2017 Scottish local elections

The previous election was in 2012. Normally these elections take place every four years, but this election was postponed for a year in order to avoid conflicting with the 2016 Scottish Parliament election.

Once again the local elections, held under the Single Transferable Vote system, were counted electronically, using the same system used in 2012. The tender was awarded to CGI (formerly Logica) and Idox Elections (formerly Opt2vote), both of which delivered the 2012 elections successfully.{{citation needed|date=June 2017}}

All registered electors (British, Irish, Commonwealth and European Union citizens) who were aged 16 or over on polling day were entitled to vote in the local elections.{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2015/7/section/1 |title=Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Act 2015, Section 1 |publisher=Legislation.gov.uk |access-date=24 April 2017 |archive-date=12 November 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201112202352/https://www.legislation.gov.uk/asp/2015/7/section/1 |url-status=live }}{{cite web |url=http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2 |title=Representation of the People Act 1983, Section 2 |publisher=Legislation.gov.uk |access-date=24 April 2017 |archive-date=16 September 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190916163102/http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1983/2 |url-status=live }} A person who had two homes (such as a university student who has a term-time address and lives at home during holidays) could register to vote at both addresses as long as they are not in the same electoral area and can vote for two different councils, albeit only in two different local elections; however, it is an offence to vote twice in the same type of election and doing so may incur a fine of up to £5,000.{{cite web |last=Electoral Commission |author-link=Electoral Commission (United Kingdom) |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/faq/voting-and-registration/i-have-two-homes.-can-i-register-to-vote-at-both-addresses |title=I have two homes. Can I register at both addresses? |website=electoralcommission.org.uk |publisher=The Electoral Commission |access-date=24 April 2017 |archive-date=15 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081115141233/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/faq/voting-and-registration/i-have-two-homes.-can-i-register-to-vote-at-both-addresses |url-status=live }}

Individuals must have registered to vote by midnight twelve working days before polling day (17 April 2017).{{cite web | url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/word_doc/0016/214414/SLG-Election-timetable.doc | title=Timetable for Scottish council elections on 4 May 2017 | publisher=The Electoral Commission | format=doc | access-date=24 April 2017 | archive-date=24 April 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424175242/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/word_doc/0016/214414/SLG-Election-timetable.doc | url-status=live }} Anyone who qualified as an anonymous elector had until midnight on 25 April 2017 to register.The deadline for the receipt and determination of anonymous electoral registration applications was one working day before the publication date of the notice of alteration to the Electoral Register (that is the sixth working day before polling day). cf {{cite web |url=http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/162578/Part-4-Maintaining-the-register-throughout-the-year.pdf |title=Guidance for Electoral Registration Officers (Part 4 – Maintaining the register throughout the year) |publisher=Cabinet Office and The Electoral Commission |page=114 (para 7.128) |date=July 2016 |access-date=24 April 2017 |archive-date=24 April 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170424001827/http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/162578/Part-4-Maintaining-the-register-throughout-the-year.pdf |url-status=live }}

Following the election, SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon played down the threat posed by the Conservatives to her party, asserting that the good performance by the Conservatives was on account of Labour support going to the Conservatives and not because of any shift in SNP voters.{{cite web|title=Local elections: Sturgeon plays down Tory success in Scotland|url=https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/06/local-elections-sturgeon-plays-down-tory-success-in-scotland|author=Press Association|date=6 May 2017|work=The Guardian|access-date=6 May 2017|archive-date=2 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170702121028/https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/may/06/local-elections-sturgeon-plays-down-tory-success-in-scotland|url-status=live}}

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson asserted a "Scottish fightback against the SNP" and said that the results represented a resurgence for the Conservatives, despite the fact that the SNP's 1st preference vote percentage had not changed since the 2012 election.{{cite web|last1=Johnson|first1=Simon|title=Ruth Davidson hails 'fightback' after Scottish Tory council surge and voter backlash against indy ref|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/05/tory-support-surges-scottish-council-elections-voters-hit-sturgeons/|date=5 May 2017|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=5 April 2018|archive-date=13 July 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170713140512/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/05/05/tory-support-surges-scottish-council-elections-voters-hit-sturgeons/|url-status=live}}

Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale admitted the results were disappointing for her party, while the Scottish Liberal Democrats leader Willie Rennie said the council results showed his party could stand against the SNP tide in key northern constituencies.{{cite web|last1=McKiernan|first1=Jennifer|title=Local Elections 2017: Party leaders react to results|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/holyrood/1238096/local-elections-2017-party-leaders-react-results/|date=6 May 2017|website=The Press and Journal|access-date=6 May 2017|archive-date=6 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170506065353/https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/politics/holyrood/1238096/local-elections-2017-party-leaders-react-results/|url-status=live}}

The Scottish Conservatives returned the most councillors, the first time it has been the largest party in the region since the 1982 election, when the area was under the Grampian Regional Council, although they were stopped short of an overall majority. The number of Scottish National Party councillors fell by a quarter but remained the second largest group. The Scottish Liberal Democrats picked up a couple of seats while the other parties gained roughly the same results as the previous election.

