2022 Stirling Council election

The 2022 Stirling Council election was held on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the seven wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 23 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.

2022 Stirling Council election
← 2017 5 May 2022 (2022-05-05) 2027 →

All 23 seats to Stirling Council
12 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Scott Farmer Neil Benny Danny Gibson
Party SNP Conservative Labour
Leader's seat Stirling West Stirling West Stirling North
Last election 9 seats, 34.7% 9 seats, 37.2% 4 seats, 16.2%
Seats before 8 9 4
Seats won 8 7 6
Seat change Decrease 1 Decrease 2 Increase 2
Popular vote 12,196 11,522 5,899
Percentage 33.3% 31.5% 16.1%
Swing Decrease 1.4% Decrease 5.7% Decrease 0.1%

  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Alasdair Tollemache Alasdair MacPherson
Party Scottish Green Independent
Leader's seat Dunblane and Bridge of Allan Bannockburn
Last election 1 seat, 6.6% 0 seat, 2.0%
Seats before 1 2
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Steady Increase 1
Popular vote 2,546 2,103
Percentage 7.0% 5.7%
Swing Increase 0.4% Increase 2.4%

The 7 multi-member wards

Council Leader before election

Scott Farmer
SNP

Council Leader after election

Chris Kane
Labour

The election saw Labour increase their representation on the council by two and significantly increase their vote share. The SNP lost one seat and the Greens retained their single seat. The Conservatives saw their representation on the council drop by two seats. The Liberal Democrats failed to win representation and one independent candidate won a seat.

Results

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2022 Stirling Council election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  SNP 8 0 1   1 34.8 33.3 12,196   1.4
  Conservative 7 0 2   2 30.4 31.5 11,522   5.7
  Labour 6 2 0   2 26.1 16.1 5,899   0.1
  Scottish Green 1 0 0   4.3 7.0 2,546   0.4
  Independent 1 1 0   1 4.3 5.7 2,103   2.4
  Liberal Democrats 0 0 0   0.0 5.0 1,841   1.7
  Scottish Family 0 0 0   0.0 1.2 428 New
  Alba 0 0 0   0.0 0.2 61 New
Total 23 36,596

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 4 May 2017. 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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Trossachs and Teith

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  • 2017: 2xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2022: 2xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2017-2022: No change
Trossachs and Teith - 3 seats[1]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Conservative Martin Earl (incumbent) 37.8 2,031
SNP Gene Maxwell 19.2 1,031 1,053.0 1,054.0 1,064.7 1,238.4 1,377.5
SNP John Watson 14.2 761 773.5 774.5 785.5 874.2 945.2 974.7
Labour Josh Hamilton 9.1 491 530.6 534.9 610.1 764.2
Scottish Green Wendy Faulkner 8.3 444 480.2 485.5 537.6
Conservative Elaine Watterson 7.2 385 881.6 893.3 926.7 950.9 1,078.8 1,079.2 1,262.4
Liberal Democrats Galen Milne 3.5 188 218.4 223.8
Scottish Family Dolores Hughes 0.8 41 46.1
Electorate: 9,475   Valid: 5,372   Spoilt: 100   Quota: 1,344   Turnout: 57.8%  

Forth and Endrick

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  • 2017: 2xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2022: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2017-2022 Change: 1 Lab gain from Con
Forth and Endrick - 3 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SNP Rosemary Fraser 24.1 1,451 1,454.0 1,484.0 1,570.0
Conservative Paul Henke 18.8 1,130 1,140.0 1,180.0 1,272.0 1,272.4 1,291.1 2,334.0
Conservative Thomas Heald 17.3 1,043 1,048.0 1,071.0 1,153.0 1,153.3 1,175.6
Labour Gerry McGarvey 14.0 846 857.0 996.0 1,137.0 1,140.4 1,438.0 1,481.1
SNP Paul Goodwin 11.1 671 672.0 687.0 719.0 776.4
Independent Rob Davies‡ (incumbent) 7.8 468 489.0 548.0
Liberal Democrats James MacLaren 5.7 345 355.0
Scottish Family Liam McKechnie 1.1 69
Electorate: 10,854   Valid: 6,023   Spoilt: 72   Quota: 1,506   Turnout: 56.2%  

Dunblane and Bridge of Allan

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  • 2017: 2xCon; 1xSNP; 1xGreen
  • 2022: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xGreen; 1xLab
  • 2017-2022 Change: 1 Lab gain from Con


