Local election in Scotland
2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election A map of Dumfries & Galloway showing the political parties with the most 1st preference votes in each ward.
A pie chart showing the share of 1st preference votes in Dumfries & Galloway.
The 2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of Dumfries and Galloway Council representing the Local Authority area of Dumfries and Galloway . It resulted in a council composition with no party receiving a majority of seats. The election used the twelve 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 form of proportional representation , with 43 councillors being elected.
Many prominent elected members stood down at this election, including the Leader of the Council, and former Dumfriesshire MSP, Elaine Murray .[1]
Results [ edit ] 2022 Dumfries and Galloway Council election result[2] [3] Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/− Conservative 16 0 0 0 37.21 38.76 21,462 0.06 SNP 11 0 0 0 25.58 28.17 15,602 6.61 Labour 9 0 2 2 20.93 16.55 9,169 1.9 Independent 6 2 0 2 13.95 8.60 4,762 8.66 Scottish Green 0 0 0 0 0.00 4.51 2,496 2.64 Liberal Democrats 1 0 0 0 2.33 3.26 1,810 0.79 Alba 0 0 0 0 0.00 0.12 68 New
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 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
Ward results [ edit ] Stranraer and the Rhins [ edit ] Stranraer and the Rhins - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Andrew Giusti (incumbent) 32.87 1,518 SNP Ben Dashper 23.26 1,074 Independent Willie Scobie (incumbent) 22.76 1,051 Labour John McCutcheon 9.92 458 478.74 511.28 523.0 582.42 660.68 Conservative Chrissie Hill 7.32 338 804.04 806.97 816.64 833.1 861.45 1,025.86 Scottish Green Peter Barlow 2.60 120 126.65 180.98 187.14 Independent Tommy Sloan 1.28 59 98.92 118.89 198.15 239.43 Electorate: 11,398 Valid: 4,618 (41.5%) Spoilt: 108 Quota: 924 Turnout: 4,726
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West [ edit ] Mid Galloway and Wigtown West - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Conservative David Inglis 30.81 1,529 SNP Katie Hagmann 30.33 1,505 Conservative Jackie McCamon 19.43 964 1,428.50 Labour Sandy Whitelaw 11.27 559 578.28 681.36 806.35 1,240.1 Scottish Green Kenny Campbell 8.16 405 415.17 690.72 736.31 Electorate: 10,908 Valid: 4,962 (46.4%) Spoilt: 98 Quota: 993 Turnout: 5,060
Dee and Glenkens [ edit ] Dee and Glenkens - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 SNP Andy McFarlane 25.44 1,139 Conservative John Denerley 20.37 912 912.37 927.43 942.45 963.52 1,603.68 Conservative Susan Murdoch 17.66 791 791.47 801.52 835.52 859.71 Independent Dougie Campbell 14.63 655 657.74 721.92 809.37 1,108.76 1,227.96 Scottish Green Laura Moodie 11.34 508 517.76 556.07 651.93 Labour Graham Trickey 6.05 271 272.94 320.22 Independent Anthony Bird 4.51 202 203.05 Electorate: 8,406 Valid: 4,478 Spoilt: 51 Quota: 1,120 Turnout: 4,529
Castle Douglas and Crocketford [ edit ] Castle Douglas and Crocketford - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Conservative Pauline Drysdale 30.25 1,220 SNP John Young 25.09 1,012 Independent Iain Clark Howie 9.99 403 425.31 425.73 468.15 521.73 582.37 827.87 1,115.45 Independent Gill Dykes 9.57 386 409.35 409.43 432.59 463.7 550.84 Liberal Democrats Iain McDonald 7.76 313 329.6 329.94 382.21 495.45 553.27 633.43 Scottish Green Liz Ashburn 6.03 243 244.21 245.53 Labour Keith Heron 5.98 241 246.71 247.09 316.52 Conservative Iain Kennedy-Moffat 5.33 215 341.95 341.97 349.93 361.55 Electorate: 7,751 Valid: 4,033 Spoilt: 59 Quota: 1,009 Turnout: 4,092 (52.8%)
Abbey - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 SNP Kim Lowe 31.13 1,267 Labour Davie Stitt 25.87 1,053 Conservative Ian Blake 24.69 1,005 1,014.24 1,020.15 Conservative Robin Wishart 12.01 489 493.91 496.38 Liberal Democrats Matthew Pumphrey 6.29 256 375.09 390.24 Electorate: 8,592 Valid: 4,070 Spoilt: 76 Quota: 1,018 Turnout: 4,146 (48.3%)
North West Dumfries [ edit ] North West Dumfries - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 SNP Andy Ferguson 39.52 1,561 Conservative Graham Bell 28.43 1,123 Labour Emma Jordan 18.43 728 919.88 Labour Paula Stevenson 8.78 347 404.22 495.86 607.94 909.1 Scottish Green Ann Johnstone 4.84 191 526.42 571.95 579.27 Electorate: 10,203 Valid: 3,950 Spoilt: 62 Quota: 791 Turnout: 4,012 (39.3%)
Mid and Upper Nithsdale [ edit ] Mid and Upper Nithsdale - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 SNP Tony Berretti 29.23 1,161 Independent Jim Dempster 27.37 1,087 Conservative Andrew Wood 15.84 629 631.88 642.83 1,139.94 Conservative Kyle Thornton 14.88 591 596.61 612.95 Labour Callum Jamieson 12.69 504 595.34 630.2 664.05 Electorate: 8,242 Valid: 3,972 Spoilt: 46 Quota: 994 Turnout: 4,018 (48.8%)
