2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election

The 2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election took place on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Dumfries and Galloway Council. The election used the twelve 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 form of proportional representation, with 43 councillors being elected, a reduction of 4 members and 1 ward since 2012.

Main article: 2017 Scottish local elections
2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election
4 May 2017 (2017-05-04)
All 43 seats to Dumfries and Galloway Council
22 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Ian Carruthers Rob Davidson Elaine Murray
Party Conservative SNP Labour
Leader's seat Annandale South Abbey Nith
Last election 14 seats, 26.6% 10 seats, 19.5% 15 seats, 29.3%
Seats before 13 11 12
Seats after 16 11 11
Seat change Increase2 Increase1 Decrease4
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Jane Maitland Richard John Brodie
Party Independent Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat Dee and Glenkens Annandale South
Last election 7 seats, 18.1% 1 seat, 4.0%
Seats before 5 1
Seats after 4 1
Seat change Decrease3 -
The 12 multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

Ronnie Nicholson
Labour

 Council Leader after election

Elaine Murray
Labour

Following the election the Conservative Party became the largest party, with Labour falling from first place into third place in terms of votes and seats. The SNP also drew with Labour in terms of seats as they both won 11 seats.

This election also saw Independent councillors Willie Scobie and Jane Maitland returned, but saw Marion McCutcheon, George Prentice, Tom McAughtrie, Yen Hongmei Jin, Denis Male and Craig Peacock all losing their seats. Elaine Murray, the former Labour MSP for Dumfriesshire was elected to the Council in the Nith ward.

Following the election, Ian Carruthers (Annandale South) was elected as the Conservative group leader, Rob Davidson (Abbey) as the SNP group leader and Elaine Murray (Nith) as the Labour group leader. Richard Brodie (Annandale South), is the sole Liberal Democrat councillor.

On 23 May, almost three weeks following the election, Labour and the SNP formed a coalition to form a majority council with Murray as council leader and Rob Davidson as depute leader and civic head. Although the Conservatives were elected the largest party with 16 seats, they remained in opposition.

Election result
2017 Dumfries and Galloway Council election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 16 2 0 +2 37.21 38.70 21,138 +12.09
  SNP 11 1 0 +1 25.58 21.56 11,779 +2.10
  Labour 11 0 4 -4 25.58 18.45 10,077 -10.89
  Independent 4 0 3 -3 9.30 17.26 9,425 -0.80
  Liberal Democrats 1 0 0 0 2.33 2.47 1,350 -1.48
  Scottish Green 0 0 0 0 0.00 1.87 1,026 +0.03
  Libertarian 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.22 118 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 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

Stranraer and the Rhins
  • 2012: 1x Ind, 1x SNP, 1xLab
  • 2017: 1x No description, 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Lab
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain extra seat
Stranraer and the Rhins - 4 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
1234567
No description Willie Scobie (incumbent) 36.53 1,925            
Conservative Andrew Giusti 32.31 1,703            
SNP Ros Surtees 14.52 765 869.4 884.62 903.35 919.09 953.34 1,013.39
Labour Tommy Sloan 5.92 312 589.94 661.86 694.11 723.69 774.28 912.14
Independent Tracy Davidson 3.43 181 251.95 317.4 338.72 381.51    
Independent Marion McCutcheon (incumbent) 3.15 166 259.55 332.23 363.55 418.26 533.25  
Independent Robert McCrae 2.33 123 164.13 231.48 242.73      
Libertarian Chris Collings 1.80 95 134.77 174.72        
Electorate: 11,382   Valid: 5,270   Spoilt: 80   Quota: 1,055   Turnout: 46.3  

    Mid Galloway and Wigtown West
    • 2017: 2x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
    • 2012-2017 Change: New ward
    Mid Galloway and Wigtown West- 4 seats
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456789
    Conservative David Inglis 26.07 1,403                
    Independent Jim McColm (incumbent) 18.13 976 1,012.01 1,027.25 1,050.25 1,158.41        
    Conservative Graham Nicol (incumbent) ††††† 13.43 723 960.46 962.93 971.02 1,009.64 1,032.12 1,234.63    
    SNP Katie Hagmann 13.02 701 703.32 708.32 733.32 806.49 811.66 860.02 867.82 1,416.84
    SNP Steve Norris 10.63 572 574.32 577.56 587.56 606.25 612.84 657.4 664.87  
    Independent Richard Oxley 8.83 475 48.01 496.24 506.24 551.94 579.43      
    Labour Matthew Curry 6.84 368 375.67 379.9 407.36          
    Scottish Green Barbara Bannatyne 2.16 116 118.32 121.79            
    Independent John McCutcheon 0.89 48 49.86              
    Electorate: 9,594   Valid: 5,382   Spoilt: 120   Quota: 1,076   Turnout: 57.3  

