2007 Highland Council election
← 2003 3 May 2007 (2007-05-03) 2012 →
All 80 seats to Highland Council
41 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Party Independent Liberal Democrats
Last election 57 seats, 69.6% 9 seats, 6.1%
Seats won 35 21
Seat change Decrease22 Increase12
Popular vote 37,844 17,917
Percentage 40.9% 19.3%
Swing Decrease28.7pp Increase13.2pp
  Third party Fourth party
 
Party SNP Labour
Last election 6 seats, 10.2% 8 seats, 11.6%
Seats won 17 7
Seat change Increase11 Decrease1
Popular vote 18,933 9,734
Percentage 20.4% 10.5%
Swing Increase10.2pp Decrease0.9pp
Council Convener before election

Alison Magee
Independent

Council Convener after election

Sandy Park
Independent

Elections to the Highland Council were held on 3 May 2007; the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament and to the 31 other councils in Scotland. Previous elections to the council had been conducted using the single member plurality system (a.k.a. 'First Past the Post'). Changes implemented by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 meant that future local government elections were to be conducted using the Single Transferable Vote, beginning with those in 2007. The 80 Highland Councillors were now to be elected from 22 wards, returning either three or four members.

The election saw Independent councillors retain their plurality, despite losing a significant number of members, and the Liberal Democrats and Scottish National Party both increasing their representation, with that of the Labour Party decreasing. The Independent and SNP groups subsequently went into coalition to form the Administration of the council.

Election result

The Highland Council elections, 2007
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Independent 35 N\A N\A −22 43.8 40.9 37,844 -28.7pp
  Liberal Democrats 21 N\A N\A +8 26.3 19.3 17,917 +13.2pp
  SNP 17 N\A N\A +11 21.3 20.4 18,933 +10.2pp
  Labour 7 N\A N\A −1 8.8 10.5 9,734 -0.9pp
  Conservative 0 N\A N\A 0 — 7.1 6,565 +5.9pp
  Scottish Senior Citizens 0 N\A N\A 0 — 0.7 664 new
  Scottish Green 0 N\A N\A 0 — 0.7 642 new
  Solidarity 0 N\A N\A 0 — 0.3 273 new
  Scottish Socialist 0 N\A N\A 0 — 0.1 59 -1.0pp

Ward results

Incumbent councillors are marked with *

North, West and Central Sutherland

North, West and Central Sutherland – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
SNP George Farlow 19.9% 586 588 599 641 676 687 716 778
Liberal Democrats Robbie Rowantree 14.0% 410 415 418 461 495 549 598 651 659
Scottish Senior Citizens Russel Taylor 10.7% 314 325 329 345 365 414 475 514 520
Independent Linda Munro 10.3% 303 318 358 368 383 391 437 518 524
Independent David Forbes 10.1% 297 316 330 338 350 365 416    
Independent William Johnston 9.6% 282 288 300 304 308 325      
Conservative Margaret Payne 7.4% 216 222 224 227 232        
Labour Dave Andrews 6.3% 184 185 186 198          
Scottish Green Ailsa Spindler 5.7% 168 172 176            
Independent Kirstie Dawson 3.4% 99 100              
Independent Michael Otter 2.7% 80                
Electorate: 4,996   Valid: 2,939   Quota: 735   Turnout: 60.0%  

Thurso

Thurso – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Independent Donald Mackay* 30.1% 1,001          
Independent John Rosie 21.2% 704 762 781 842    
Liberal Democrats Marion Thurso 16.3% 541 573 599 627 631 824
SNP Donald Mackintosh 13.0% 433 445 449 465 466 518
Labour Roger Saxon* 12.3% 408 428 437 454 457  
Independent Ian Grant 3.8% 125 136 156      
Conservative Alexander Bain 3.4% 112 118        
Electorate: 6,388   Valid: 3,324   Quota: 832   Turnout: 53.0%  

Wick

Wick – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
Independent Bill Fernie* 30.3% 793      
Independent Katrina MacNab* 17.2% 451 505 556 648
SNP Niall Smith 16.9% 443 457 489 542
Liberal Democrats Graeme Smith* 15.5% 407 436 458 578
Labour Jim Oag 14.0% 366 378 399  
Independent Heather Miller 3.7% 98 105    
Conservative Jack Brooker 1.8% 46 48    
Independent Laurel Bush 0.6% 17 19    
Electorate: 5,817   Valid: 2,621   Quota: 656   Turnout: 46.3%  

