West Lothian Council election, 2012

West Lothian Council election, 2012
Scotland
May 3, 2012 (2012-05-03)
All 33 seats to West Lothian Council
17 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader John McGinty Peter Johnston Tom Kerr
Party Labour SNP Conservative
Leader's seat Bathgate Livingston South Linlithgow
Last election 14 seats, 43.8% 13 seats, 40.6% 1 seat, 3.1%
Seats before 14 13 1
Seats won 16 15 1
Seat change Increase2 Increase2 -
  Fourth party
 
Leader Stuart Borrowman Ellen Glass
Party Independent
Leader's seat Armadale and Blackridge Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh defeated
Last election 1 seat, 3.1% 3 seats, 9.4%
Seats before 1 3
Seats won 1 0
Seat change - Decrease3

The multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

Peter Johnston
SNP

 Council Leader after election

John McGinty
Labour

The 2012 West Lothian Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of West Lothian Council. The election will use the 9 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 a form of proportional representation, with 33 Councillors being elected. The Bathgate Ward gained an additional seat for the 2012 elections.

The election saw Labour remain the largest party on the Council as they gained 2 seats. The Scottish National Party also made 2 net gains and significantly increased their vote share, outpolling Labour in terms of votes cast. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party retained their single seat on the Council and so to did the Independents. The Action to Save St. John's Hospital group were completely wiped out from the authority losing all of their 3 seats.

Following the election the Labour formed a minority administration with the support of the Conservative and Independent Councillors. This replaced the SNP minority administration which had been supported by the Conservative and Action to Save St. John's Hospital group Councillors from 2007-2012.

Election result

West Lothian Local Election Result 2012
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 16 2 0 +2 48.48 38.1 19,909 +1.5
  SNP 15 2 0 +2 45.45 40.4 21,083 +4.1
  Conservative 1 0 0 - 3.03 8.8 4,591 -0.6
  Independent 1 0 0 - 3.03 5.3 2,752 +0.7
  Action to Save St John's Hospital 0 0 3 -3 - 6.7 3,474 +0.6
  Liberal Democrats 0 - - - - 0.4 200 -4.7
  UKIP 0 - - - - 0.1 78 +0.1
  National Front 0 - - - - 0.2 120 +0.2

Note: Bathgate ward is represented by four councillors, rather than three from 2012. "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 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

Linlithgow

Linlithgow - 3 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
Conservative Tom Kerr (incumbent) 33.18 2,112        
SNP Martyn Day (incumbent)†† 28.70 1,827        
Labour Tom Conn (incumbent) 20.30 1,292 1,453 1,478.7 1,483.2 1,627.9
SNP David Tait 13.02 829 920.3 1,101.4 1,106.9 1,186.9
Action to Save St John's Hospital Cherie Finlay 4.40 280 396.7 413.6 423.8  
National Front Ernest Wilson 0.39 25 30.2 30.6    
Electorate: 11,944   Valid: 6,365   Spoilt: 44   Quota: 1,592   Turnout: 6,409 (53.29%)

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh - 4 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
SNP Diane Calder 28.21 1,551          
Labour Tony Boyle 21.11 1,161          
Labour Alex Davidson 19.79 1,088 1,107.2        
Action to Save St John's Hospital Ellen Glass (incumbent) 13.93 766 791.6 816.1 818.7 996.9  
SNP Janet Campbell (incumbent) 11.22 617 1,006.4 1,013.2 1,014.1 1,054.3 1,411.2
Conservative George Thompson 5.75 316 320.7 324.1 324.6    
Electorate: 13,558   Valid: 5,499   Spoilt: 99   Quota: 1,100   Turnout: 5,598 (40.56%)

Livingston North

Livingston North - 4 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8
SNP Robert De Bold (incumbent) 25.30 1,551              
Labour Anne McMillan 21.95 1,346              
SNP Andrew Miller (incumbent) 18.14 1,112 1,353.5            
Labour Angela Moohan 11.27 691 700.2 710.2 813.9 839.3 944.7 1,101.9 1,222.6
Conservative Alison Adamson 7.81 479 486.9 490.4 493.9 523.6 607.5    
SNP Annmargaret Watson 7.01 430 457.8 550.9 552 562 642.7 678.9  
Action to Save St John's Hospital Claire Lynch 6.36 390 405.2 412.9 415.9 453.5      
Liberal Democrats Caron Marianne Howden 2.15 132 139.1 141.5 143.1        
Electorate: 16,271   Valid: 6,131   Spoilt: 90   Quota: 1,227   Turnout: 6,221 (37.68%)

Livingston South

Livingston South - 4 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
Labour Lawrence Fitzpatrick (incumbent) 34.89 2,395          
SNP Peter Johnston (incumbent) 24.34 1,671          
Labour Danny Logue (incumbent) 13.01 893 1,631.7        
SNP John Muir (incumbent) 11.92 818 867.1 966.2 986 1,015.6 1,534.4
SNP John Lindsay 5.84 401 444.9 603.8 622.1 648.5  
Conservative Nick Davis 5.45 374 425.2 428.8 448.9    
Action to Save St John's Hospital Derreck Allen McCullough 4.55 312 376.9 392.4 458.9 679.3 731.3
Electorate: 16,441   Valid: 6,864   Spoilt: 73   Quota: 1,373   Turnout: 6,937 (41.75%)

