2017 Orkney Islands Council election

{{Infobox election

| election_name = 2017 Orkney Islands Council election

| country = Scotland

| flag_year =

| flag_image = 2007 Flag of Orkney.svg

| type = parliamentary

| ongoing = no

| party_colour =

| party_name =

| previous_election = 2012 Orkney Islands Council election

| previous_year = 2012

| previous_mps =

| election_date = {{Start date|2017|5|4|df=y}}

| elected_mps =

| next_election = 2022 Orkney Islands Council election

| next_year = 2022

| next_mps =

| seats_for_election= All 21 seats to Orkney Islands Council

| majority_seats = 11

| opinion_polls =

| turnout = 7,470 (49.7%)

| 1blank = {{nowrap|First preferences}}

| 2blank = {{nowrap|First preferences (%)}}

| 3blank = Swing (pp)

| image1 = File:No image wide.svg

| colour1 =

| leader1 = {{nowrap|Steven Heddle}}

| party1 = Independent politician

| last_election1 = {{nowrap|21 seats, 97%}}

| leaders_seat1 = Kirkwall East

| seats_needed1 = -

| seats1 = 18

| seat_change1 = {{decrease}}3

| 1data1 = 6,162

| 2data1 = 83.2%

| 3data1 = {{decrease}}13.6%

| image2 = File:No image wide.svg

| colour2 = ff7300

| leader2 = Rachael King[https://www.orcadian.co.uk/kirkwall-councillor-stand-end-oic-term/ Kirkwall councillor to stand down at end of OIC term]

| party2 = Orkney Manifesto Group

| last_election2 = —

| leaders_seat2 = West Mainland

| seats_before2 =

| seats_needed2 =

| seats2 = 2

| seat_change2 = {{increase}}2

| 1data2 = 894

| 2data2 = 12.1%

| 3data2 = N/A

| image3 = File:No image wide.svg

| colour3 =

| leader3 = {{nowrap|Steve Sankey}}

| party3 = Scottish Greens

| last_election3 = —

| leaders_seat3 = East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray

| seats3 = 1

| seat_change3 = {{increase}}1

| 1data3 = 350

| 2data3 = 4.7%

| 3data3 = New

| map_image = {{Switcher

| 350px

| Results by wards by partisanship.

| 350px

| Results by wards, showing whether the incumbent candidate was re-elected or retired}}

| title = Council Leader

| before_election = Steven Heddle

| before_party = Independent politician

| posttitle = Council Leader after election

| after_election = James Stockan

| after_party = Independent politician

}}

The 2017 Orkney Islands Council election took place on 4 May 2017 to elect members of Orkney Islands Council. The election used the six 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 21 Councillors being elected.

The Scottish Greens contested 2 wards in Orkney for the first time. Another group; the Orkney Manifesto Group, ran as a registered party for the first time, gaining the largest vote share of any party in the council's history. The OMG advocates the politicisation of the Orkney Islands Council, however is unaffiliated to any national party. The group has a Liberal-Left political outlook.{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkneycommunities.co.uk/omg/index.asp?pageid=593803|title = Orkney Manifesto Group | POLICY STATEMENTS}}

Election result

{{Election summary begin|title = Orkney Local Election Result 2017{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/results-by-ward.htm|title = Results by Ward}}{{Cite web |url=http://www.electionsscotland.info/downloads/file/351/slge2017_summary_results_data |title = SLGE2017 Summary Results Data - Electoral Management Board |access-date=2017-05-09 |archive-date=2019-07-05 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705035934/http://www.electionsscotland.info/downloads/file/351/slge2017_summary_results_data |url-status=dead }}}}

{{Election summary party|

|party = Independent politician

|seats = 18

|gain = {{nochange}}0

|loss = {{decrease}}3

|net = {{decrease}}3

|seats % = 85.7

|votes % = 83.20

|votes = 6,162

|plus/minus = -11.2

}}

{{Election summary party|

|party = Orkney Manifesto Group

|seats = 2

|gain = {{increase}}2

|loss = {{nochange}}0

|net = {{increase}}2*

|seats % = 9.5

|votes % = 12.07

|votes = 894

|plus/minus = N/A

}}

{{Election summary party|

|party = Scottish Greens

|seats = 1

|gain = {{increase}}1

|loss = {{nochange}}0

|net = {{increase}}1

|seats % = 4.8

|votes % = 4.73

|votes = 350

|plus/minus = New

}}

*The OMG councillors had been previously elected as Independents. 2017 was the first election they stood under the OMG slate.