Landward Caithness

Landward Caithness – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP David Bremner 18.8% 871 888 888 957
Independent Willie MacKay 18.2% 845 929    
Liberal Democrats David Flear* 17.4% 805 918 918 1,067
Independent Robert Coghill 14.2% 657 723 723 815
Labour Bill Mowat 11.5% 532 552 552  
Conservative Colin Sutherland 11.5% 531 558 558 601
Liberal Democrats Alastair MacDonald* 7.5% 349      
Independent Duncan Winfield 0.9% 41      
Electorate: 8,231   Valid: 4,631   Quota: 927   Turnout: 57.3%  

East Sutherland and Edderton

East Sutherland and Edderton – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Liberal Democrats Ian Ross* 22.8% 838 844 855 866 894 943    
Labour Deirdre Mackay 19.2% 703 712 717 745 792 833 840 902
SNP Derek Louden 13.9% 511 518 524 537 550 576 578 620
Independent Jim McGillivray 13.1% 482 493 536 550 573 667 669 790
Conservative Michael Napper 11.5% 423 428 437 449 459 491 493  
Independent Jimmy Melville 6.9% 252 260 283 296 318      
Independent Evelyn MacKenzie 4.2% 155 158 161 178        
Independent Gordon Campbell 3.4% 125 126 135          
Independent Gordon Clunie 3.1% 114 121            
Independent Richard Easson 1.1% 40              
Solidarity Frank Ward 0.7% 27              
Electorate: 6,126   Valid: 3,670   Quota: 918   Turnout: 61.1%  

Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh

Wester Ross, Strathpeffer and Lochalsh – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SNP Jean Urquhart* 26.1% 1,486
Liberal Democrats Biz Campbell* 21.8% 1,242
Independent Richard Greene 13.9% 792 849 858 964 983 1,037 1,147
Independent Audrey Sinclair 10.7% 608 633 648 658 780 829 882
Conservative John Scott 7.9% 451 473 483 502 514 618 662
Labour Christine Conniff 6.2% 354 393 407 423 438 470  
Independent Marie Tait 5.8% 328 354 358 371 377    
Independent Donald Macdonald 4.1% 232 248 264 270      
Independent Alastair Armitstead 3.5% 199 238 242        
Electorate: 9,593   Valid: 5,692   Quota: 1,139   Turnout: 60.6%  

Cromarty Firth

Cromarty Firth – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Independent Carolyn Wilson* 29.7% 1,348
SNP Maxine Smith 22.5% 1,021
Liberal Democrats Martin Rattray 14.3% 647 718 743 764 788 819 942
Independent Mike Finlayson 9.7% 438 533 545 562 595 644 769
Labour John MacInnes 9.7% 438 485 495 511 526 544 590
Independent John Connell* 6.8% 307 364 377 388 408 437  
Conservative Hamish Keir 3.1% 141 158 161 165      
Independent Mary MacDonald 2.3% 104 156 163 167 184    
Solidarity Findlay Walker 1.9% 88 97 105        
Electorate: 9,260   Valid: 4,532   Quota: 907   Turnout: 49.6%  

Tain and Easter Ross

Tain and Easter Ross – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8
Independent Alasdair Rhind* 36.2% 1,406
Liberal Democrats Richard Durham* 16.2% 627 707 717 768 800 843 892 1,007
SNP Jim McCreath 12.0% 465 480 498 509 520 537 557 605
Independent Alan Torrance* 11.2% 436 545 549 558 582 603 674 823
Independent Murray MacLeod 7.6% 294 375 377 390 410 430 507  
Independent Michael Herd 5.3% 204 228 233 252 262 277    
Labour Sunny Moodie 3.8% 148 160 162 171 173      
Conservative David Rutherford 3.2% 124 140 144 146        
Independent John Boocock 3.0% 116 127 133          
Scottish Socialist Donnie Fraser 1.5% 59 63            
Electorate: 7,000   Valid: 3,879   Quota: 970   Turnout: 56.4%  