Lochar - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 SNP Tracey Little 33.68 1,787 Conservative Ivor Hyslop 25.41 1,348 Labour Linda Dorward 21.60 1,146 Conservative Maureen Johnstone 14.55 772 810.33 1,058.85 1,078.40 Scottish Green Sandy Rogerson 4.77 253 733.92 740.62 Electorate: 11,299 Valid: 5,306 Spoilt: 60 Quota: 1,016 Turnout: 5,386 (47.7%)
Nith - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 SNP John Gillespie Campbell 33.35 1,670 Conservative Malcolm Johnstone 18.05 904 920 923 937.74 1,386.79 Labour Keith Walters 16.68 835 949.4 1,291.2 Conservative Alastair Muir 10.29 515 521.0 523.4 539.12 Independent David Slater 9.75 488 546 562.8 621.97 642.89 785.24 1,029.72 Labour Angie Whitelaw 7.09 355 409 Scottish Green Ann McLauchlan 4.79 240 540.4 559 624.58 629.76 655.28 Electorate: 10,573 Valid: 5,007 Spoilt: 72 Quota: 1,002 Turnout: 5,079 (48.0%)
Annandale South [ edit ] Annandale South - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 Conservative Ian Carruthers 21.90 1,118 SNP George Jamieson 21.63 1,104 Labour Sean Marshall 19.10 975 982.4 1,003.12 1,063.84 Liberal Democrats Richard Brodie 17.67 902 911.2 924.35 995.49 1,017.45 1,396.61 Conservative Alan Weild 16.44 839 909.1 910.97 921.46 926.58 Scottish Green Cameron Garrett 3.25 166 166.7 195.86 Electorate: 11,245 Valid: 5,104 Spoilt: 94 Quota: 1,021 Turnout: 5,198 (46.2%)
Annandale North [ edit ] Annandale North - 4 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 SNP Stephen Thompson (incumbent) 30.05 1,725 Conservative Gail MacGregor 20.08 1,153 Conservative Lynne Davis 19.40 1,114 1,134.03 1,135.51 1,142.51 1,165.86 Labour Carolyne Wilson 13.88 797 951.27 951.42 973.11 1,266.7 Conservative Doug Fairbairn 10.82 621 634.5 636.25 638.92 647.94 Scottish Green Jennifer Norris 4.58 263 487.72 487.76 548.49 Alba Marion Collins 1.18 68 123.1 123.2 Electorate: 11,910 Valid: 5,741 Spoilt: 74 Quota: 1,149 Turnout: 5,815 (48.8%)
Annandale East and Eskdale [ edit ] Annandale East and Eskdale - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Conservative Karen Carruthers 27.75 1,140 Labour Archie Dryburgh 21.42 880 888.45 908.65 973.11 1,260.22 Independent Denis Male 15.41 633 639.1 649.1 687.47 724.95 875.1 1,190.62 Conservative Ron Tait 14.95 614 693.1 699.67 712.75 724.95 751.84 SNP Sylvia Willmot 14.53 597 597.88 640.98 660.98 Liberal Democrats Kirsten Herbst-Gray 3.33 137 141.62 159.81 Scottish Green Stephen Mattock 2.60 107 108.28 Electorate: 8,699 Valid: 4,108 Spoilt: 82 Quota: 1,028 Turnout: 4,190 (48.2%)
Aftermath [ edit ] Over the 2017–2022 term, the SNP and Labour ran a coalition, while the Conservatives were the largest party. Following this election, the SNP under Cllr Stephen Thompson, Labour under Cllr Linda Dorward and the Independent Group (including 6 Independents and 1 Liberal Democrat ) under Cllr Richard Brodie agreed to work together and form a "Rainbow Coalition ".[4] Thompson and Dorward became co-leaders of the council.
Despite the collaboration between the SNP and Labour, Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar claimed that the deal was an interim arrangement and "not for the duration of the entire council term".[5] Ultimately, the coalition agreement lasted only 8 months[6] and the Conservatives (with Independent support) took control of the administration.
Changes since 2022 [ edit ] Mid Galloway and Wigtown West by-election [ edit ] In October 2022, Labour councillor Sandy Whitelaw resigned, triggering a by-election in Ward 2 - Mid Galloway and Wigtown West, which was held on 8 December 2022.[7]
Mid Galloway and Wigtown West – 1 seat[8] Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 Conservative Richard Marsh 52.86 1,787 SNP Ian Gibson 26.00 879 Labour John Peter McCutcheon 9.64 326 Liberal Democrats Iain McDonald 5.62 190 Scottish Green Daniel Hooper-Jones 5.08 172 Electorate: 10,981 Valid: 3,354 Spoilt: 26 Quota: 1,678.00 Turnout: 3,380
Change in Council Leadership [ edit ] In February 2023, Labour councillors agreed to terminate their formal coalition with the SNP and Independent Councillors.[9] The resulting agreement led to Councillor Stephen Thompson (SNP ) being declared Leader of Dumfries & Galloway Council and Councillor Richard Brodie (Lib Dem ) declared as Deputy Leader.
In March 2023, Labour abstentions and Independent Councillors' support allowed a Conservative budget to pass. As a result, the SNP leadership resigned, including Councillor Thompson.[10] One week later, the Conservatives (with Independent Group support) elected Gail MacGregor as Council Leader, resulting in Dumfries & Galloway Council coming under Conservative administration.[11]
References [ edit ]