2022 Angus Council election

Elections to Angus Council took place on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. As with other Scottish council elections, it was held using single transferable vote (STV) – a form of proportional representation – in which multiple candidates are elected in each ward and voters rank candidates in order of preference.

2022 Angus Council election

← 2017 5 May 2022 (2022-05-05) 2027 →
All 28 seats to Angus Council 15 seats needed for a majority
Registered	92,083
Turnout	46.1%
First party Second party   SNP Leader Beth Whiteside Craig Fotheringham Party SNP Conservative Leader's seat Monifieth and Sidlaw Monifieth and Sidlaw Last election 9 seats, 31.2% 8 seats, 33.9% Seats before 9 8 Seats won 13 7 Seat change 4 1 Popular vote 16,025 11,142 Percentage 38.3% 26.6% Swing 7.1% 7.3%   Third party Fourth party   Ind Lab Leader David Fairweather Heather Doran Party Independent Labour Leader's seat Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim Monifieth and Sidlaw Last election 9 seats, 25.0% 0 seats, 5.4% Seats before 10 0 Seats won 7 1 Seat change 2 1 Popular vote 7,932 2,870 Percentage 19.0% 6.9% Swing 6.0% 1.5%
Results by ward
Leader before election David Fairweather (Independent) No overall control Leader after election Beth Whiteside (SNP) No overall control

For the 11th consecutive election, the Scottish National Party (SNP) were returned as the largest party with 13 seats – two shy of an overall majority. The Conservatives lost much of the ground they had made up in the previous election as their vote share fell by 7.3%, losing one seat to return seven councillors. The number of independents fell by two to seven, and the remaining seat was won by Labour. The Liberal Democrats lost both their seats.

The outgoing Conservative–Liberal Democrat–independent coalition was replaced by an SNP–independent administration with Cllr Beth Whiteside elected as council leader and Cllr Brian Boyd elected as Provost.

Background

Previous election

Main article: 2017 Angus Council election

At the previous election in 2017, the Scottish National Party (SNP) remained the largest party – tied with the number of independents – despite losing 40 per cent of their seats. As a result, they lost control of the council to a coalition of independents, Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. The Conservatives came third despite recording the largest share of first preference votes as they gained four seats to double their number of councillors. The Liberal Democrats also gained one seat to double their representation, while Labour – who received a larger vote share than the Liberal Democrats – lost their only seat.^[1][2]

2017 Angus Council election result

Party		Seats	Vote share
	SNP	9	31.2%
	Independent	9	25.0%
	Conservatives	8	33.9%
	Liberal Democrats	2	4.6%

Source: ^[1][2]

Electoral system

The election used the eight wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 28 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the single transferable vote (STV) electoral system – a form of proportional representation – where candidates are ranked in order of preference.^[3]

Composition

No by-elections were held following the previous election in 2017. The only change in the political composition of the council came when Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim councillor Richard Moore resigned from the Liberal Democrats and sat as an independent after he was found to have inappropriately touched several women.^[4]

Angus Council composition

	Party	2017 result	Dissolution
	SNP	9	9
	Independent	9	10
	Conservative	8	8
	Liberal Democrats	2	1

Retiring councillors

Retiring councillors

Ward	Party		Retiring councillor
Kirriemuir and Dean		Conservative	Angus Macmillan-Douglas
Brechin and Edzell		Independent	Bob Myles
Forfar and District		Conservative	Braden Davy
Monifeith and Sidlaw		SNP	Shelia Harris
Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim		SNP	Alex King
		Conservative	David Lumgair
		Independent	Richard Moore
Montrose and District		Conservative	Ron Sturrock

Source:^[2][5]

Candidates

The total number of candidates increased from 53 in 2017 to 56. As with the previous election, the SNP fielded the most candidates at 14 – one fewer than in 2017. After their success in the 2017 election, the Conservatives fielded a total of 11 candidates – two more than the previous election – while the number of independent candidates fell from 14 to 11. The Liberal Democrats maintained a total of eight candidates and Labour a total of seven as they both had in 2017. For the first time, the Alba Party (three) fielded candidates in Angus.^[2][5]