Dingwall and Seaforth

Dingwall and Seaforth – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Independent Margaret Paterson* 23.1% 1,078
Liberal Democrats Angela MacLean* 21.8% 1,015
SNP Peter Cairns 18.3% 853 875 887 902 967
Independent David Chisholm* 13.7% 639 656 669 711 748 755 837
Labour Michael MacMillan* 11.9% 556 584 603 613 667 672 709
Conservative Gerald Lowe 4.7% 218 228 234 246 261 264  
Scottish Green David Jardine 4.4% 207 221 231 243      
Independent David Edes 2.2% 102 112 116        
Electorate: 8,996   Valid: 4,666   Quota: 934   Turnout: 52.9%  

Black Isle

Black Isle – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Independent Billy Barclay* 24.4% 1,233            
Independent Isobel McCallum* 19.5% 985 1,050          
Liberal Democrats David Alston* 19.3% 973 1,006 1,016        
SNP Craig Fraser 11.1% 558 576 579 580 609 696 764
Independent Okain McLennan 8.6% 433 468 478 480 503 586 745
Conservative Morris Downie 8.1% 408 429 433 434 453 470  
Scottish Green John Wood 5.3% 267 273 275 277 338    
Labour Chris Birt 3.8% 192 198 199 200      
Electorate: 7,959   Valid: 5,049   Quota: 1,010   Turnout: 64.2%  

Eilean a' Cheò

Eilean a' Cheò – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Liberal Democrats Drew Millar* 21.2% 960          
Independent Hamish Fraser* 17.6% 795 803 833 907    
Independent John Laing* 16.2% 734 742 761 833 833 922
SNP Ian Renwick 14.8% 669 675 684 712 713 772
Independent John Murray 11.0% 498 506 534 630 631 693
Labour Vicki Samuels 7.8% 351 356 365 378 378  
Independent Iain MacDonald* 7.5% 338 343 356      
Conservative John Hodgson 3.9% 178 180        
Electorate: 7,990   Valid: 4,523   Quota: 905   Turnout: 57.8%  

Caol and Mallaig

Caol and Mallaig – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Independent Bill Clark* 24.8% 975 985              
Independent Allan Henderson 22.4% 881 892 892 909 929 958 1,048    
Independent Eddie Hunter 14.0% 550 558 558 573 621 633 690 704 795
Labour Mairi MacLean 12.0% 473 477 477 491 502 517 535 550 625
SNP David Ingham 9.9% 389 395 395 404 418 430 451 459  
Independent Sandra Casey 4.8% 188 194 194 203 216 248      
Conservative Chris Carver 4.0% 156 159 159 169 174        
Independent George MacLeod 3.8% 151 160 160 165          
Independent Alistair MacGregor 2.5% 100 101 101            
Independent Scott Waugh 1.6% 64                
Electorate: 6,625   Valid: 3,927   Quota: 982   Turnout: 60.6%  

Aird and Loch Ness

Aird and Loch Ness – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Independent Margaret Davidson* 24.6% 1,215            
Independent Helen Carmichael 22.8% 1,125            
SNP Drew Hendry 18.1% 892 916 940 964 993    
Liberal Democrats Hamish Wood 11.1% 550 584 607 644 757 759 866
Conservative Margaret Chown 7.2% 355 373 388 405 422 423  
Independent John Martin 6.5% 322 352 373 462 494 495 598
Labour Andrew MacKintosh 5.9% 292 305 312 326      
Independent Alexander Nicol 3.9% 192 225 232        
Electorate: 8,463   Valid: 4,943   Quota: 989   Turnout: 59.4%  

Inverness West

Inverness West – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Pauline Munro 28.8% 965      
Liberal Democrats Alex Graham 25.1% 840      
Independent Jimmy MacDonald* 23.2% 778 813 814 900
Labour Caroline Parr 16.0% 536 561 562 604
Conservative Mary Fraser 6.9% 230 244 245  
Electorate: 6,581   Valid: 3,349   Quota: 838   Turnout: 51.7%  

Inverness Central

Inverness Central– 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP Donnie Kerr 21.9% 1,019          
Independent Peter Corbett* 16.6% 776 784 796 809 872 912
Liberal Democrats Janet Campbell 15.6% 729 743 767 793 843 934
Labour Bet McAllister 15.4% 720 725 735 884 919 933
Independent William Smith* 12.3% 575 581 588 597 642 693
Conservative David Bonsor 5.8% 268 270 273 275 299  
Independent Ivor Bisset 5.4% 252 257 267 270    
Labour Tej Manda 5.1% 237 241 249      
Solidarity George MacDonald 1.9% 88 98        
Electorate: 9,704   Valid: 4,664   Quota: 933   Turnout: 49.2%  

