Election Name: | 2007 Aberdeenshire Council election |
Country: | Scotland |
Type: | parliamentary |
Ongoing: | no |
Party Colour: | yes |
Previous Election: | 2003 Aberdeenshire Council election |
Previous Year: | 2003 |
Next Election: | 2012 Aberdeenshire Council election |
Next Year: | 2012 |
Seats For Election: | All 68 seats to Aberdeenshire Council |
Majority Seats: | 35 |
Seats1: | 24 |
Party1: | Scottish Liberal Democrats |
Party2: | Scottish National Party |
Seats2: | 22 |
Seats4: | 14 |
Party4: | Scottish Conservatives |
Party5: | Independent politician |
Seats5: | 8 |
Map Size: | 300px |
Percentage2: | 34.5% |
Percentage1: | 25.2% |
Popular Vote1: | 24,175 |
Seat Change1: | 4 |
Popular Vote2: | 33,120 |
Seat Change2: | 4 |
Popular Vote4: | 19,946 |
Percentage4: | 20.8% |
Seat Change4: | 3 |
Popular Vote5: | 12,182 |
Percentage5: | 12.7% |
Seat Change5: | 3 |
Swing1: | 8.3% |
Swing2: | 6.9% |
Swing4: | 0.2% |
Swing5: | 1.8% |
Elections to Aberdeenshire Council were held on 3 May 2007 the same day as the other Scottish local government elections and the Scottish Parliament general election. The election was the first one using 19 new wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, each ward would elect three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation. The new wards replaced 68 single-member wards which used the plurality (first past the post) system of election.
The council remained under no overall control and a coalition was formed between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.
At the previous election in 2003 the Liberal Democrats won 28 seats, falling 7 seats short of an overall majority. The SNP, Conservative and Independent groups also fell well short of an overall majority.
Liberal Democrats | 28 | 33.5% | |
SNP | 18 | 27.6% | |
Conservative | 11 | 21.0% | |
Independent | 11 | 14.5% |
There was one by-election in the 2003-07 term. The seat was held by the Conservatives.
Liberal Democrats | 28 | 28 | |
SNP | 18 | 18 | |
Conservative | 11 | 11 | |
Independent | 11 | 11 |
Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 1 May 2003. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
As no party group had the required 35 seats to have an overall majority, the council remained under no overall control and after negotiations, a coalition was formed between the Liberal Democrats and the Conservatives.
Cllr Ian Tait resigned from the SNP on 28 July 2008 and now sits as an Independent Scottish Nationalist.
Cllr Debra Storr resigned from the Liberal Democrats on 18 November 2008 and on 5 March 2009 she joined the Scottish Green Party. She was a member of the Democratic Independent Group on the council.
Cllr Martin Ford resigned from the Liberal Democrats on 23 November 2008 and on 5 March 2009 he joined the Scottish Green Party. He is a member of the Democratic Independent Group on the council.
On 23 January 2009, Cllr Sam Coull resigned from the Liberal Democrats. Since 5 March 2009 he sits as a member of the Democratic Independent Group
On 23 January 2009, Cllr Paul Johnston left the Liberal Democrat Council Group. He was subsequently expelled from the Liberal Democrats. Since 5 March 2009 he sits as a member of the Democratic Independent Group.
Cllr Andy Ritchie resigned from the SNP on 1 April 2009 and now sits as an Independent.
Cllr Mark Cullen is also a member of the Democratic Independent Group on the council.
On 21 February 2012 Banff and District Cllr John Cox ceased to be an Independent and joined the Scottish National Party.
There was a Troup by-election held on 1 May 2008 to fill the vacancy which arose with the death of the SNP's Michael Burnett on 4 February 2008. The by-election was won by the SNP's Bob Watson.
There was an Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside by-election held on 23 April 2009 to fill the vacancy which arose with the resignation of the Conservative's Bruce Luffman in 2009. The by-election was won by the Liberal Democrat's Rosemary Bruce.