2017 West Lothian Council election

2017 Scottish local government election

2017 West Lothian Council election

* * *

| <- 2012 | 4 May 2017 (2017-05-04) | 2022 ->

|
|

* * *

All 33 seats to West Lothian Council
17 seats needed for a majority
|  | First party  | Second party

|
|

|  |
Leader  | Peter Johnston  | John McGinty
Party  | SNP | Labour
Leader's seat  | Livingston South | Bathgate
Last election  | 15 seats, 40.4% | 16 seats, 38.1%
Seats before  | 15  | 16
Seats won  | 13  | 12
Seat change  |  2  |  4
Popular vote  | 23,218  | 18,082
Percentage  | 37.3%  | 29.0%
Swing  |  3.1%  |  9.1%

* * *

| Third party  | Fourth party
|  |
Leader  | Damian Timson  | Stuart Borrowman
Party  | Conservative | Independent
Leader's seat  | East Calder and East Livingston | Armadale and Blackridge
Last election  | 1 seat, 3.1% | 1 seat, 5.3%
Seats before  | 1  | 1
Seats won  | 7  | 1
Seat change  |  6  |
Popular vote  | 14,449  | 3,088
Percentage  | 23.2%  | 5.0%
Swing  |  14.3%  |  0.3%

* * *

Overall Result

SNP vote share by wards

Labour vote share by wards

Conservative vote share by wards

* * *

* * *

| Council Leader before election

John McGinty
Labour

| Council Leader after election

Lawrence Fitzpatrick
Labour

|

The 2017 West Lothian Council election took place on 4 May 2017. The election used 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 form of proportional representation, with 33 Councillors being elected. The election resulted in no overall party majority, leading to the Labour Party and the Conservative Party forming a coalition administration.[citation needed]

## Results

[edit]

2017 West Lothian local election result  Party  | Seats  | Gains  | Losses  | Net gain/loss  | Seats %  | Votes %  | Votes  | +/−

|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|

| SNP | 13  | 0  | 2  |  2  | 39.4  | 37.3  | 23,218  |  3.1
| Labour | 12  | 0  | 4  |  4  | 36.4  | 29.0  | 18,082  |  9.1
| Conservative | 7  | 6  | 0  |  6  | 21.2  | 23.2  | 14,449  |  14.3
| Independent | 1  | 0  | 0  |  | 3.0  | 5.0  | 3,088  |  0.3
| Scottish Green | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 2.7  | 1,695  | New
| Liberal Democrats | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 2.6  | 1,632  | 2.2
| TUSC | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 0.1  | 57  | New
| UKIP | 0  | 0  | 0  |  | 0.0  | 0.1  | 40  |  0.1

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections in 2012. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

## Ward results

[edit]

### Linlithgow

[edit]

* 2012: 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP, 1 x Labour
* 2017: 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP, 1 x Labour
* 2012-2017 Change: No Change

Linlithgow - 3 seats[1] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| Conservative | Tom Kerr (incumbent)  | 41.92%  | 3,037 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | Tom Conn (incumbent)  | 14.63%  | 1,060  | 1,425  | 1,450  | 1,558  | 1,956 |  |
| SNP | David Tait (incumbent)  | 16.01%  | 1,160  | 1,215  | 1,217  | 1,310  | 1,390  | 1,405  | 2,529
| SNP | Sue Friel  | 15.06%  | 1,091  | 1,126  | 1,129  | 1,246  | 1,319  | 1,341  |
| Liberal Democrats | Sally Pattle  | 5.26%  | 381  | 692  | 714  | 872  |  |  |
| Scottish Green | Maire McCormack  | 6.57%  | 476  | 535  | 541  |  |  |  |
| UKIP | Alan Cooper  | 0.55%  | 40  | 113  |  |  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 7,245  Spoilt: 74  Quota: 1,812  Turnout: 59.0%

### Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x Labour, 2 x SNP
* 2017: 2 x SNP, 1 x Labour, 1 x Conservative
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Labour