Inverness Ness-side

Inverness Ness-side – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
Liberal Democrats David Henderson 22.5% 1,127            
SNP John Finnie 20.2% 1,016            
Independent Norrie Donald* 14.9% 750 770 772 803 875 981 1,081
Labour Fraser Parr 13.7% 688 700 701 718 745 775 805
Liberal Democrats Angus Dick* 9.3% 468 514 516 560 587 630 714
Conservative Margaret MacDonald 7.1% 361 368 369 374 391 402  
Independent Thomas Lamont 4.6% 232 234 235 251 289    
Independent Steve Rodger 4.5% 226 235 235 247      
Independent Jean Slater 1.6% 82 83 84        
Solidarity Steve Arnott 1.4% 70 70 71        
Electorate: 8,800   Valid: 5,020   Quota: 1,005   Turnout: 58.0%  

Inverness Millburn

Inverness Millburn – 3 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
Labour Jimmy Gray* 31.2% 1,123        
SNP Ian Brown 27.9% 1,005        
Liberal Democrats Kenneth MacLeod 14.2% 510 573 595 635 808
Independent Etta Mackay 11.9% 430 467 486 571 677
Conservative Donald MacKenzie 9.9% 356 377 383 405  
Independent Willie Fraser 4.9% 178 191 208    
Electorate: 6,495   Valid: 3,602   Quota: 901   Turnout: 56.1%  

Culloden and Ardersier

Culloden and Ardersier – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3
SNP Robert Wynd* 28.7% 1,335    
Independent Roddy Balfour* 28.1% 1,308    
Labour John Ford* 17.5% 816 887 924
Liberal Democrats Glynis Sinclair 14.3% 663 763 825
Conservative John Ross 6.8% 318 346 393
Independent Jim Ferguson 4.6% 213 272 392
Electorate: 8,721   Valid: 2,387   Quota: 931   Turnout: 54.0%  

Nairn

Nairn – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP Liz MacDonald* 30.7% 1,576          
Independent Sandy Park* 16.6% 855 946 1,006 1,088    
Independent Laurie Fraser* 13.0% 669 754 852 917 942 1,050
Liberal Democrats Graham Marsden 10.4% 535 612 635 696 703 808
Independent Jim Lennon 9.3% 476 521 594 633 645 696
Labour Ron Stevenson 7.8% 402 434 452 467 470  
Conservative Bob Ross 6.9% 356 373 377      
Independent David Fraser 5.3% 273 320        
Electorate: 9,009   Valid: 5,142   Quota: 1,029   Turnout: 58.1%  

Inverness South

Inverness South – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Roy Pedersen 27.0% 1,058      
Liberal Democrats Thomas Prag 23.0% 902      
Labour John Holden 17.1% 671 721 749 803
Independent Jim Crawford 13.4% 524 586 613 803
Conservative Donald MacDonald 10.5% 413 443 461 503
Independent Barrie Haycock 9.0% 353 384 394  
Electorate: 7,287   Valid: 3,921   Quota: 785   Turnout: 54.5%  

Badenoch and Strathspey

Badenoch and Strathspey – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
Liberal Democrats Stuart Black* 31.2% 1,720        
SNP David Fallows 24.4% 1,347        
Independent Gregor Rimell* 13.3% 736 824 871 1,014 1,105
Conservative Les Durance 9.6% 532 606 623 653 710
Independent Jaci Douglas 8.8% 484 603 625 770 900
Scottish Senior Citizens Donald Scobbie 6.4% 350 427 460 500  
Independent Angela Cox 6.3% 347 416 443    
Electorate: 9,969   Valid: 5,516   Quota: 1,104   Turnout: 56.2%  

