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.

Quick Facts All 80 seats to Highland Council 41 seats needed for a majority, First party ...

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 22 12 Popular vote 37,844 17,917 Percentage 40.9% 19.3% Swing 28.7pp 13.2pp   Third party Fourth party   Party SNP Labour Last election 6 seats, 10.2% 8 seats, 11.6% Seats won 17 7 Seat change 11 1 Popular vote 18,933 9,734 Percentage 20.4% 10.5% Swing 10.2pp 0.9pp
Council Convener before election Alison Magee Independent Council Convener after election Sandy Park Independent

Close

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.

Incumbent councillors are marked with *

• On 6 May 2007, Badenoch and Strathspey Cllr Gregor Rimell became a Liberal Democrat and ceased to be an Independent
• On 26 October 2007, Tain and Easter Ross Cllr Richard Durham became an Independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats
• On 12 December 2007, Tain and Easter Ross Cllr Alan Torrance became a member of the Scottish National Party and ceased to be an Independent
• On 3 April 2008, Landward Caithness Cllr David Bremner became an Independent, separate from the Administration, after being expelled from the Scottish National Party
• In 2008, Wick Cllr Graeme Smith became a member of the Independent Members Group after leaving the Liberal Democrats
• On 13 March 2009, North, West and Central Sutherland Cllr Linda Munro became a Liberal Democrat and ceased to be an Independent
• On 17 February 2011 Inverness Central Cllr Janet Campbell became a member of the Independent Members Group after leaving the Liberal Democrats.
• On 17 February 2011 Culloden and Ardersier Cllr Glynis Sinclair became an Independent after leaving the Liberal Democrats. She joined the Scottish National Party on 24 May 2011