2022_South_Ayrshire_Council_election

2022 South Ayrshire Council election

2022 South Ayrshire Council election

South Ayrshire Council election

Elections to South Ayrshire Council took place on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. As with other Scottish council elections, it was held using single transferable vote (STV) – a form of proportional representation – in which multiple candidates are elected in each ward and voters rank candidates in order of preference.

Quick Facts All 28 seats to South Ayrshire Council 15 seats needed for a majority, Registered ...

Despite shedding almost a quarter of their vote and coming second in the popular vote, the Conservatives retained their position as the largest party returning 10 councillors - two less than in the previous election. Both the Scottish National Party (SNP) – who topped the popular vote – and Labour made no gains or losses to remain as the second and third parties respectively. The number of independents returned increased from two to four.

Following the election the Conservatives formed a minority administration, replacing the previous SNP-Labour-Independent administration which was formed as a result of the previous election in 2017.

Background

Previous election

Main article: 2017 South Ayrshire Council election

At the previous election in 2017, the Conservatives won the most seats returning 12 councillors. The Scottish National Party (SNP) maintained their position as the second-largest party while boundary changes saw Labour lose out as they lost four seats to return five councillors. Two independents were also returned.[1][2]

More information Party, Seats ...

Source:[1][2]

Electoral system

The election used the eight wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 28 councillors elected. Each ward elected either three or four members, using the single transferable vote (STV) electoral system – a form of proportional representation – where candidates are ranked in order of preference.[3]

Composition

There was one change to the composition of the council following the previous election in 2017. Conservative councillor Hugh Hunter was de-selected in the run-up to the 2022 elections and resigned from the party to stand as an independent.[4][5]

More information Party, 2017 result ...

Retiring Councillors

More information Council Ward, Party ...

Source:[2][6]

Candidates

The total number of candidates increased from 45 in 2017 to 61 mainly due to the increased number of parties contesting the election. Unlike the previous vote, the Conservatives fielded the highest number of candidates at 19 – seven more than they had in 2017. Both the SNP and Labour also fielded at least one candidate in every ward but the 13 candidates fielded by the SNP and the eight fielded by Labour was one less than in 2017. The Liberal Democrats named six candidates in this election after fielding none in South Ayrshire in 2017. The number of independent candidates increased from nine in 2017 to 10 but the Greens did not contest the election as they did five years previous. Both the Scottish Family Party and the Alba Party fielded their first ever candidates in a South Ayrshire election.[2][6][7]

Results

More information Party, Seats ...

Source: [8]

Note: Votes are the sum of first preference votes across all council wards. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 4 May 2017. This is because STV has an element of proportionality which is not present unless multiple seats are being elected. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at the dissolution of Scotland's councils.[9][10]

Ward summary

More information Ward, % ...

Source: [8]

Seats changing hands

Below is a list of seats which elected a different party or parties from 2017 in order to highlight the change in political composition of the council from the previous election. The list does not include defeated incumbents who resigned or defected from their party and subsequently failed re-election while the party held the seat.

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Notes
  1. ^
    Note 1: In 2017, Hugh Hunter was elected as a Conservative candidate but was later deselected and stood as an independent in 2022.[5]

Ward results

Troon

The Conservatives (2), the SNP (1) and Labour (1) retained the seats they won at the previous election.

More information Party, Candidate ...

    Source: [11][12]

    Prestwick

    The Conservatives held one of the two seats they won at the previous election and lost one to independent candidate Hugh Hunter while the SNP and Labour retained the seats they had won at the previous election. In 2017, Hugh Hunter was elected as a Conservative candidate.

    More information Party, Candidate ...

      Source: [13][14]

      Ayr North

      The SNP (2), Labour (1) and the Conservatives (1) retained the seats they had won at the previous election.

      More information Party, Candidate ...

        Source: [15][16]

        Ayr East

        The SNP, Labour and the Conservatives retained the seats they won at the previous election.

        More information Party, Candidate ...

          Source: [17][18]

          Ayr West

          The Conservatives retained two of the three seats they won at the previous election and lost one to independent candidate Bob Shields while the SNP retained their only seat.

          More information Party, Candidate ...

            Source: [19][20]

            Kyle

            The SNP, Labour and the Conservatives retained the seats they won at the previous election.

            More information Party, Candidate ...

              Source: [21][22]

              Maybole, North Carrick and Coylton

              The SNP, the Conservatives and independent candidate Brian Connolly retained the seats they won at the previous election.

              More information Party, Candidate ...

                Source: [23][24]

                Girvan and South Carrick

                Independent candidate Alec Clark, the SNP and the Conservatives held the seats they won at the previous election.

                More information Party, Candidate ...

