2022 Orkney Islands Council election

Elections to the Orkney Islands Council were held on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election used the six wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 21 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.[2]

2022 Orkney Islands Council election
5 May 2022 (2022-05-05)
21 seats to Orkney Islands Council
11 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader James Stockan[1] Steve Sankey &
Helen Woodsford-Dean
Party Independent Scottish Green
Leader's seat Stromness and South Isles East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray & contested West Mainland
Last election 18 seats, 83.5% 1 seat, 4.5%
Seats before 18 1
Seats won 19 2
Seat change Increase1 Increase1
Popular vote 7,337 1,256
Percentage 85.4% 14.6%
Swing Increase1.9pp Increase9.9pp
Council Leader before election

James Stockan
Independent

 Council Leader after election

James Stockan
Independent

Ward boundaries differ slightly from previous elections, with minor changes being made to the two Kirkwall wards, as well as the boundary nearest Kirkwall in East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray.[3]

At the previous election in 2017, independent councillors won the most seats and ran the council.

Background

Composition

There were no official changes to the political composition of the council in the preceding term. However, independent councillor John Ross Scott did announce he had joined the Greens in 2021, which did not change his affiliation on the council.[4] One by-election was held and resulted in an independent hold.[5]

Party 2017 result Composition at
dissolution
Independents 18 18
Orkney Manifesto Group 2 2
Greens 1 1

Retiring councillors
Ward Party Retiring councillor
Kirkwall West and Orphir Orkney Manifesto Group John Richards
West Mainland Independent Harvey Johnston
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray Independent Norman Rae Craigie
Andrew Drever
Scottish Greens Steve Sankey
North Isles Independent Graham Sinclair

Boundary changes

Following the passing of the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018, a review of the boundaries was undertaken in North Ayrshire, Argyll and Bute, Highland, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. The Act allowed single- or two-member wards to be created to provide better representation of island communities. As a result, the boundaries of the existing wards were changed but the number of councillors remained the same. North Isles, Stromness and South Isles and West Mainland were unchanged. The boundaries in and around Kirkwall were amended to better reflect local ties. Kirkwall Airport and neighbouring communities were placed in Kirkwall wards instead of East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray while the boundary between Kirkwall East and Kirkwall West and Orphir was amended by the harbour to make a more identifiable boundary.[3][6]

Election result
2022 Orkney local election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 19 2 1 Increase1 90.5 85.4 7,337 Increase2.2
  Scottish Green 2 2 1 Increase1 9.5 14.6 1,256 Increase9.9

Ward summary
Results of the 2022 Orkney Islands Council election
by ward
Ward  %
Cllrs
  %
 Cllrs
 Total
Cllrs
Ind Green
Kirkwall East 71.9 3 28.1 1 4
Kirkwall West and Orphir 86.3 3 13.7 1 4
Stromness and South Isles 86.3 3 13.7 0 3
West Mainland 88.2 4 11.8 0 4
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray 85.5 3 14.5 0 3
North Isles 100 3 3
Total 85.4 19 14.6 2 21

Ward results

Kirkwall East
Kirkwall East - 4 seats[7]
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12
Scottish Green John Ross Scott (incumbent) 28.10% 476
Independent Steven Heddle (incumbent) 25.27% 428
Independent Gwenda Shearer (incumbent) 24.38% 413
Independent David Dawson (incumbent) 16.82% 285 340.5
Independent Graham MacDonald 5.43% 92 134.0
Electorate: 3,700   Valid: 1,694   Spoilt: 6   Quota: 339   Turnout: 45.9%  

    Kirkwall West and Orphir
    Kirkwall West and Orphir - 4 seats[7]
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    12345678
    Independent Leslie Manson (incumbent) 20.7% 320
    Independent Ivan Taylor 16.3% 252 254.7 254.7 284.8 345.8
    Independent Sandy Cowie (incumbent) 16.2% 250 252.6 254.6 290.7 357.0
    Scottish Green Kristopher Leask 13.7% 211 211.7 213.7 233.8 258.0 267.6 274.5 347.3
    Independent Leslie Sinclair 11.3% 175 176.0 184.0 199.1 217.4 232.0 244.1
    Independent Beverly Clubley 10.3% 159 159.8 160.8
    Independent Barbara Foulkes (incumbent) 10.0% 155 157.8 161.8 189.1
    Independent Cameron Whittle 1.4% 21 21
    Electorate: 3,630   Valid: 1,543   Spoilt: 10   Quota: 309   Turnout: 1,553 (42.8%)  

      Stromness and South Isles
      Stromness and South Isles - 3 seats[7]
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456
      Independent James Stockan (incumbent) 30.7% 353
      Independent Graham Bevan 24.4% 281 305.5
      Independent Lindsay Hall 15.2% 175 180.3 182.8 205.0 262.2 354.8
      Scottish Green Maia Brodie 13.7% 157 160.5 162.1 169.3
      Independent Rob Crichton (incumbent) 10% 115 135.8 144.3 174.2 220.9
      Independent Magnus Thomson (incumbent) 6% 69 75.6 77.9
      Electorate: 2,233   Valid: 1,150   Spoilt: 7   Quota: 288   Turnout: 1,157 (51.8%)  

        West Mainland
        West Mainland - 4 seats[7]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345
        Independent Owen Tierney (incumbent) 30.2% 554
        Independent Rachael Anne King (incumbent) 26.0% 477
        Independent Jean Stevenson 15.5% 284 352.5 401.6
        Independent Duncan Tullock (incumbent) 12.9% 237 313.6 338.3 354.7 383.7
        Scottish Green Helen Woodsford-Dean 11.8% 217 226.1 242.9 248.2 276.6
        Independent Sean Lewis 3.5% 64 71.1 78.7 83.1
        Electorate: 3,663   Valid: 1,833   Spoilt: 18   Quota: 367   Turnout: 1,851 (50.9%)  

          East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray
          East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray - 3 seats[7]
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          12345
          Independent Raymie Peace 47.8% 642
          Independent Gillian Skuse 20.7% 278 380.6
          Scottish Green Eric Page 14.5% 195 216.4 223.6 252.0
          Independent Julie Rickards 8.8% 118 165.5 185.1
          Independent James Moar 8.3% 111 205.5 214.3 284.3 378.2
          Electorate: 2,664   Valid: 1,344   Spoilt: 7   Quota: 337   Turnout: 1,351 (50.7%)  

            North Isles
            North Isles - 3 seats[7]
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12
            Independent Heather Woodbridge (Incumbent) 43.1% 443
            Independent Stephen Clackson (incumbent) 24.9% 256 314.9
            Independent Mellissa Thomson 19.8% 204 268.3
            Independent Paul Rendall 7.4% 76 113.6
            Independent Sebastian Hadfield-Hyde 4.9% 50 55.4
            Electorate: 1,853   Valid: 1,029   Spoilt: 10   Quota: 258   Turnout: 1,039 (56.1%)  

              References
              1. "James Stockan". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
              2. "Elections". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 29 January 2022.
              3. "2019 Reviews of Electoral Arrangements". Boundaries Scotland. Retrieved 10 February 2022.
              4. "Councillor John Ross Scott joins Scottish Greens". The Orcadian. 22 March 2021. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
              5. "Heather Woodbridge wins North Isles council seat". The Orcadian. 2 October 2020. Retrieved 6 April 2022.
              6. "News Release" (PDF). Boundaries Scotland. May 2021. Retrieved 7 April 2022.
              7. "Local Government Election - 5 May 2022". Orkney Islands Council. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
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