Results

2022 Angus Council election result

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	SNP	13	4	0	4	46.43	38.3	16,025	7.1
	Conservative	7	0	1	1	25.00	26.6	11,142	7.3
	Independent	7	0	2	2	25.00	19.0	7,932	6.0
	Labour	1	1	0	1	3.57	6.9	2,870	1.5
	Liberal Democrats	0	0	2	2	0.00	5.1	2,133	0.5
	Scottish Green	0	0	0		0.00	3.4	1,436	New
	Alba	0	0	0		0.00	0.7	276	New
Total		28						41,814

Source:^[5]

Ward summary

2022 Angus Council election by ward

Ward	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	%	Cllrs	Total Cllrs
	SNP		Con		Ind		Lab		Others
Kirriemuir and Dean	42.0	2	38.4	1			6.7	0	12.9	0	3
Brechin and Edzell	34.1	1	32.3	1	20.4	1	7.2	0	5.9	0	3
Forfar and District	38.4	2	21.4	1	28.9	1	5.5	0	5.9	0	4
Monifieth and Sidlaw	39.7	2	30.7	1			13.5	1	16.1	0	4
Carnoustie and District	35.9	1	17.3	0	36.8	2			10.0	0	3
Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim	36.2	2	31.4	1	17.0	1	6.5	0	9.0	0	4
Arbroath East and Lunan	41.5	1	17.7	1	31.0	1	7.0	0	2.8	0	3
Montrose and District	39.3	2	22.3	1	25.6	1	6.5	0	7.6	0	4
Total	38.3	13	26.6	7	19.0	7	6.9	1	9.2	0	28

Source:^[5]

Seats changing hands

Below is a list of seats which elected a different party or parties from 2017 in order to highlight the change in political composition of the council from the previous election. The list does not include defeated incumbents who resigned or defected from their party and subsequently failed re-election while the party held the seat.

Seats changing hands

Seat	2017			2022
	Party		Member	Party		Member
Kirriemuir and Dean		Conservative	Angus Macmillan-Douglas		SNP	George Meechan
Forfar and District		Independent	Colin Brown		SNP	Linda Clark
Monifieth and Sidlaw		Liberal Democrats	Ben Lawrie		Labour	Heather Doran
Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim		Liberal Democrats	Richard Moore		SNP	Martin Shephard
Montrose and District		Independent	Mark Salmond		SNP	Kenny Braes[Note 1]

Source:^[2][5]

Notes

1. ^
   Note 1: Cllr Braes was councillor for Brechin and Edzell from 2017 to 2022.

Ward results

Kirriemuir and Dean

The SNP retained the seat they had won at the previous election and gained one from the Conservatives while the Conservatives retained one of their two seats.

Kirriemuir and Dean – 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	SNP	Julie Bell (incumbent)	29.3	1,321
	Conservative	Ronnie Proctor (incumbent)	21.3	962	965	1,007	1,072	1,126	1,856
	Conservative	Euan Walker-Monroe	17.1	772	774	801	833	864
	SNP	George Meechan	12.7	574	728	740	792	990	1,007
	Scottish Green	Ian Whyte	7.8	353	369	417	523
	Labour	Rachel Grieve	6.7	303	310	384
	Liberal Democrats	Sandra O'Shea	5.1	230	233
Electorate: 8,907   Valid: 4,515   Spoilt: 81   Quota: 1,129   Turnout: 51.6%

Source: ^[6][7]

Brechin and Edzell

The SNP and Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous election while independent candidate Jill Scott gained a seat from retiring independent councillor Bob Myles.