Fort William and Ardnamurchan

North, West and Central Sutherland – 4 seats
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
Liberal Democrats Michael Foxley* 20.4% 1,059                
Independent Donald Cameron 18.1% 939 940 972 1,004 1,024 1,123      
SNP Bren Gormley 15.0% 778 780 804 825 862 911 920 966 1,035
Labour Brian Murphy* 9.7% 501 503 520 536 558 597 609 667 712
Conservative Andrew Baxter 7.2% 372 373 382 402 437 457 464 503  
Independent Thomas MacLennan* 6.2% 322 323 345 354 375 410 428    
Independent Darren Woods 6.1% 317 317 329 346 365        
Independent Patricia Jordan 5.2% 271 273 298 330 373 418 436 554 657
Independent Drew McFarlane-Slack* 4.6% 241 242 258 275          
Independent Iain Thornber 3.8% 195 196 207            
Independent Neil Clark* 3.7% 194 195              
Electorate: 8,616   Valid: 5,189   Quota: 1,038   Turnout: 61.3%  

Post-election changes

2007-2011 by-elections

Inverness West

On 23 April 2009 the Liberal Democrat's Alasdair Christie won a by-election which arose following the death of former Independent Councillor Jimmy MacDonald on 31 January 2009

Inverness West By-Election (24 April 2009)- 1 seat[1]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1
Liberal Democrats Alasdair Christie 59.60% 1,503
SNP Brian ÓhEadhra 22.05% 556
Labour Andrew James MacKintosh 8.33% 210
Scottish Christian Dr Sheila McLaughlan 4.56% 115
Conservative Donald Gunn MacDonald 4.40% 111
Solidarity George MacDonald 1.07% 27
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Electorate: 6,623   Valid: 2,522   Spoilt: 18   Quota: 1,270   Turnout: 2,540  

Wick

On 7 April 2011 the SNP's Gail Ross won a by-election which arose following the resignation of Independent Councillor Katrina MacNab

Wick By-Election (7 April 2011)- 1 seat[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Gail Elizabeth Ross 46.82% 979 984 999 1,049
Labour Neil MacDonald 19.56% 409 410 421 463
Independent Niall Smith 9.90% 207 209 217 245
Liberal Democrats Claire Mairi Clarke 9.85% 206 211 219 236
Independent Jim Oag 8.80% 184 191 202  
Independent Laurel Bush 3.49% 73 75    
Conservative Michael Anthony Carr 1.58% 33      
SNP gain from Independent Swing
Electorate: 5,564   Valid: 2,091   Spoilt: 33   Quota: 1,047   Turnout: 2,124  

Tain and Easter Ross

On 9 June 2011 Independent Fiona Robertson won a by-election which arose following the death of SNP Councillor Alan Torrance

Tain and Easter Ross By-Election (9 June 2011)- 1 seat[3]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Derek William Louden 33.23% 837 860 928 1,037
Independent Fiona Robertson 32.20% 811 840 933 1,204
Independent Ruairidh MacKenzie 18.54% 467 481 547  
Liberal Democrats Antony Gardner 12.19% 307 318    
Independent Michael Herd 3.85% 97      
Independent gain from SNP Swing
Electorate: 6,962   Valid: 2,519   Spoilt: 17   Quota: 1,260   Turnout: 2,536  

Inverness South

On 3 November 2011 the Liberal Democrat's Carolyn Caddick won a by-election which arose following the resignation of Labour Councillor John Holden

Inverness South By-Election (3 November 2011)- 1 seat[4]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP Kenneth Archer Gowans 33.94% 885 903 922 967 1,005 1,084
Liberal Democrats Carolyn Ann Caddick 28.65% 747 761 777 830 971 1,091
Labour Katherine MacKenzie-Geegan 11.81% 308 319 327 357 379  
Conservative David Louis Kinsley Bonsor 11.12% 290 300 336 339    
Scottish Green Gale Louise Falconer 6.02% 157 172 189      
Scottish Christian Donald MacLeod Boyd 4.83% 126 130        
Independent David McGrath 3.60% 94          
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
Electorate: 9,760   Valid: 2,607   Spoilt: 13   Quota: 1,304   Turnout: 2,620  

References

  1. ^ "Inverness West By-Election Result" (Press release). Highland Council. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 11 October 2015.
  2. ^ "Ward 3 (Wick By-Election" (PDF). highland.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2012.
  3. ^ "Tain and Easter Ross (By-Election)" (PDF). highland.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 23 April 2012.
  4. ^ "Inverness South (By Election)" (PDF). highland.gov.uk. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 April 2012.
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