Ward results

=Kirkwall East=

2007: 4xIndependent
2012: 4xIndependent
2017: 4xIndependent
2012–2017 change: No change

{{STV Election box begin2

|title = Kirkwall East - 4 seats{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/ward-1---kirkwall-east.htm|title=Ward 1 - Kirkwall East}}

|numcounts = 7

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent politician

|candidate = Steven Heddle (incumbent)

|count1 = 474

|percentage = 29.13

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Gwenda Shearer (incumbent)

|count1 = 344

|percentage = 21.14

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = John Ross Scott

|count1 = 291

|percentage = 17.89

|count2 = 328.8

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = David Dawson

|count1 = 256

|percentage = 15.73

|count2 = 294.1

|count3 = 299.4

|count4 = 300.1

|count5 = 302.2

|count6 = 322.8

|count7 = 356.7

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Rikki Lidderdale

|count1 = 113

|percentage = 6.95

|count2 = 139.9

|count3 = 143.7

|count4 = 144.3

|count5 = 146.4

|count6 = 165.5

|count7 = 188.7

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Ingrid Windwick Jolly

|count1 = 75

|percentage = 4.61

|count2 = 90.0

|count3 = 92.6

|count4 = 93.0

|count5 = 96.4

|count6 = 116.4

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Mike Berston

|count1 = 60

|percentage = 3.69

|count2 = 75.6

|count3 = 78.3

|count4 = 78.6

|count5 = 80.7

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Paul Dawson

|count1 = 14

|percentage = 0.86

|count2 = 15.9

|count3 = 16.1

|count4 = 16.3

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box end2

|numcounts = 7

|electorate = 3,470

|valid = 1,627

|spoilt = 14

|quota = 326

|turnout = 1,641 (47.3%)

}}

=Kirkwall West & Orphir=

2007: 4xIndependent
2012: 4xIndependent
2017: 3xIndependent; 1xOMG
2012–2017 change: 1 OMG gain from Independent

{{STV Election box begin2

|title = Kirkwall West & Orphir - 4 seats{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/ward-2---kirkwall-west-and-orphir.htm|title = Ward 2 - Kirkwall West and Orphir}}

|numcounts = 7

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Leslie Manson (incumbent)

|count1 = 646

|percentage = 44.64

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Orkney Manifesto Group

|candidate = John Richards (incumbent)

|count1 = 333

|percentage = 23.01

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Sandy Cowie

|count1 = 160

|percentage = 11.06

|count2 = 244.9

|count3 = 255.8

|count4 = 257.2

|count5 = 283.0

|count6 = 283.1

|count7 = 356.1

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Barbara Foulkes

|count1 = 150

|percentage = 10.37

|count2 = 256.4

|count3 = 267.3

|count4 = 269.4

|count5 = 290.2

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Barbara Leslie

|count1 = 109

|percentage = 7.53

|count2 = 152.5

|count3 = 158.6

|count4 = 161.8

|count5 = 177.2

|count6 = 177.2

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Alastair Macleod

|count1 = 39

|percentage = 2.70

|count2 = 83.6

|count3 = 88.0

|count4 = 93.6

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Max Thomas

|count1 = 10

|percentage = 0.69

|count2 = 16.6

|count3 = 17.8

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

}}

{{STV Election box end2

|numcounts = 7

|electorate = 3,466

|valid = 1,447

|spoilt = 19

|quota = 290

|turnout = 1,466 (42.3%)

}}

=Stromness and South Isles=

2007: 3xIndependent
2012: 3xIndependent
2017: 3xIndependent
2012–2017 change: No change

{{STV Election box begin2

|title = Stromness and South Isles - 3 seats{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/ward-3---stromness-and-south-isles.htm|title=Ward 3 - Stromness and South Isles}}

|numcounts = 1

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Rob Crichton (incumbent)

|count1 = unopposed

|percentage = unopposed

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = James Stockan (incumbent)

|count1 = unopposed

|percentage = unopposed

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Magnus Thomson

|count1 = unopposed

|percentage = unopposed

}}

{{STV Election box end2

|numcounts = 1

|electorate =

|valid =

|spoilt =

|quota =

|turnout =

}}

=West Mainland=

2007: 4xIndependent
2012: 4xIndependent
2017: 3xIndependent, 1xOMG
2012–2017 change: 1 OMG gain from Independent

{{STV Election box begin2

|title = West Mainland - 4 seats{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/ward-4---west-mainland.htm|title=Ward 4 - West Mainland}}

|numcounts = 6

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Orkney Manifesto Group

|candidate = Rachael King (incumbent)

|count1 = 561

|percentage = 30.61

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Harvey Johnston (incumbent)

|count1 = 536

|percentage = 29.24

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Owen Tierney (incumbent)

|count1 = 370

|percentage = 20.19

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Duncan Allan Tullock

|count1 = 191

|percentage = 10.42

|count2 = 245.3

|count3 = 327.6

|count4 = 328.8

|count5 = 344.5

|count6 = 369.9

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Jo Jones

|count1 = 70

|percentage = 3.82

|count2 = 106.3

|count3 = 130.9

|count4 = 131.3

|count5 = 143.0

|count6 = 170.6

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Scottish Green Party

|candidate = Helen Woodsford-Dean

|count1 = 66

|percentage = 3.60

|count2 = 95.4

|count3 = 104.5

|count4 = 104.8

|count5 = 114.8

|count6 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Sean Michael Lewis

|count1 = 39

|percentage = 2.13

|count2 = 51.4

|count3 = 60.0

|count4 = 60.2

|count5 =

|count6 =

}}

{{STV Election box end2

|numcounts = 6

|electorate = 3,538

|valid = 1,833

|spoilt = 14

|quota = 367

|turnout = 1,847 (52.2%)

