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2017 East Lothian Council election

Main article: 2017 Scottish local elections

2017 Elections to East Lothian Council were held on 4 May 2017 on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election consisted of 6 wards electing three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation, with 22 councillors elected.

2017 East Lothian Council election
← 2012 4 May 2017 (2017-05-04) 2022 →
All 22 seats to East Lothian Council
12 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Lab
Con
SNP
Leader Willie Innes Jane Henderson Stuart Currie
Party Labour Conservative SNP
Leader's seat Preston, Seton and Gosford North Berwick Coastal Musselburgh
Last election 10 seats, 43.1% 3 seats, 14.4% 9 seats, 30.4%
Seats before 10 3 9
Seats after 9 7 6
Seat change Decrease1 Increase4 Decrease3
Council Leader before election

Willie Innes
Labour

Council Leader after election

Willie Innes
Labour

This election featured revised ward boundaries to three wards resulting in the reduction of the number of East Lothian councillors from 23 to 22. Two former Musselburgh wards were merged, while losing Wallyford and Whitecraig with 4 councillors being elected. The bulk of the previous Fa'side ward became Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry. Haddington and Lammermuir ward expanded with the addition of Ormiston and Pencaitland and gained a councillor.

Following the elections, Labour announced that they would form a minority administration. This replaced the previous coalition between Labour, the Conservatives and the one Independent councillor.[1]

Election result

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2017 East Lothian Council election[2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 9 1 2 -1 40.9 33.1 13,723 -10.0
  Conservative 7 4 0 +4 31.82 27.4 11,382 +13.0
  SNP 6 0 3 -3 27.27 27.9 11,584 -2.5
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 0 - - 4.75 1,971 -0.85
  Scottish Green 0 - - - - 4.49 1,862 New
  Independent 0 0 1 -1 0.0 2.17 900 -3.73
  TUSC 0 - - - - 0.15 63 -0.15

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

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Musselburgh

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  • 2012:
    • Musselburgh West (2xSNP; 1xLab)
    • Musselburgh East and Carberry (1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xLab)
  • 2017: 2xSNP 1xConservative 1xLab
  • 2012-2017 Change: 2 wards combined due to ward change resulting in one less councillor for Musselburgh. Conservative gain one seat.
Musselburgh - 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
SNP Stuart Currie (incumbent) 22.12 1,683                
Conservative Katie Mackie 19.34 1,472 1,473 1,478 1,570          
Labour Andy Forrest (incumbent) 15.48 1,178 1,187 1,192 1,266 1,274 1,362 1,924    
SNP John Williamson (incumbent) 11.04 840 960 967 1,007 1,008 1,241 1,278 1,322 1,583
Independent John Caldwell (incumbent) 10.56 804 809 843 896 907 985 1,015 1,107  
Labour Katherine Sangster 7.47 568 570 579 637 644 742      
Scottish Green Jason Rose 6.53 497 506 520 630 633        
Liberal Democrats Clare Graham 6.17 470 473 487            
Independent Theresa Sives 1.26 96 96              
Electorate: 15,874   Valid: 7,608   Spoilt: 139   Quota: 1,522   Turnout: 48.8%  

Preston, Seton and Gosford

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  • 2012: 2xLabour 2xSNP
  • 2017: 2xLabour 1xSNP 1xCON
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain one seat from SNP
Preston, Seton and Gosford - 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Labour Willie Innes (Incumbent) †† 24.3 1,801              
Conservative Lachlan Bruce 24.1 1,784              
SNP Neil Gilbert 16.2 1,197 1,208 1,215 1,260 1,288 1,294 1,322 2,201
Labour Fiona O'Donnell 12.6 932 1,164 1,226 1,261 1,369 1,818    
SNP Janis Wilson 11.4 844 852 854 922 936 951 975  
Labour Brian Weddell 5.8 429 471 485 501 520      
Scottish Green Lesley Orr 3.11 230 234 250          
Liberal Democrats Ghill Donald 2.4 180 184 260 300        
Electorate: 14,702   Valid: 7,397   Spoilt: 178   Quota: 1,480   Turnout: 51.5%  

Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry

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  • 2012: 3xLabour 1xSNP (as Fa'side ward)
  • 2017: 2xLabour 1xSNP 1xConservative
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservatives gain one seat from Labour
Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry - 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SNP Kenny McLeod (incumbent) 24.5 1,540            
Labour Fiona Dugdale 20.3 1,272            
Labour Colin McGinn 15.3 958 969 972 978 1,000 1,102 1,893
Conservative Gordon Mackett 15.7 986 987 988 994 1,054 1,089 1,142
Labour Jim Gillies (incumbent) 13.3 837 844 854 864 897 1,014  
SNP Linda Watson 7.4 464 713 713 725 746    
Liberal Democrats Alexander Graham 2.5 159 162 162 176      
TUSC Jimmy Haddow 1.0 63            
Electorate: 14,699   Valid: 6,279   Spoilt: 127   Quota: 1,256   Turnout: 43.6%  

North Berwick Coastal

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  • 2012: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP
  • 2017: 2xCon 1xLabour
  • 2012-2017 Change: Conservatives gain one seat from SNP
North Berwick Coastal - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
Conservative Jeremy Douglas Findlay 27.16 1,703        
Labour Jim Goodfellow (incumbent) 23.73 1,488 1,497 1,573    
Conservative Jane Henderson 21.38 1,341 1,454 1,474 1,475 1,589
SNP Laura Lowe Forrest 17.97 1,127 1,128 1,233 1,234 1,335
Liberal Democrats Robert O'Riordan 5.07 318 323 388 389  
Scottish Green Eurig Scandrett 4.67 293 294      
Electorate: 10,752   Valid: 6,270   Spoilt: 114   Quota: 1,568   Turnout: 59.4%  