Dunblane and Bridge of Allan - 4 seats[3]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Conservative Douglas Dodds (incumbent) 21.6 1,536
SNP Graham Houston (incumbent) 17.8 1,266 1,268.0 1,269.0 1,293.0 1,317.3 1,815.3
Scottish Green Alasdair Tollemache (incumbent) 16.0 1,138 1,141.0 1,147.0 1,156.0 1,207.5 1,260.5 1,466.4
Labour Ewan Dillon 11.9 842 846.9 850.9 856.9 901.1 910.1 957.4 971.2 1,330.5 1,577.0
Liberal Democrats Fayzan Rehman 9.4 665 669.2 674.2 674.2 748.3 760.3 785.6 799.6
Conservative Willy Stirling 8.4 598 686.2 701.4 705.4 819.0 819.0 823.3 824.9 956.0
SNP Ahsan Khan 7.9 564 564.2 564.2 569.2 581.2
Independent Alastair George Majury (incumbent) 5.3 377 382.2 387.2 396.2
Alba Bill Cowan 0.9 61 61.1 64.1
Scottish Family Nickie Willis 0.7 50 50.3
Electorate: 11,911   Valid: 7,097   Spoilt: 102   Quota: 1,420   Turnout: 60.4%  


Stirling North

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  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLab
  • 2022: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLab
  • 2012-2017: No change
Stirling North - 4 seats[4]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SNP Susan McGill (incumbent) 25.7 1,305
Conservative Rachel Nunn 22.8 1,161
Labour Danny Gibson (incumbent) 20.2 1,029
SNP Jim Thomson (incumbent) 12.6 642 872.7 878.2 879.6 886.3 908.4 1,474.8
Scottish Green Amy Smith 13.7 695 727.3 735.6 737.9 751.7 852.1
Liberal Democrats Oliver Franklin 3.7 190 195.3 254.1 257.6 276.2
Scottish Family Shena McLelland 1.3 64 64.9 77.7 78.3
Electorate: 11,589   Valid: 5,117   Spoilt: 91   Quota: 1,018   Turnout: 44.7%  

Stirling West

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  • 2012: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
  • 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2012-2017 Change: No change
Stirling West - 3 seats[5]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Conservative Neil Benny (incumbent) 23.8 1,313 1,334.0 1,364.0 2,041.0
SNP Scott Farmer (incumbent) 21.9 1,207 1,214.0 1,239.0 1,240.0 1,258.9 1,279.9 2,038.4
Labour Jen Preston 20.0 1,100 1,118.0 1,268.0 1,302.0 1,509.2
SNP Morag Fulton 13.8 760 768.0 792.0 801.0 809.1 834.0
Conservative Alastair Pettigrew 13.3 730 742.0 762.0
Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman 5.2 285 296.0
Scottish Family Michael Willis 2.0 110
Electorate: 10,192   Valid: 5,505   Spoilt: 95   Quota: 1,377   Turnout: 54.9%  

Stirling East

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  • 2017: 1xCon; 1xLab; 1xSNP
  • 2022: 1xCon; 1xLab; 1xSNP
  • 2017-2022: No change
Stirling East - 3 seats[6]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP Gerry McLaughlan 30.7 1,177
Conservative Bryan Flannagan (incumbent) 23.3 893 895.0 905.0 925.0 931.2 999.2
Labour Chris Kane (incumbent) 21.6 829 839.4 848.4 877.7 933.9 1,019.6
SNP Grant Thoms 8.0 306 488.4 497.4 502.2 578.7 650.0
Independent Gary McGrow 7.9 303 305.8 310.8 323.0 359.7
Scottish Green Linda Hendry 4.7 182 189.8 194.1 213.9
Liberal Democrats Gordon Murphy 2.4 91 93.2 98.2
Scottish Family David Tortolano 1.4 53 53.6
Electorate: 8,587   Valid: 3,834   Spoilt: 71   Quota: 959   Turnout: 45.5%  

