
	Independent	John Sangster	1.7	87	165	175	192
Electorate: 9,361   Valid: 5,148   Spoilt: 86   Quota: 1,030   Turnout: 56.3%

East Garioch

East Garioch - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4
	SNP	Fergie Hood	31.9	1,420
	Liberal Democrats	Martin Anthony Ford	23.7	1,054	1,118
	Liberal Democrats	Nan Cullinane	21.8	968	1,025	1,030	1,206
	Conservative	Gordon Naismith	15.5	687	726	726	769
	Labour	Sheila Henderson	7.1	317	345	345
Electorate: 8,185   Valid: 4,446   Spoilt: 56   Quota: 1,112   Turnout: 54.9%

Westhill and District

Westhill and District - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Liberal Democrats	Gurudeo Singh Saluja	27.3	1,558
	Conservative	Ron McKail	22.9	1,306
	SNP	Amanda Allan	21.6	1,230
	Independent	Mark Cullen	14.8	845	896	945	967	1,031	1,407
	Liberal Democrats	Sheila Thomson	8.1	460	736	774	794	935
	Labour	Ona Ramsay	5.3	301	325	333	344
Electorate: 10,567   Valid: 5,700   Spoilt: 39   Quota: 1,141   Turnout: 55.0%

Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford

Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Joanna Strathdee	30.7	1,839
	Conservative	Moira Ingleby	27.3	1,635
	Liberal Democrats	Richard C Stroud	16.4	978	1,077	1,145	1,170	1,280
	Liberal Democrats	Alistair Ross	13.6	812	907	979	1,012	1,088	1,143	1,378
	Labour	Bryan Begg	6.3	375	424	444	456	501	508
	Scottish Green	Jake Williams	4.2	251	340	376	421
	Independent	David Hutchison	1.5	91	135	177
Electorate: 11,162   Valid: 5,981   Spoilt: 82   Quota: 1,197   Turnout: 54.7%

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	Conservative	Marcus Humphrey	29.3	1,444
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Argyle	26.1	1,286
	Conservative	Bruce Luffman	20.5	1,009	1,160	1,172	1,218	1,625
	SNP	Carol Douglas	20.1	991	1,009	1,021	1,078
	Labour	Angus Murdoch	4.0	196	202	213
Electorate: 8,467   Valid: 4,926   Spoilt: 75   Quota: 1,232   Turnout: 59.5%

Banchory and Mid-Deeside

Banchory and Mid-Deeside - 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	Conservative	Jill Webster	35.6	1,570
	SNP	Linda Clark	24.2	1,068	1,140
	Liberal Democrats	Karen Clark	18.0	795	876	885	1,029	1,691
	Liberal Democrats	Jean Henretty	15.3	300	790	798	857
	Labour	Andy Brown	6.8	300	326	331
Electorate: 7,996   Valid: 4,409   Spoilt: 46   Quota: 1,103   Turnout: 56.3%

North Kincardine

North Kincardine - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7
	SNP	Alastair Bews	27.8	1,426
	Conservative	Carl H Nelson	18.4	946	972	1,008	1,065
	Liberal Democrats	Paul Melling	16.8	864	957	978	1,124
	Liberal Democrats	Ian Mollison	12.1	619	652	689	799	863	875	1,119
	Independent	Henry Irvine-Fortescue	11.2	575	613	659	707	713	723
	Labour	Jim Milne	10.5	540	586	596
	Independent	Michelle Reid-Hay	3.2	162	194
Electorate: 9,980   Valid: 5,132   Spoilt: 37   Quota: 1,027   Turnout: 52.4%