      Dee and Glenkens
      • 2017: 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
      • 2012-2017 Change: New ward
      Dee and Glenkens- 3 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345678
      Conservative Patsy Gilroy (incumbent)† 33.47 1,547              
      SNP Dougie Campbell 19.56 904 909.31 916.81 921.32 934.82 967.08 1,121.83 1,250.09
      Independent Douglas Swan 15.84 732 788.11 804.12 817.64 844.2 886.49 925.55  
      Independent Jane Maitland (incumbent) 14.37 664 824.49 833.27 850.57 937.7 983.26 1,096.79 1,522.66
      Scottish Green Laura Moodie 6.32 292 303.88 305.88 321.67 333.43 402.21    
      Labour Elizabeth Maxwell 4.69 217 237.72 238.98 258.26 262.28      
      Independent Andi Holmes 2.60 120 144.52 157.28 174.57        
      Liberal Democrats Andrew Metcalf 1.84 85 106.74 111.99          
      No description John Thorn 1.32 61 70.6            
      Electorate: 8,239   Valid: 4,622   Spoilt: 34   Quota: 1,156   Turnout: 56.5  

        Castle Douglas and Crocketford
        • 2017: 1x Con, 1x SNP, 1x Ind
        • 2012-2017 Change: New ward
        Castle Douglas and Crocketford - 3 seats
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        123456
        Conservative David James††† 35.79 1,346          
        Independent Iain Howie 23.96 901 1,033.99        
        SNP John Young 20.10 756 761.72 772.23 837.81 928.28 1,099.88
        Independent George Nicol Prentice (incumbent) 9.70 365 451.66 496.45 522.15 628.9  
        Labour Lucy McKie 7.02 264 307.03 316.87 354.5    
        Scottish Green Paul Taylorson 3.43 129 147.66 155.77      
        Electorate: 7,433   Valid: 3,761   Spoilt: 41   Quota: 941   Turnout: 50.6  

          Abbey
          • 2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
          • 2017: 1x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
          • 2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose 1 seat.
          Abbey - 3 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          1234567
          Conservative Ian Blake (incumbent) 39.38 1,664            
          Labour Davie Stitt (incumbent) 21.92 926 1,084.31          
          SNP Rob Davidson (incumbent) 16.21 685 698.13 703.77 738.18 932.12 988.26 1,159.28
          No description Tom McAughtrie (incumbent) 10.60 448 517.31 521.99 532.31 540.35 645.66  
          SNP Kim Lowe 4.90 207 209.92 211.17 235.76      
          Independent Belle Doyle 4.14 175 268.75 271.41 314.93 324.82    
          Scottish Green Clare Phillips 2.84 120 151.74 155.6        
          Electorate: 8,284   Valid: 4,225   Spoilt: 59   Quota: 1,057   Turnout: 51.0  

            North West Dumfries
            • 2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
            • 2017: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
            • 2012-2017 Change: No Change
            North West Dumfries - 4 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345
            Conservative John Graham Bell (incumbent) 32.54 1,374        
            SNP Andy Ferguson (incumbent) 16.41 693 708.02 736.4 774.41 1,314.26
            Labour Ronnie Nicholson (incumbent)†† 16.08 679 722.51 732.59 763.44 778.6
            Labour David John McKie (incumbent) 14.47 611 694.93 720.86 784.57 809.27
            SNP Stacy Bradley 13.60 574 588.25 613.02 642.33  
            Independent Billy Farries 3.86 163 268.88 304.73    
            Scottish Green Michelle Johnston 3.03 128 156.49      
            Electorate: 9,981   Valid: 4,222   Spoilt: 112   Quota: 845   Turnout: 42.3  