On 18 May, the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Aligned Independents formed an administration, with Jim Gifford (Conservative) elected as council leader and Bill Howatson (Liberal Democrat) was made Provost.{{cite web|title=Aberdeenshire council chief hails authority for getting job done without any 'political spats' - Evening Express|url=https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/aberdeenshire-council-chief-hails-authority-getting-job-done-without-political-spats/|website=Evening Express|access-date=20 May 2017|archive-date=19 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170519224410/https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/aberdeenshire-council-chief-hails-authority-getting-job-done-without-political-spats/|url-status=live}}

The SNP became the largest party on the council for the first time, as the Independent group lost a third of its seats compared to the previous election. The Conservatives gained five seats and the Liberal Democrats gained two, but both remained in their respective places as the two smaller parties.

Despite the SNP's position, a coalition was formed of Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Independents, referred to as The Argyll Lomond and the Isles Group (TALIG). Aileen Morton, leader of the group, was elected as council leader.{{cite web|title=Economic growth and education priorities in Argyll {{!}} Press and Journal|url=https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/1247656/economic-growth-and-education-priorities-in-argyll/|website=Press and Journal|access-date=20 May 2017|archive-date=21 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170521032004/https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/highlands/1247656/economic-growth-and-education-priorities-in-argyll/|url-status=live}}

The Scottish National Party replaced Scottish Labour as the largest party for the first time in the Fife region, although they did not gain enough seats to form a majority. The Scottish Conservatives made the most gains, replacing the Scottish Liberal Democrats as the third biggest party. The election also returned no Independent councillors, marking the first time the area will be without any Independent representation since the creation of Fife Regional Council in 1974.

On 18 May, the two largest parties of the new council, the SNP and Scottish Labour, signed a Power Sharing Agreement to co-run an administration. David Alexander (SNP) and David Ross (Labour) were made co-leaders, and Jim Leishman remained in his role as Provost.{{cite web|title=Fife Council agree to SNP and Labour joint partnership|url=http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/15294463.Fife_Council_agree_to_SNP_and_Labour_joint_partnership/|website=Dunfermline Press|access-date=20 May 2017|language=en|archive-date=18 May 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170518124147/http://www.dunfermlinepress.com/news/15294463.Fife_Council_agree_to_SNP_and_Labour_joint_partnership/|url-status=live}}

The SNP replaced Labour as the biggest party; although without a majority it ended Labour's 37-year-long control of the council.{{cite web|title=SNP replaces Labour as largest party in Glasgow|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-39819832|website=BBC News|date=5 May 2017|access-date=22 June 2018|archive-date=2 December 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171202095024/http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-39819832|url-status=live}} The Conservatives increased its number of councillors from 1 to 8, their highest since 1984, while the Scottish Green Party also made a couple of gains to reach their highest ever level in Glasgow. This council is the first without any Liberal representation since 1974.

The SNP took control of the council as a minority administration with SNP members filling the positions of council leader, depute council leader, and Lord Provost.{{cite web|title=Councillor Eva Bolander chosen as Glasgow's Lord Provost|url=https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=21216|website=Glasgow City Council|access-date=20 May 2017|language=en|date=18 May 2017|archive-date=22 September 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170922195907/https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=21216|url-status=live}}

{{election table|title=Summary of the 4 May 2017 Scottish council election results{{Cite web|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39846268|title=Full council election results published|date=May 8, 2017|via=www.bbc.co.uk|access-date=January 25, 2020|archive-date=August 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806103430/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39846268|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=http://www.electionsscotland.info/downloads/file/351/slge2017_summary_results_data|title=ElectionsScotland: SLGE2017 Summary Results Data|access-date=2017-05-08|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}}}}

|-style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:center;"