Stonehaven and Lower Deeside

Stonehaven and Lower Deeside - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	11
	Conservative	Wendy Agnew	24.9	1,433
	SNP	Graeme Clark	18.9	1,086	1,107	1,112	1,117	1,126	1,154
	Liberal Democrats	Mike Sullivan	11.0	636	656	657	668	684	700	701	741	797	931	1,105
	Conservative	Sandy Wallace	10.9	629	730	735	737	751	760	760	779	823	853
	Liberal Democrats	Peter Bellarby	9.8	563	590	596	605	620	633	633	723	780	880	980
	Labour	Bridget O'Hare	8.0	463	470	473	479	482	493	493	524	558
	Independent	Bob Michie	4.9	282	299	314	333	366	430	430	470
	Scottish Green	Karen Anne Allan	4.2	242	253	258	264	272	285	286
	Independent	George Alexander Forbes Emslie	2.8	160	177	182	189	201
	Independent	Ken Venters	1.9	108	116	132	139
	Independent	Dermot John Hearty	1.5	85	87	89
	Independent	David Wood	1.3	73	79
Electorate: 10,770   Valid: 5,760   Spoilt: 90   Quota: 1,153   Turnout: 54.8%

Mearns

Mearns - 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	SNP	Jean Dick	23.0	1,262
	Conservative	George Carr	20.5	1,123
	Liberal Democrats	Tom Fleming	16.6	909	940	945	1,046	1,144
	Liberal Democrats	Bill Howatson	13.8	759	775	778	815	850	879	1,021	1,291
	Labour	Gill Bayfield	7.1	392	406	407	442	455	459
	Independent	David Nelson	7.1	391	404	407	432	596	601	659
	Independent	Robert Gairn Davidson	6.2	342	355	358	403
	Scottish Green	Kate Anderson	5.6	306	336	338
Electorate: 10,436   Valid: 5,484   Spoilt: 48   Quota: 1,097   Turnout: 53.3%

Aftermath

As no party group had the required 35 seats to have an overall majority, the council remained under no overall control and after negotiations, a coalition was formed between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.

Cllr Ian Tait resigned from the SNP on 28 July 2008 and now sits as an Independent Scottish Nationalist.

Cllr Debra Storr resigned from the Liberal Democrats on 18 November 2008 and on 5 March 2009 she joined the Scottish Green Party. She was a member of the Democratic Independent Group on the council.

Cllr Martin Ford resigned from the Liberal Democrats on 23 November 2008 and on 5 March 2009 he joined the Scottish Green Party. He is a member of the Democratic Independent Group on the council.

On 23 January 2009, Cllr Sam Coull resigned from the Liberal Democrats. Since 5 March 2009 he sits as a member of the Democratic Independent Group

On 23 January 2009, Cllr Paul Johnston left the Liberal Democrat Council Group. He was subsequently expelled from the Liberal Democrats. Since 5 March 2009 he sits as a member of the Democratic Independent Group.

Cllr Andy Ritchie resigned from the SNP on 1 April 2009 and now sits as an Independent.

Cllr Mark Cullen is also a member of the Democratic Independent Group on the council.

On 21 February 2012 Banff and District Cllr John Cox ceased to be an Independent and joined the Scottish National Party.

By-elections

Troup by-election

There was a Troup by-election held on 1 May 2008 to fill the vacancy which arose with the death of the SNP's Michael Burnett on 4 February 2008. The by-election was won by the SNP's Bob Watson.

Troup - 1 seat ^[5]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1
	SNP	Bob Watson	62.83	1,721
	Conservative	Lisa Watt	18.80	515
	Liberal Democrats	Edward Acton	18.36	503
	SNP hold		Swing
Electorate: 7,589   Valid: 2,739   Spoilt: 16   Quota: 1,371   Turnout: 2,755 (36.3%)

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside by-election

There was an Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside by-election held on 23 April 2009 to fill the vacancy which arose with the resignation of the Conservative's Bruce Luffman in 2009. The by-election was won by the Liberal Democrat's Rosemary Bruce.

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside - 1 seat ^[6]

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	Conservative	Jo Pick	31.47	1,144	1,148	1,152	1,241	1,468
	Liberal Democrats	Rosemary Bruce	26.66	969	975	981	1,180	1,566
	Independent	William Forbes	23.16	842	845	855	1,003
	SNP	George Parkinson	16.97	617	621	636
	BNP	Roy Jones	1.21	44	44
	Independent	David Hutchison	0.52	19
	Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative		Swing
Electorate: 8,357   Valid: 3,635   Spoilt: 20   Quota: 1,819   Turnout: 3,655 (43.7%)