Brechin and Edzell – 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3
	SNP	Chris Beattie	34.1	1,341
	Conservative	Gavin Nicol (incumbent)	32.3	1,271
	Independent	Jill Scott	20.4	804	914	1,020
	Labour	Dawn Barrowman	7.2	283	356	390
	Liberal Democrats	Alison Andrews	6.0	234	293	363
Electorate: 8,877   Valid: 3,933   Spoilt: 54   Quota: 984   Turnout: 44.9%

Source: ^[8][9]

Forfar and District

The SNP and Conservatives retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP gained one seat from independent candidate Colin Brown.

Forfar and District – 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	SNP	Linda Clark	23.4	1,270
	Conservative	Ross Greig	21.4	1,158
	Independent	Ian McLaren (incumbent)	16.0	869	872	893	925	959	961	1,082	1,709
	SNP	Lynne Devine (incumbent)	14.9	810	973	976	984	1,098
	Independent	Colin Brown (incumbent)	12.9	698	702	716	727	754	756	833
	Labour	Ed McAdam	5.5	298	300	309	334	366	368
	Scottish Green	Marley Hunter	4.2	228	235	237	249
	Liberal Democrats	Samuel Struth	1.7	90	91	99
Electorate: 12,325   Valid: 5,421   Spoilt: 107   Quota: 1,085   Turnout: 44.9%

Source: ^[10][11]

Monifieth and Sidlaw

The SNP (2) and the Conservatives (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election while Labour gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats.

Monifieth and Sidlaw – 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8
	Conservative	Craig Fotheringham (incumbent)	23.2	1,670
	SNP	Lloyd Melville	21.7	1,562
	SNP	Beth Whiteside (incumbent)	18.0	1,294	1,297	1,401	1,427	1,557
	Labour	Heather Doran	13.4	968	980	984	988	1,033	1,060	1,199	1,791
	Liberal Democrats	Ben Lawrie (incumbent)	11.2	804	825	829	835	907	930	1,150
	Conservative	Calum Nicol	7.5	542	724	724	730	743	745
	Scottish Green	James Whitehead	4.0	287	288	292	300
	Alba	Blake Sharp	0.9	67	67	68
Electorate: 14,214   Valid: 7,194   Spoilt: 132   Quota: 1,439   Turnout: 51.5%

Source: ^[12][13]

Carnoustie and District

The SNP and independent candidates David Cheape and Brian Boyd retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Carnoustie and District – 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	SNP	Mark McDonald (incumbent)	35.9	1,939
	Independent	David Cheape (incumbent)	19.1	1,034	1,108	1,148	1,212	1,326	1,684
	Independent	Brian Boyd (incumbent)	17.7	956	1,033	1,060	1,097	1,187	1,449
	Conservative	Robert Galloway	17.3	933	944	949	997	1,028
	Liberal Democrats	Matthias Glenday	4.5	242	272	286
	Scottish Green	Robbie Kelly	3.2	174	359	429	504
	Alba	Laura Tierney	2.3	123	202
Electorate: 11,206   Valid: 5,401   Spoilt: 70   Quota: 1,351   Turnout: 48.8%

Source: ^[14][15]

Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim

The SNP, Conservatives and independent candidate David Fairweather retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP gained a seat from the Liberal Democrats.

Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim – 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
	Conservative	Louise Nicol	25.6	1,663
	SNP	Serena Cowdy	22.1	1,440
	SNP	Martin Shephard	14.0	913	915	1,027	1,058	1,136	1,161	1,236	1,337
	Independent	Ian Wren	8.9	578	585	587	599	617	665	749
	Independent	David Fairweather (incumbent)	8.1	524	538	541	556	589	635	752	1,013	1,021	1,320
	Labour	Pamela Ruddy	6.5	423	433	434	438	464	560
	Conservative	Juliet Vivers	5.8	376	671	671	674	683	729	807	895	896
	Liberal Democrats	Rod Falconer	4.4	286	297	299	302	338
	Scottish Green	Anne Campbell	3.3	214	216	227	241
	Alba	Lisa Keogh	1.3	86	86	89
Electorate: 14,052   Valid: 6,503   Spoilt: 98   Quota: 1,301   Turnout: 47.0%