!colspan="2" rowspan="2" width="175"|Party

!colspan="3" rowspan="2" width="175"| First-preference votes

! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Councils

! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width: 30px;"| +/-

! colspan="2" | 2012 seats

! colspan="2" | 2017 seats

! colspan="2" | Seat change

|-

! Seats won

! Notional

! Seats won

! Seat %

! vs Notional

|-

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish National Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |SNP

|610,454

|32.3%

| {{nochange}}0.0%

|0

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}1

|425

|438

|431

|35.1%

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}7

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Conservatives}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Conservative

|478,073

|25.3%

| {{increase}}12.0%

|0

| {{nochange}}

|115

|112

|276

|22.5%

|style="background-color:#dfd"| {{increase}}164

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Labour}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Labour

|380,957

|20.2%

| {{decrease}}11.4%

|0

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}3

|394

|395

|262

|21.4%

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}133

|-

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Independent politician}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Independents

|196,438

|10.4%

| {{decrease}}1.4%

|3

| {{nochange}}

|196

|198

|168

|14.1%

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}30

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Liberal Democrats}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Liberal Democrats

|130,243

|6.9%

| {{increase}}0.3%

|0

| {{nochange}}

|71

|70

|67

|5.5%

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}3

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Greens}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Green

|77,682

|4.1%

| {{increase}}1.8%

|0

| {{nochange}}

|14

|14

|19

|1.6%

|style="background-color:#dfd"| {{increase}}5

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Orkney Manifesto Group}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Orkney Manifesto Group

|894

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|2

|0.1%

|style="background-color:#dfd"| New

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|West Dunbartonshire Community Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |West Dunbartonshire Community

|2,413

|0.1%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|1

|0.1%

|style="background-color:#dfd"| New

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|The Rubbish Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |The Rubbish Party

|784

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|1

|0.1%

|style="background-color:#dfd"| New

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|UK Independence Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |UKIP

|2,920

|0.2%

|{{decrease}}0.1%

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

|

| style="text-align:left;" |Independent Alliance North Lanarkshire

|2,823

|0.2%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |TUSC

|1,403

|0.1%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|A Better Britain – Unionist Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |A Better Britain – Unionist Party

|1,196

|0.1%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Socialist Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Scottish Socialist

|928

|0.0%

|{{decrease}}0.3%

|0

|{{nochange}}

|1

|

|0

|0.0%

|style="background-color:#ffe8e8;"| {{decrease}}1

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Solidarity (Scotland)}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Solidarity

|883

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Libertarian Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Libertarian

|776

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|RISE – Scotland's Left Alliance}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |RISE

|186

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

|

| style="text-align:left;" |Scottish Independent Network

|145

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Unionist Party (1986)}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Scottish Unionist

|129

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Social Democratic Party (UK, 1990)}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Social Democratic

|112

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Scottish Christian Party}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Scottish Christian

|104

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|Socialist Labour Party (UK)}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |Socialist Labour

|76

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|National Front (UK)}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |National Front

|39

|0.0%

|

|0

|{{nochange}}

|

|

|

|0.0%

|{{nochange}}

|-

|- style="text-align:right;"

| style="color:inherit;background-color:{{party color|No Overall Control}}"|

| style="text-align:left;" |No Overall Control

| —

| —

| —

| 29

|style="background-color:#dfd;"| {{increase}}4

| —

| —

| —

| —

| —

|-

! colspan="2" style="text-align:left;" |Total

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | 1,889,658

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |100.0

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | ±0.0

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |32

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | {{nochange}}

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |1,223

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |1,227

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" |1,227

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | 100.00

|style="background-color:#E9E9E9;text-align:right;" | {{nochange}}

|}

The table has been arranged according to popular vote, not the number of seats won.

Prior to the 2017 elections, changes were made to council ward boundaries in 25 council areas. This meant that comparisons with the actual results from 2012 were inaccurate due to a small increase in the total number of seats (from 1,223 to 1,227), different boundaries, and some wards having their number of councillors adjusted. These changes led BBC News, using work done by Professor David Denver of Lancaster University, to estimate what the results would have been in 2012 if the new boundaries and seat numbers had been in place for that election.{{cite news|title=How the BBC calculates local election results|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39850440|access-date=10 May 2017|date=2017-05-09|archive-date=2019-08-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190806103443/https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-39850440|url-status=live}}

• 2017 United Kingdom local elections
• 2017 Welsh local elections
• 2017 Northern Ireland Assembly election

• {{cite web|url= https://www.electoral-reform.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/The-Power-of-Preferences_STV-in-Scottish-Local-Elections.pdf|title= The Power of Preferences: STV in Scottish Local Elections|last1= Curtice|first1= John|date= 2022|publisher= Electoral Reform Society}}

{{notelist}}

{{Reflist|30em}}

• [http://www.electionsscotland.info/downloads/file/351/slge2017_summary_results_data Elections Scotland summary of results] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190705035934/http://www.electionsscotland.info/downloads/file/351/slge2017_summary_results_data |date=2019-07-05 }}
• [http://www.macs.hw.ac.uk/~denis/stv_elections/SC2017/ Scottish Council election May 2017]

{{Scottish elections|state=expanded}}

{{United Kingdom local elections, 2017}}

Category:Council elections in Scotland

Scotland