              Mid and Upper Nithsdale
              • 2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
              • 2017: 1x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
              • 2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose 1 seat.
              Mid and Upper Nithsdale - 3 seats
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              12345
              Conservative Matthew Ronnie 27.98 1,211        
              Labour Jim Dempster (incumbent) 24.38 1,055 1,087.55      
              SNP Andrew Stuart Wood (incumbent)†††† 20.15 872 876.65 876.96 1,043.9 1,286.21
              Labour John Syme (incumbent) 16.73 724 730.76 734.26 839.41  
              No description Graham Watson 10.77 466 497.92 498.1    
              Electorate: 8,105   Valid: 4,328   Spoilt: 50   Quota: 1,083   Turnout: 53.4  

                Lochar
                • 2012: 2x Lab, 1x Con, 1x SNP
                • 2017: 1x Lab, 2x Con, 1x SNP
                • 2012-2017 Change: Con gain from Lab
                Lochar - 4 seats
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                123456789
                Conservative John Anthony Charteris 24.19 1,208                
                Conservative Ivor Alexander Hyslop (incumbent) 16.88 843 1,000.61              
                Labour Jeff Leaver (incumbent) 13.72 685 688.29 688.5 701.68 833.24 875.96 899.3 916.78 1,153.64
                SNP Tracey Little 13.20 659 661.08 661.09 685.1 689.1 710.45 1,099.98    
                Independent Yen Hongmei Jin (incumbent) 12.13 606 620.71 620.97 637.15 652.15 777.22 786.22 810.59  
                SNP Joe McGurk 8.33 416 417.21 417.23 440.58 447.58 459.75      
                Independent Maureen Johnstone 5.99 299 310.94 311.21 322.73 326.73        
                Labour Keith Walters 3.16 158 158.69 158.74 175.92          
                Scottish Green Arthur Ramsay 2.40 120 121.38 121.43            
                Electorate: 10,603   Valid: 4,994   Spoilt: 118   Quota: 999   Turnout: 47.1  

                  Nith
                  • 2012: 2x Lab, 1x SNP, 1x Con
                  • 2017: 2x Lab, 1x SNP, 1x Con
                  • 2012-2017 Change: No Change
                  Nith - 4 seats
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  12345678910
                  Conservative Malcolm Johnstone 29.30 1,481                  
                  Labour Elaine Murray 19.01 961 1,033.2                
                  SNP John Campbell 16.97 858 862.75 863.32 887.71 901.77 922.72 950.35 1,379.72    
                  SNP Alastair Witts (incumbent) 8.66 438 441.48 441.96 468.7 488.37 493.71 507.68      
                  Labour John Martin (incumbent) 8.39 424 463.9 478.72 500.8 523.66 540.98 579.72 599.29 682.97 837.94
                  Independent David Robert Slater 5.88 297 362.55 363.43 380.02 401.18 459.13 586.3 606.99 676.46  
                  Independent Niall Cowan 3.88 196 246.35 247.12 252.05 278.76 321.56        
                  Independent Andrew Crosbie 3.03 153 188.15 188.47 192.81 210.46          
                  Independent John Dennis 2.49 126 151.02 151.67 168.34            
                  Scottish Green Sandy Rogerson 2.39 121 133.67 134.22              
                  Electorate: 10,233   Valid: 5,055   Spoilt: 77   Quota: 1,012   Turnout: 49.4  

                    Annandale South
                    • 2012: 2x Lab, 1x Lib Dem, 1x Con
                    • 2017: 1x Con, 1x Lib Dem, 1x SNP, 1x Lab
                    • 2012-2017 Change: SNP gain from Lab
                    Annandale South - 4 seats
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    1234567
                    Conservative Ian Brian Carruthers (incumbent) 31.48 1,621            
                    Liberal Democrats Richard John Brodie (incumbent) 19.58 1,008 1,183.73          
                    SNP Henry McClelland 17.81 917 933.41 950.54 950.67 972.18 999.06 1,152.05
                    Labour Sean Marshall (incumbent) 13.61 701 768.08 811.3 819.7 1,190.65    
                    Independent Allan Weild 8.74 450 550.99 585.58 599.68 634.99 674.21  
                    Labour Ronnie Ogilvie (incumbent) 8.33 429 451.6 467.73 470.63      
                    Libertarian Peter McKain 0.45 23 31.02 34.55        
                    Electorate: 10,955   Valid: 5,149   Spoilt: 72   Quota: 1,030   Turnout: 47  