Bannockburn

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  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2022: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xInd
  • 2017-2022 Change: 1 Ind gain from SNP
Bannockburn - 3 seats[7]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Independent Alasdair MacPherson (incumbent) 26.0 955
Labour Margaret Brisley (incumbent) 20.7 762 770.1 775.3 794.8 813.3 839.8 900.8 1,188.2
SNP Brian Hambly 20.4 749 755.2 756.3 764.6 786.9 1,085.1
Conservative Stuart McLuckie 19.1 702 705.1 717.2 731.5 737.6 739.6 743.9
SNP Diane Tortolano 8.3 306 310.1 313.1 320.2 345.8
Scottish Green Marie Stadtler 2.4 87 88.8 93.0 101.1
Liberal Democrats Hilary MacPherson 2.1 77 78.5 81.6
Scottish Family Sophie Hendry 1.1 41 41.9
Electorate: 8,777   Valid: 3,679   Spoilt: 64   Quota: 920   Turnout: 42.6%  

Notes

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  • ‡On 17 May 2017, Robert Davies (Forth and Endrick) was suspended from the Scottish Conservative party over potentially offensive Twitter posts.[8][9] He was reinstated on 21 August 2017. However, on 29 September 2017, Robert Davies resigned from the Conservative group at a council meeting and subsequently had his Conservative party membership terminated. He ran as an independent in the 2022 election.[10]

Aftermath

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Despite the SNP winning the most seats, Labour formed a minority administration after the Conservatives voted in favour of it.[11]

In October 2022, Labour councillor Ewan Dillon quit the party to become an independent. This reduced the ruling Labour administration to five councillors.[12]

A by-election was held in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan on 16 March 2023 following the death of SNP councillor Graham Houston.[13]

2023 Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election

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Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election (16 March 2023) – 1 seat[14]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Conservative Robin Kleinman 41.0 1,832 1,849 1,861 1,959 2,172 2,473
SNP Ahsan Khan 26.9 1,202 1,205 1,416 1,491 1,683
Labour David Wilson 13.4 600 609 670 871
Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman 8.9 399 404 475
Scottish Green Clare Andrews 8.7 389 390
Scottish Family Nickie Willis 1.1 50
Valid: 4,074   Quota:   Turnout: 38.1  


January 2024 Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election

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A by-election was held in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan on 25 January 2024 following the resignation of Conservative councillor Douglas Dodds due to health concerns.


Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election (25 January 2024) – 1 seat
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Conservative Thomas Heald 37.8 1,644 1,653 1,714 1,738 1,998 2,286
SNP Ahsan Khan 23.3 1,000 1,006 1,037 1,266 1,531
Labour David Wilson 20.2 869 874 989 1,147
Scottish Green Clare Andrews 10.1 433 442 485
Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman 6.8 292 296
Scottish Family Michael Willis 1.2 50
Electorate: 11,778   Valid: 4,288   Spoilt: 27   Quota: 2,145   Turnout: 36.6  

August 2024 Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election

A by-election was held in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan on 15 August 2024 following the resignation of independent councillor Ewan Dillon.

Dunblane and Bridge of Allan by-election (15 August 2024) – 1 seat
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Conservative Stuart McLuckie 27.9 1,143 1,214 1,284 1,328 1,361
Labour David Wilson 23.3 952 981 1,101 1,390 1,826 2,252
SNP John Watson 18.8 770 793 826 1,076
Scottish Green Andrew Adam 16.1 659 670 760
Liberal Democrats Dick Moerman 8.4 345 382
Independent Alastair Majury 5.5 225
Electorate: 12,057   Valid: 4,094   Quota: 2,048  


References

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  1. ^ "Stirling Ward 1 results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Ward 2 - Forth and Endrick results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Ward 3 - Dunblane and Bridge of Allan results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Ward 4 - Stirling North results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Ward 5 - Stirling West results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Ward 6 - Stirling East results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  7. ^ "Ward 7 - Bannockburn results" (PDF). stirling.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2022.
  8. ^ "Racist tweets councillor leaves Tories". BBC News. 29 September 2017. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  9. ^ Jones, Gareth Iwan (12 May 2017). "Second newly-elected Tory councillor embroiled in offensive Twitter row". Daily Record. Retrieved 16 March 2018.
  10. ^ "Racist tweets councillor Robert Davies leaves Scottish Conservatives". BBC News. 29 September 2017.
  11. ^ Wilson, Louise (19 May 2022). "Comment: Labour's 'grown-up politics' is all talk". Holyrood.
  12. ^ Marjoribanks, Kaiya (19 October 2022). "Stirling councillor leaves Labour to become independent in political switch". Daily Record. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  13. ^ "Tributes paid following the death of Councillor Graham Houston". Stirling Council. 19 December 2022. Retrieved 10 February 2023.
  14. ^ Meighan, Craig (17 March 2023). "Tories become largest party at Stirling Council after by-election win". STV News.