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh - 4 seats[2] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9
| SNP | Diane Calder (incumbent)  | 27.24%  | 1,898 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Conservative | Chris Horne | 27.23%  | 1,897 |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | Angela Doran††† | 19.00%  | 1,324  | 1,340  | 1,448 |  |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Janet Campbell (incumbent)  | 8.37%  | 583  | 868  | 880  | 882  | 894  | 961  | 990  | 1,057  | 1,666
| SNP | Pippa Plevin  | 6.06%  | 422  | 571  | 577  | 577  | 580  | 626  | 668  | 739  |
| Labour | Audrey Middleton  | 4.49%  | 313  | 318  | 368  | 410  | 423  | 467  | 628  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | John Woods  | 3.12%  | 217  | 224  | 350  | 352  | 368  | 454  |  |  |
| Scottish Green | June Douglas  | 3.67%  | 256  | 274  | 297  | 299  | 313  |  |  |  |
| TUSC | Elaine Mallon  | 0.82%  | 57  | 59  | 72  | 74  |  |  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 6,967  Spoilt: 165  Quota: 1,394  Turnout: 46.2%

### Livingston North

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x SNP, 2 x Labour
* 2017: 2 x SNP, 1 x Labour, 1 x Conservative
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Labour

Livingston North - 4 seats[3] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| Conservative | Alison Adamson | 25.45%  | 1,940 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | Dom McGuire | 13.03%  | 993  | 1,077  | 1,092  | 1,209  | 1,898 |  |
| SNP | Robert De Bold (incumbent)  | 16.31%  | 1,243  | 1,254  | 1,279  | 1,303  | 1,327  | 1,347  | 2,161
| SNP | Andrew Miller (incumbent)  | 15.35%  | 1,170  | 1,175  | 1,207  | 1,235  | 1,260  | 1,297  | 1,606
| SNP | Lorna Menzies Craig  | 14.53%  | 1,107  | 1,115  | 1,141  | 1,163  | 1,181  | 1,210  |
| Labour | Anne McMillan (incumbent)  | 9.52%  | 726  | 764  | 782  | 853  |  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Caron Lindsay  | 3.28%  | 250  | 360  | 417  |  |  |  |
| Scottish Green | Mark Wilkinson  | 2.53%  | 193  | 213  |  |  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 7,622  Spoilt: 123  Quota: 1,525  Turnout: 43.5%

### Livingston South

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x Labour, 2 x SNP
* 2017: 2 x SNP, 1 x Labour, 1 x Conservative
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Labour

Livingston South - 4 seats[4] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

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|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| Labour | Lawrence Fitzpatrick (incumbent)  | 27.12%  | 2,228 |  |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Peter Johnston (incumbent) †  | 20.69%  | 1,700 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Conservative | Peter Heggie | 19.40%  | 1,594  | 1,673 |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Moira Shemilt | 13.02%  | 1,070  | 1,109  | 1,151  | 1,151  | 1,169  | 1,268  | 1,827
| Labour | Danny Logue (incumbent)  | 8.41%  | 691  | 1,080  | 1,083  | 1,091  | 1,137  | 1,216  | 1,241
| SNP | Annmargaret Watson  | 7.17%  | 589  | 593  | 598  | 599  | 602  | 620  |
| Scottish Green | Jayne Glass  | 2.44%  | 200  | 221  | 223  | 225  | 275  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Jill Pattle  | 1.75%  | 144  | 154  | 155  | 160  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 8,216  Spoilt: 140  Quota: 1,644  Turnout: 46.3%

### East Livingston and East Calder

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x Labour, 2 x SNP
* 2017: 2 x SNP, 1 x Labour, 1 x Conservative
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Labour

East Livingston and East Calder - 4 seats[5] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

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|
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1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| Labour | Dave King (incumbent)††  | 23.75%  | 1,749 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Conservative | Damian Timson | 22.00%  | 1,620 |  |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Frank Anderson (incumbent)  | 20.09%  | 1,479 |  |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Carl John (incumbent)  | 13.20%  | 972  | 994  | 998  | 1,002  | 1,014  | 1,105  | 1,648
| Labour | Scott Rogers  | 7.13%  | 525  | 724  | 765  | 766  | 829  | 918  | 941
| SNP | Veronica Smith  | 7.54%  | 555  | 561  | 564  | 565  | 578  | 652  |
| Scottish Green | Neal Drummond  | 3.60%  | 265  | 274  | 284  | 285  | 366  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Charles Corser  | 2.69%  | 198  | 208  | 239  | 239  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 7,363  Spoilt: 141  Quota: 1,473  Turnout: 45.9%

### Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x Labour, 1 x SNP
* 2017: 2 x Labour, 1 x SNP
* 2012-2017 Change: No Change

Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley - 3 seats[6] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

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|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| Labour | David Dodds (incumbent)  | 29.81%  | 1,623 |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Pauline Clark | 18.53%  | 1,012  | 1,022  | 1,035  | 1,079  | 1,781 |
| Labour | Cathy Muldoon (incumbent)  | 17.68%  | 966  | 1,070  | 1,206  | 1,233  | 1,293  | 1,417
| Conservative | Marion Kerr  | 15.23%  | 832  | 842  | 867  | 892  | 896  | 920
| SNP | Greg McCarra (incumbent)  | 14.33%  | 783  | 787  | 794  | 817  |  |
| Scottish Green | Pamela Barnes  | 2.25%  | 123  | 128  | 162  |  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Kenneth Brown  | 2.27%  | 124  | 127  |  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 5,463  Spoilt: 159  Quota: 1,366  Turnout: 46.6%

### Whitburn and Blackburn

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x Labour, 2 x SNP
* 2017: 2 x Labour, 1 x SNP, 1 x Conservative
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from SNP

Whitburn and Blackburn - 4 seats[7] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

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|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| Labour | George Paul (incumbent)  | 28.08%  | 1,822 |  |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Jim Dickson (incumbent)  | 24.44%  | 1,586 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Conservative | Bruce Fairbairn | 21.99%  | 1,427 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | Kirsteen Sullivan | 8.59%  | 557  | 1,015  | 1,020  | 1,054  | 1,149  | 1,209  | 1,486
| SNP | Mary Dickson (incumbent)  | 7.75%  | 503  | 519  | 742  | 744  | 766  | 1,129  |
| SNP | John Leslie  | 6.47%  | 420  | 426  | 468  | 470  | 481  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Bob Howden  | 2.68%  | 174  | 182  | 186  | 224  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 6,489  Spoilt: 175  Quota: 1,298  Turnout: 42.6%

### Bathgate

[edit]

* 2012: 2 x Labour, 2 x SNP
* 2017: 2xLabour; 1xSNP; 1xConservative
* 2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain one seat from SNP

Bathgate - 4 seats[8] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| SNP | William Hannah Boyle (incumbent)  | 20.20%  | 1,554 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | Harry Cartmill (incumbent)  | 21.40%  | 1,646 |  |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | John McGinty (incumbent)  | 14.98%  | 1,152  | 1,227  | 1,228  | 1,257  | 1,278  | 1,291  | 1,597
| Conservative | Charles Kennedy | 17.93%  | 1,379  | 1,388  | 1,389  | 1,400  | 1,409  | 1,413  | 1,574
| SNP | Barry Burrows  | 8.49%  | 653  | 658  | 668  | 675  | 709  | 1,031  | 1,176
| Independent | James Walker  | 9.68%  | 745  | 752  | 752  | 765  | 795  | 806  |
| SNP | Lisa McArthur  | 4.50%  | 346  | 347  | 350  | 355  | 380  |  |
| Scottish Green | Dale McDowell  | 1.56%  | 120  | 122  | 123  | 143  |  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Fiona Ann Stevens  | 1.26%  | 97  | 98  | 98  |  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 7,692  Spoilt: 174  Quota: 1,539  Turnout: 45.1%

### Armadale and Blackridge

[edit]

* 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Labour, 1 x SNP
* 2017: 1 x Independent, 1 x Labour, 1 x SNP
* 2012-2017 Change: No Change