Source:^[16][17]

Arbroath East and Lunan

The SNP, Conservatives and independent candidate Lois Speed retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

Arbroath East and Lunan – 3 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6
	Independent	Lois Speed (incumbent)	31.0	1,177
	SNP	Brenda Durno (incumbent)	28.6	1,085
	Conservative	Derek Wann (incumbent)	17.7	671	717	718	744	844	1,054
	SNP	Graham Smith	13.0	492	548	671	688	753
	Labour	Luke Andrew Stronach	7.0	265	303	306	371
	Liberal Democrats	Jane Atkins	2.8	108	139	142
Electorate: 10,486   Valid: 3,798   Spoilt: 76   Quota: 950   Turnout: 36.9%

Source:^[18][19]

Montrose and District

The SNP, Conservatives and independent candidate Tommy Stewart retained the seats they had won at the previous election while the SNP gained a seat from independent candidate Mark Salmond.

Montrose and District – 4 seats

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9
	Conservative	Iain Gall	22.3	1,124
	SNP	Kenny Braes[note 1]	21.6	1,090
	SNP	Bill Duff (incumbent)	17.7	894	896	966	972	976	1,059
	Independent	Tommy Stewart (incumbent)	14.5	732	749	750	763	784	808	815	903	1,377
	Independent	Mark Salmond (incumbent)	9.9	499	532	534	554	587	612	620	729
	Labour	John Ruddy	6.5	330	341	342	344	392	426	433
	Scottish Green	Jamie Adams	3.6	180	183	185	192	209
	Liberal Democrats	Angela Noble	2.7	139	154	155	163
	Independent	James Boag	1.2	61	66	66
Electorate: 12,016   Valid: 5,049   Spoilt: 84   Quota: 1,010   Turnout: 42.7%

Source:^[20][21]

Aftermath

Following the election, the outgoing Conservative–Liberal Democrat–independent administration was replaced after the SNP group formed a coalition with independent councillors Brian Boyd and David Cheape. At the first meeting of the new council on 24 May 2022, SNP councillor Beth Whiteside was elected as leader of the council – the first woman to hold the role – replacing independent councillor David Fairweather. Cllr Boyd was elected as Provost – the first openly gay man to hold the role – and Cllr Linda Clark was elected deputy Provost. Provost Boyd said the new council should seek to end the "petty politics that have blighted Angus Council in its entirety".^[22][23]

In July 2024, Cllr Boyd resigned as Provost after behaviour which he described as falling "below personal standards". Cllr Boyd was called "an absolute disgrace" and "a bully" after interrupting Cllr Lois Speed and making her cry.^[24]

Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim by-election

In October 2023, former council leader and Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim councillor David Fairweather announced his intention to retire from the council.^[25] He formally stood down in February 2024 and a by-election was held on 25 April 2024.^[26] The seat was won by the Conservative candidate, Jack Cruickshanks.^[27]

Arbroath West, Letham and Friockheim by-election (25 April 2024) – 1 seat

Party		Candidate	FPv%	Count
				1	2	3	4	5
	Conservative	James Cruickshanks	41.9	1,682	1,691	1,759	1,997	2,450
	SNP	Kathleen Wolf	29.3	1,175	1,237	1,279	1,467
	Labour	Mark Hilton	16.0	644	676	833
	Liberal Democrats	Sandra O'Shea	8.3	333	375
	Scottish Green	Mark David Findlay	4.4	176
Electorate: 13,810   Valid: 4,010   Spoilt: 45   Quota: 2,006   Turnout: 29.4%

Source:^[28]

Notes

1. Sitting councillor for Brechin and Edzell.