Haddington and Lammermuir

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  • 2012: 1xConservative 1xLabour 1xSNP
  • 2017: 1xConservative 2xLabour 1xSNP
  • 2012-2017 Change: No change
Haddington and Lammermuir - 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Conservative Brian Small† 29.03 2,262            
Labour John McMillan (incumbent) 18.71 1,458 1,593          
Labour Shamin Akhtar (incumbent) 15.00 1,169 1,234 1,256 1,316 1,627    
SNP Tom Trotter (incumbent) 14.66 1,142 1,153 1,155 1,236 1,327 1,333 2,227
SNP Ruth Currie 11.41 889 894 895 947 1,007 1,017  
Liberal Democrats Kelvin Pate 7.29 568 791 795 889      
Scottish Green Cris Thacker 3.88 302 329 330        
Electorate: 14,095   Valid: 7,790   Spoilt: 108   Quota: 1,559   Turnout: 56.0%  

Dunbar and East Linton

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  • 2012: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP
  • 2017: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP
  • 2012-2017 Change: No change
Dunbar and East Linton - 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Conservative Sue Kempson 29.86 1,834          
Labour Norman Hampshire (incumbent) 26.59 1,633          
SNP Paul McLennan (incumbent) 17.04 1,047 1,054 1,064 1,094 1,199 2,216
SNP Isobel Knox 13.2 811 819 828 852 1,177  
Scottish Green Sarah Beattie-Smith 8.79 540 569 584 761    
Liberal Democrats Elisabeth Wilson 4.49 276 392 421      
Electorate: 10,995   Valid: 6,141   Spoilt: 43   Quota: 1,536   Turnout: 56.4%  

Retiring councillors

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Council ward Departing councillor Party
Dunbar and East Linton Michael Veitch[3] Conservative
Fa'side Donald Grant Labour
Haddington and Lammermuir Ludovic Broun-Lindsay[3] Conservative
Musselburgh John McNeil[4] Labour
Musselburgh Fraser McAllister Scottish National Party
North Berwick Coastal David Berry[5] Independent
North Berwick Coastal Tim Day[3] Conservative
Preston/Seton/Gosford Margaret Libberton Labour
Preston/Seton/Gosford Steven Brown[6] Scottish National Party
Preston/Seton/Gosford Peter Robert MacKenzie Scottish National Party

Changes since 2017

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  • † On 26 February 2019, Haddington and Lammermuir Councillor Brian Small resigned his seat.[7] A by-election followed was held on 9 May 2019. The seat was won by Craig Hoy of the Conservative Party.[8]
  • †† On 24 October 2021, Preston, Seton and Gosford Councillor and Leader of East Lothian Council, Willie Innes, died after a long illness.[9]

By-elections since 2017

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Haddington and Lammermuir by-election 9 May 2019
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
Conservative Craig Hoy 35.01 2,212 2,249 2,428 2,759 3,277
SNP Lorraine Glass 29.53 1,866 1,874 2,044 2,469  
Labour Neal Black 21.51 1,359 1,370 1,589    
Liberal Democrats Stuart Crawford 12.25 774 782      
UKIP David Sisson 1.71 108        
Electorate: 14,396   Valid: 6,319   Spoilt: 44   Quota: 3,160   Turnout: 44.2%  
Preston, Seton and Gosford by-election 20 January 2022 [10] [11]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Labour Colin Yorkston 38.53 1,793 1,815 1,861 1,927 2,390
SNP Janis Wilson 26.16 1,217 1,242 1,258 1,391 1,458
Conservative Andy Ovens 24.80 1,154 1,173 1,204 1,212  
Scottish Green Tim Porteus 4.96 231 241 266    
Liberal Democrats Ben Morse 2.92 136 154      
Independent Calum Miller 2.62 122        
Electorate: 14,952   Valid: 4,696   Spoilt: 43   Quota: 2,327   Turnout: 31.4%  

References

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  1. ^ "Labour set to go it alone on East Lothian Council, says Willie Innes | East Lothian Courier". Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  2. ^ "Council Election Results - 4 May 2017 - Election results - East Lothian Council". Eastlothian.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "All three East Lothian Conservative councillors not seeking re-election". East Lothian Courier. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  4. ^ "Long-serving Musselburgh councillor John McNeil to quit – and tells of 'hurt' at not landing senior post". East Lothian Courier. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 8 March 2017.
  5. ^ "Devastating eye condition forces ex-East Lothian Council leader David Berry out of election". East Lothian Courier. Archived from the original on 6 March 2017. Retrieved 6 March 2017.
  6. ^ "Councillor Steven Brown snubbed in re-election bid for Preston, Seton, Gosford ward by local SNP members". East Lothian Courier. Archived from the original on 9 March 2017. Retrieved 9 March 2017.
  7. ^ "Conservative councillor resigns, launching stinging attack on former party colleagues". East Lothian Courier. Archived from the original on 27 March 2019. Retrieved 1 April 2019.
  8. ^ "Updated: Conservative candidate wins Haddington and Lammermuir by-election". East Lothian Courier. Archived from the original on 10 May 2019. Retrieved 11 May 2019.
  9. ^ "Tributes paid after death of East Lothian Council leader Willie Innes". Archived from the original on 26 October 2021. Retrieved 26 October 2021.
  10. ^ "East Lothian Council by-election results - 22 January 2022 | Election results". Eastlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 14 February 2022.
  11. ^ "Preston, Seton and Gosford (East Lothian) By-Election transfers, votes at final stage 5: Labour ~ 2390 (51.4%, +0.8) SNP ~ 1458 (31.3%, +1.4) Didn't Transfer ~ 805 (17.3%, -2.2)". Twitter.comAccess-date=14 February 2022.
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