Armadale and Blackridge - 3 seats[9] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6
| Independent | Stuart Borrowman (incumbent)  | 45.02%  | 2,343 |  |  |  |  |
| SNP | Sarah King (incumbent)  | 25.41%  | 1,322 |  |  |  |  |
| Labour | Andrew McGuire | 13.59%  | 707  | 1,012  | 1,016  | 1,056  | 1,131  | 1,589
| Conservative | Ian Burgess  | 13.89%  | 723  | 1,016  | 1,017  | 1,035  | 1,057  |
| Scottish Green | Paula Stokes  | 1.19%  | 62  | 149  | 157  | 189  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Chris Smillie  | 0.90%  | 47  | 117  | 118  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 5,204  Spoilt: 56  Quota: 1,302  Turnout: 42.20%

## Aftermath

[edit]

On 26 October 2021 Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh Labour Cllr Angela Doran-Timson left the Labour Party and joined the Conservatives.[10]

### Livingston South by-election

[edit]

On 29 March 2020 Livingston South SNP Councillor Peter Johnston resigned his seat due to illness.[11] The By-Election was postponed due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.[12] The By Election was held on Thursday 11 March 2021. The seat was won by the SNP candidate, Maria MacAulay.

Livingston South by-election (11 March 2021) - 1 seat[13] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7
| SNP | Maria MacAulay | 43.9%  | 2,465  | 2,467  | 2,496  | 2,603  | 2,703  | 2,763  | 3,370
| Labour | Gordon Connolly  | 24.6%  | 1,382  | 1,384  | 1,419  | 1,481  | 1,579  | 2,098
| Conservative | Douglas Smith  | 17.6%  | 989  | 996  | 1,025  | 1,037  | 1,124
| Independent | Eddie Millar  | 5.9%  | 332  | 338  | 365  | 413
| Scottish Green | Cameron Glasgow  | 4.2%  | 234  | 234  | 273
| Liberal Democrats | Caron Lindsay  | 3.3%  | 185  | 186
| UKIP | John Mumford  | 0.5%  | 29
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 5,616  Spoilt: TBC  Quota: 2,809  Turnout: 30.2%

### East Livingston and East Calder by-election

[edit]

On 11 May 2021 East Livingston and East Calder Labour Cllr Dave King died. A by-election was held on 5 August 2021 and was gained by the SNP's Thomas Ullathorne.

East Livingston and East Calder by-election (5 August 2021) - 1 seat[14] Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count

|
|
|

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5
| SNP | Thomas Ullathorne | 42.5  | 1,890  | 1,906  | 1,918  | 2,122  | 2,368
| Conservative | David Philip  | 24.4  | 1,085  | 1,088  | 1,103  | 1,131  | 1,425
| Labour | Danny Logue  | 21.8  | 969  | 972  | 1,012  | 1,094  |
| Scottish Green | Neal Drummond  | 7.6  | 336  | 343  | 377  |  |
| Liberal Democrats | Hans Edginton  | 2.7  | 118  | 122  |  |  |
| ISP | John Hannah  | 1.1  | 47  |  |  |  |
Electorate: TBC  Valid: 4,445  Spoilt: 48  Quota: 2,223  Turnout: 4,493 (25.1%)

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Stage 1 – Linlithgow" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
2. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 2 – Broxburn Uphall and Winchburgh" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
3. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 3 – Livingston North" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
4. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 4 – Livingston South" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
5. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 5 – East Livingston and East Calder" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
6. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 6 – Fauldhouse and the Breich  [sic] Valley" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
7. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 7 – Whitburn and Blackburn" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
8. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 8 – Bathgate" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
9. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report – Ward 9 – Armadale and Blackridge" (PDF). West Lothian Council. 5 May 2017. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021.
10. ^ "West Lothian Labour councillor defects to Tories after marrying Tory group leader". www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. Retrieved 27 October 2021.
11. ^ Sommerville, Stuart (14 April 2020). "Livingston councillor steps down after serving Livingston fro  [sic] 35 years". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 14 October 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
12. ^ "Livingston South By-Election". West Lothian Council. Archived from the original on 1 October 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2020.
13. ^ "Local By Elections 11th March 2021 Notice of Poll" (PDF). Retrieved 27 February 2021.
14. ^ "Local By Elections 5 August 2021 Notice of Poll" (PDF). 2 July 2021. Archived (PDF) from the original on 14 October 2021. Retrieved 4 August 2021.

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*[FPv%]: First preference votes percentage
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