                      Annandale North
                      • 2012 Notional: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
                      • 2017: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1x SNP
                      • 2012-2017 Change: No Change
                      Annandale North - 4 seats
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      1234
                      Conservative Douglas Fairbairn (incumbent) 28.76 1,573      
                      Conservative Gail McGregor (incumbent) 25.72 1,407      
                      SNP Stephen Thompson (incumbent) 23.91 1,308      
                      Labour Adam Wilson 16.91 925 998.84 1,055.83 1,126.99
                      Liberal Democrats Lisa Courts 4.70 257 356.37 438.41 500.94
                      Electorate: 11,540   Valid: 5,470   Spoilt: 69   Quota: 1,095   Turnout: 47.4  

                        Annandale East and Eskdale
                        • 2012: 2x Con, 1x Lab, 1X Ind
                        • 2017: 2x Con, 1x Lab
                        • 2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. 1 Independent loss.
                        Annandale East and Eskdale - 3 seats
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                        12345
                        Conservative Karen Carruthers (incumbent) 29.59 1,290        
                        Conservative Ronnie Tait 17.06 744 881.45 901.22 983.92 1,266.4
                        No description Denis Raymond Male (incumbent) 16.54 721 732.42 809.57 934.96  
                        Labour Archie Dryburgh (incumbent) 14.63 638 652.04 776.35 1,029.74 1,362.05
                        Independent Craig Peacock (incumbent) 11.77 513 529.2 630.51    
                        SNP Sylvia Moffat 10.41 454 455.85      
                        Electorate: 8,466   Valid: 4,360   Spoilt: 65   Quota: 1,091   Turnout: 51.5  

                          Changes since the election
                          • †On 18 October 2018, Dee and Glenkens Conservative councillor Patsy Gilroy resigned her seat.[1] She was appointed as Lord Lieutenant of the Stewartry by Her Majesty The Queen on 5 November 2018.[2] A by-election was held on 13 December 2018. The seat was won by Pauline Drysdale of the Conservative party.[3]
                          • ††On 26 February 2019, Labour Cllr Ronnie Nicholson resigned from the party and became an Independent.[4]
                          • †††On 12 April 2019, Castle Douglas and Crocketford Conservative Cllr David James resigned from the party and became an Independent claiming the party avoided making policies.[5]
                          • ††††On 5 July 2019, Mid and Upper Nithsdale SNP Cllr Andrew Wood resigned from the party and became an Independent. On 21 September 2020, Cllr. Wood announced that he had joined the Conservative party.[6]
                          • †††††On 25 October 2019, Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Conservative Cllr Graham Nicol died suddenly. A by-election was held on the 23 January 2020.[7] The seat was won by Jackie McCamon of the Conservative party.

                          By-elections since 2017
                          Dee and Glenkens By-election (13 December 2018)[8]
                          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                          1234
                          Conservative Pauline Louise Drysdale 45.9 1,682 1,704 1,740 1,956
                          SNP Glen Murray 28.0 1,024 1,026 1,183 1,357
                          Independent Colin Matthew Wyper 15.5 569 575 651  
                          Scottish Green Laura Elizabeth Moodie 9.3 342 349    
                          UKIP Jennifer Blue 1.3 42      
                          Electorate: 8,088   Valid: 3,663   Spoilt: 29   Quota: 1832.00   Turnout: 3,692 (45.65%)  
                            Mid Galloway and Wigtown West By-election (23 January 2020)
                            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                            1
                            Conservative Jackie McCamon 61.8 2,177
                            SNP Tony Berretti 25.5 898
                            Scottish Green Peter Barlow 6.4 225
                            Labour Gill Hay 6.3 220
                            Valid:   Quota:   Turnout: 3,520 (32.5%)  

                              References
                              1. "Patsy Gilroy stands down as councillor". 18 October 2018.
                              2. "Queen appoints Lord-Lieutenant of the Stewartry of Kirkcudbright".
                              3. "Dee and Glenkens By-Election".
                              4. Findlay, Nicola (26 February 2019). "Former Council leader quits over teacher cuts". bbc.co.uk.
                              5. Findlay, Nicola (12 April 2019). "Castle Douglas Cllr resigns". dailyrecord.
                              6. "Former SNP stalwart switches to Conservatives over concerns about independence". 21 September 2020.
                              7. Nicol, Graham (7 November 2019). "Mid Galloway and Wigtown West Cllr dies". www.bbc.co.uk.
                              8. "Ward 03 - Dee & Glenkens By-Election 13 December 2018" (PDF). dumgal.gov.uk. Retrieved 24 August 2021.
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