}}

=East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray=

2007: 3xIndependent
2012: 3xIndependent
2017: 2xIndependent, 1xGreen
2012–2017 change: 1 Green gain from Independent

{{STV Election box begin2

|title = East Mainland, South Ronaldsay & Burray - 3 seats{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/Ward-5-E-Main-SRon-Burray.htm|title=Ward 5 - East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray}}

|numcounts = 4

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Andrew Drever (incumbent)

|count1 = 509

|percentage = 35.74

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Scottish Green Party

|candidate = Steve Sankey

|count1 = 284

|percentage = 19.94

|count2 = 301.9

|count3 = 383.4

|count4 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Norman Rae Craigie

|count1 = 238

|percentage = 16.71

|count2 = 281.9

|count3 = 354.2

|count4 = 362.6

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = John Stanley Groundwater

|count1 = 201

|percentage = 14.12

|count2 = 229.4

|count3 =

|count4 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Jim Foubister (incumbent)

|count1 = 192

|percentage = 13.48

|count2 = 231.4

|count3 = 265.4

|count4 = 269.6

}}

{{STV Election box end2

|numcounts = 4

|electorate = 2,725

|valid = 1,424

|spoilt = 12

|quota = 357

|turnout = 1,436 (52.7%)

}}

=North Isles=

2007: 3xIndependent
2012: 3xIndependent
2017: 3xIndependent
2012–2017 change: No change

{{STV Election box begin2

|title = North Isles - 3 seats{{Cite web|url=http://www.orkney.gov.uk/Council/copy-of-C/ward-6---north-isles.htm|title = Ward 6 - North Isles}}

|numcounts = 8

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Graham Sinclair (incumbent)

|count1 = 290

|percentage = 26.98

|count2 =

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Kevin Woodbridge†

|count1 = 256

|percentage = 23.81

|count2 = 261.4

|count3 = 274.5

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Stephen Clackson (incumbent)

|count1 = 197

|percentage = 18.33

|count2 = 200.6

|count3 = 207.9

|count4 = 209.0

|count5 = 219.4

|count6 = 231.5

|count7 = 247.1

|count8 = 321.9

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Stuart Roy McIvor

|count1 = 118

|percentage = 10.98

|count2 = 120.5

|count3 = 124.6

|count4 = 125.6

|count5 = 132.7

|count6 = 143.2

|count7 = 168.2

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Ralph Stevenson

|count1 = 70

|percentage = 6.51

|count2 = 72.9

|count3 = 77.2

|count4 = 78.1

|count5 = 92.4

|count6 = 121.7

|count7 =

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Simon Tarry

|count1 = 70

|percentage = 6.51

|count2 = 72.8

|count3 = 72.9

|count4 = 73.5

|count5 = 78.6

|count6 =

|count7 =

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = George Arthur Mowat-Brown

|count1 = 39

|percentage = 3.35

|count2 = 39.5

|count3 = 40.6

|count4 = 41.1

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Billy Muir

|count1 = 35

|percentage = 3.26

|count2 = 36.1

|count3 =

|count4 =

|count5 =

|count6 =

|count7 =

|count8 =

}}

{{STV Election box end2

|numcounts = 8

|electorate = 1,840

|valid = 1,075

|spoilt = 5

|quota = 269

|turnout = 1,080 (58.7%)

}}

Changes since 2017 Election

† North Isles Independent Cllr Kevin Woodbridge died on 19 April 2020 after a short illness.{{Cite web|url=https://www.orcadian.co.uk/tributes-paid-to-north-isles-councillor-kevin-woodbridge/|title=Tributes paid to North Isles councillor Kevin Woodbridge|date=20 April 2020}} A by-election was held on 1 October 2020 and was won by Kevin Woodbridge's daughter, Heather Woodbridge.{{cite web |title=Heather Woodbridge wins North Isles council seat |url=https://www.orcadian.co.uk/heather-woodbridge-wins-north-isles-council-seat/ |website=The Orcadian |access-date=15 January 2022}}

=By-elections since 2017=

{{STV Election box begin2|

|title=North Isles By-election (1 October 2020)

|numcounts = 1

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Heather Woodbridge

|count1 = 638

|percentage = 69.9

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Scottish Labour Party

|candidate = Coilla Drake

|count1 = 158

|percentage = 17.3

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Claire Stevens

|count1 = 75

|percentage = 8.2

}}

{{STV Election box candidate2|

|party = Independent (politician)

|candidate = Daniel Adams

|count1 = 42

|percentage = 4.6

}}

{{STV Election box end2|

|numcounts = 3

|electorate =

|valid =

|spoilt =

|quota =

|turnout = 732 (31.0%)

}}

Footnotes

Category:Orkney Islands Council elections

Orkney Islands

Category:21st century in Orkney