East Livingston and East Calder

East Livingston and East Calder - 4 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
Labour Dave King (incumbent) 32.14 1,914        
SNP Frank Anderson (incumbent) 19.26 1,147 1,161.7 1,164.8 1,180.9 1,398.6
SNP Carl John (incumbent) 16.89 1,006 1,058.4 1,061.2 1,094.1 1,304.3
Labour Frank Toner 11.45 682 1,237.6      
SNP Lis Bardell 7.62 454 462.3 464.5 485.9  
Action to Save St John's Hospital Jean Ann Finch 6.38 380 407.9 419.3 607.3 637.3
Conservative Evelyn Stirling 6.25 372 386.7 389.9    
Electorate: 14,346   Valid: 5,955   Spoilt: 92   Quota: 1,192   Turnout: 6,047 (41.51%)

Fauldhouse and the Briech Valley

Fauldhouse and the Briech Valley - 3 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
Labour David Dodds 33.30 1,713          
SNP Garry Knox 17.57 904 929.6 949.1 1,023.6 1,039.2  
Labour Cathy Muldoon (incumbent) 17.53 902 1,235.7 1,264.5 1,423.6    
SNP Greg McCarra (incumbent) 17.42 896 905.7 931.2 1,063.7 1,085.5 1,999.8
Action to Save St John's Hospital Jim Warnock 10.34 532 557.4 647.6      
Conservative Alastair Lowrie 3.83 197 202.5        
Electorate: 11,239   Valid: 5,144   Spoilt: 106   Quota: 1,287   Turnout: 5,250 (45.77%)

Whitburn and Blackburn

Whitburn and Blackburn - 4 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8
Labour George Paul (incumbent) 32.59 1,896              
SNP Jim Dickson (incumbent) 27.68 1,610              
Labour Barry Robertson 11.96 696 1,356.2            
Action to Save St John's Hospital George Beurskens (incumbent) 10.64 619 639.8 668.9 712.4 729.7 760.3 886.4  
SNP Mary Dickson 9.66 562 575.1 964 986.7 996.9 1,012.3 1,058.5 1,317.4
Conservative Stuart Martin 4.66 271 273.3 277.5 287.6 312.2 337.1    
National Front Neil McIvor 1.63 95 98.5 100.7 104.5 108.6      
Liberal Democrats Robert Durie Howden 1.17 68 72.2 75.8 83.7        
Electorate: 11,239   Valid: 5,817   Spoilt: 108   Quota: 1,164   Turnout: 5,925 (41.75%)

Bathgate

Bathgate - 4 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
Labour John McGinty (incumbent) 22.59 1,314            
SNP Jim Walker (incumbent) 22.04 1,282            
Labour Harry Cartmill 19.56 1,138 1,231.1          
SNP William H. Boyle (incumbent) 18.69 1,087 1,094.8 1,123.8 1,127.9 1,135.2 1,174.7 1,215.1
Independent Jamie Firth 6.63 453 214.7 218.4 222.3 236.9 293.7  
Conservative Charles Kennedy 5.93 345 347.5 349.9 352.8 371 405.4 455.9
SNP Calum Laurie 5.14 299 303.6 347.8 349.7 355.2 371.1 397.4
Action to Save St John's Hospital Douglas Banks 3.35 195 198.5 201.9 207.8 224.3    
UKIP Alistair Forrest 1.34 78 79 79.8 80.8      
Electorate: 13,933   Valid: 5,817   Spoilt: 108   Quota: 1,164   Turnout: 5,925 (41.75%)

Armadale and Blackridge

Armadale and Blackridge - 3 seats
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2
Independent Stuart Borrowman (incumbent) 56.68 2,541  
SNP Isabel Hutton (incumbent)† 19.21 861 1,217.5
Labour Jim Dixon (incumbent) 17.58 788 1,283.1
SNP Dean Williamson 3.75 168 229.5
Conservative Marion Kerr 2.79 125 246.8
Electorate: 11,247   Valid: 4,483   Spoilt: 49   Quota: 1,121   Turnout: 4,532 (39.86%)

Post-election Changes

By Elections since 2012

Armadale and Blackridge By-election (26 March 2015)- 1 Seat[1]
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4
SNP Sarah King 43.4% 1,620 1,647 1,676 1,874
Labour Andrew McGuire 27.0% 1,009 1,018 1,074 1,382
Independent Scott Mackay 20.3% 756 786 868  
Conservative Ian Burgess 6.8% 255 264    
Scottish Green Jenny Johnson 2.4% 90      
Electorate: 12,315   Valid: 3,730   Spoilt: 46   Quota: 1,866   Turnout: 3,776 (30.7%)
Linlithgow By-election (1 October 2015)- 1 Seat[2]
Party Candidate % 1st Pref Count 1 Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
SNP David Tait 43.1% 2,049 2,061 2,099 2,234 2,325
Labour David Manion 22.9% 1,088 1,131 1,175 1,279 1,644
Conservative Ian Burgess 20.5% 973 992 1,056 1,070  
Scottish Green Maire McCormack 5.9% 282 303 346    
Independent Brenda Galloway 4.8% 230 246      
Liberal Democrats Caron Lindsay 2.8% 133        
Electorate: 12,516   Valid: 4,755   Spoilt: 28   Quota: 2,378   Turnout: 4,783 (38.2%)

References

  1. ↑ http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/media/6866/By-Election-results---Armadale-and-Blackridge/pdf/Document2.pdf
  2. ↑ http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/8470/Linlithgow-By-Election

http://www.westlothian.gov.uk/Council_and_government/pol_elec_democracy/elections_and_voting/election_results

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