                  Source: [25][26]

                  Aftermath

                  It had initially been expected that the ruling SNP-Labour-Independent administration would continue to run the council, but discussions broke down between the parties amid Labour's claims of a "political stitch-up". As a result, the SNP planned to run the council as a minority administration on a "collaboration and consensus basis".[27] However, the Conservative group formed a minority administration and took control of the council[28] after the first full-council meeting thanks to Labour abstentions. The party also had the support of two of the local authority's four independents.[29]

                  In June 2023, both the SNP and Labour groups made changes to their leadership. Cllr Peter Henderson, leader of the SNP group, retired as a councillor due to "personal ill-health" which triggered a by-election in Girvan and South Carrick. He was replaced by Cllr William Grant as the SNP group leader. Labour group leader Cllr Brian McGinley was replaced in the role by Cllr Duncan Townson.[30][31]

                  Ayr East councillor Chris Cullen defected from the SNP to the Alba Party in October 2023 saying the party had "failed to deliver on independence".[32]

                  At some point in late 2023 or early 2024, Ayr North councillor Mark Dixon left the SNP to sit as an independent. He has stated on social media that he is now a member of the Greens but the party do not allow members who have defected from other parties to formally sit under their banner so he remains an independent on the council.[8][33]

                  Girvan and South Carrick by-election

                  Cllr Henderson stood down on 30 June 2023 and a by-election took place on 21 September 2023.[34] This resulted in a Conservative gain from the SNP and Alan Lamont was elected on the fourth count.[35]

                  More information Party, Candidate ...

                    Source:[36]

                    References

                    1. [1]
                      "South Ayrshire Council". BBC News. 5 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2022.
                    2. [2]
                      Teale, Andrew. "Local Elections Archive Project - 2017 - South Ayrshire". Retrieved 17 March 2023.
                    3. [3]
                      "Notice of Election" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. Retrieved 17 March 2023.
                    4. [4]
                      Wilson, Stuart (9 November 2021). "Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party to drop Prestwick councillor Hugh Hunter from 2022 local election team". Daily Record. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
                    5. [5]
                      Wilson, Stuart (13 February 2022). "Former South Ayrshire Conservative councillor Hugh Hunter confirms Independent bid for May election". Daily Record. Retrieved 8 April 2022.
                    6. [6]
                      Wilson, Stuart (30 March 2022). "Scottish council elections 2022: South Ayrshire candidates revealed for May 5 vote". Daily Record. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    7. [7]
                      "Notice of Election Agents" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 30 March 2022. Retrieved 19 May 2023.
                    8. [8]
                      Faulds, Allan. "South Ayrshire Council 2022". Ballot Box Scotland. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
                    9. [9]
                      Faulds, Allan (25 September 2021). "The Local STV Voting System Explained". Ballot Box Scotland. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
                    10. [10]
                      "Single Transferable Vote". Electoral Reform Society. Retrieved 24 October 2022.
                    11. [11]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 1 Troon" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    12. [12]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 1 Troon" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    13. [13]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 2 Prestwick" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    14. [14]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 2 Prestwick" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    15. [15]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 3 Ayr North" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    16. [16]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 3 Ayr North" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    17. [17]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 4 Ayr East" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    18. [18]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 4 Ayr East" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    19. [19]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 5 Ayr West" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    20. [20]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 5 Ayr West" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    21. [21]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 6 Kyle" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    22. [22]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 6 Kyle" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    23. [23]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 7 Maybole, North Carrick and Coylton" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    24. [24]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 7 Maybole, North Carrick and Coylton" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    25. [25]
                      "Declaration of Results Report Ward 8 Girvan and South Carrick" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    26. [26]
                      "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report Ward 8 Girvan and South Carrick" (PDF). South Ayrshire Council. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    27. [27]
                      Dyson, Kevin (10 May 2022). "SNP to run South Ayrshire as minority administration as Labour claim 'political stitch-up'". Daily Record. Retrieved 12 May 2022.
                    28. [28]
                      Wilson, Stuart (19 May 2022). "BREAKING: Tories take control of South Ayrshire Council". Daily Record. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
                    29. [29]
                      Richards, Xander; Robertson, Adam (26 May 2022). "Every Scottish council with a Tory-Labour deal - see the full list". The National. Retrieved 12 December 2022.
                    30. [30]
                      Lyon, Adam (9 June 2023). "South Ayrshire SNP leader Peter Henderson to retire this month". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
                    31. [31]
                      Dyson, Kevin (9 June 2023). "South Ayrshire Council: All change for SNP and Labour leadership". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
                    32. [32]
                      "SNP councillor Chris Cullen defects to Alba in Ash Regan's wake". BBC News. 30 October 2023. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
                    33. [33]
                      "Councillor Mark Dison". South Ayrshire Council. Retrieved 4 April 2024.
                    34. [34]
                      Gibson, Darren (16 August 2023). "Girvan and South Carrick: By-election taking place in Ward 8". Ayr Advertiser. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
                    35. [35]
                      Dyson, Kevin (22 September 2023). "Conservatives snatch precious seat from SNP in South Ayrshire by-election". Daily Record. Retrieved 23 September 2023.
                    36. [36]
                      Faulds, Allan. "By-Election Result: Girvan and South Carrick". Ballot Box Scotland. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
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