2017 Scottish Borders Council election

Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election used the 11 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, a form of proportional representation, with 34 councillors elected.

Main article: 2017 Scottish local elections
2017 Scottish Borders Council election
4 May 2017 (2017-05-04)
All 34 seats to Scottish Borders Council
18 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
SNP
Leader Michelle Ballantyne Stuart Bell
Party Conservative SNP
Leader's seat Selkirkshire Tweeddale East
Seats before 10 9
Seats after 15 9
Seat change 5
  Third party Fourth party
 
IND
LD
Leader David Parker Kris Chapman
Party Independent Liberal Democrats
Leader's seat Leaderdale and Melrose Tweeddale West
Seats before 7 6
Seats after 8 2
Seat change 1 4
The 11 multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

David Parker
Independent

 Council Leader after election

Shona Haslam
Conservative

Following the 2012 election, the Scottish National Party formed a coalition with the support of the Independents and the Liberal Democrats. The Borders Party also supported this administration. This replaced the previous Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent coalition which existed from 2007-2012.

The council was the first to reveal its administration after the election, with the Conservative group forming a coalition with independents to rule the council. New Tweeddale East councillor Shona Haslam will become its leader formally on 18 May. Outgoing independent leader, David Parker, will become the council's new convener.[1]

Election results
Scottish Borders Local Election Result 2017
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 15 5 0 +5 44.1% 41.6% 19,355 +18.4%
  SNP 9 1 1 0 26.5% 21.4% 9,959 +0.7%
  Independent 8 3 2 +1 23.5% 23.8% 11,050 +1.1%
  Liberal Democrats 2 0 4 -4 5.9% 8.2% 3,818 -8.3%
  Labour 0 - - - 0 2.8% 1,283 -3.5%
  Scottish Green 0 - - - 0 2.2% 1,030 +1.8%

Ward results

Tweeddale West
  • 2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2017: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2012-2017 Change: No Change
Tweeddale West - 3 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
SNP Heather Anderson 25.2% 1,160            
Conservative Eric Small 22.5% 1,036 1,036.2 1,040.2 1,097.2 1,115.3 1,123.3 1,928.3
Liberal Democrats Kris Chapman 16.7% 768 769.2 783.2 820.2 891.4 1,073.1 1,192.2
Conservative John Anderson 21.3% 984 984.2 987.2 1,003.2 1,018.2 1,030.2  
Scottish Green Catriona Hamilton 4.7% 218 221.3 238.4 262.6 332.8    
Labour Julia Reid 4.4% 201 201.5 205.5 224.6      
Independent Tommy Davidson 3.7% 170 170.6 190.6        
Independent Michael Needham 1.6% 73 73.1          
Electorate: 8,167 (Est.)   Valid: 4,610   Spoilt: 78   Quota: 1,153   Turnout: 4,688 (57.4%)

    Tweeddale East
    • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
    • 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
    • 2012-2017 Change: Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem
    Tweeddale East
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5
    Conservative Shona Haslam 37.6% 1,804        
    SNP Stuart Bell (incumbent) 20% 960 971.7 1,442.7    
    Independent Robin Tatler 16.5% 793 970.4 1,013.7 1,093.4 1,701.3
    Liberal Democrats Amanda Kubie 13.6% 650 881.7 931.1 1,003.5  
    SNP Simon Ritchie 12.2% 585 590.7      
    Electorate: 8,640 (Est.)   Valid: 4,792   Spoilt: 46   Quota: 1,199   Turnout: 4,838 (56%)

      Galashiels and District
      • 2012: 2xSNP; 1xBP; 1xIndependent
      • 2017: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 2xIndependent
      • 2012-2017 Change: Independent and Con gain one seat from SNP and BP
      Galashiels and District - 4 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
      Conservative Euan Jardine 28.5% 1,292            
      SNP Andy Anderson 20% 907            
      Independent Sandy Aitchison (incumbent) 11.9% 539 612.9 640.3 732.4 916.2    
      Independent Harry Scott 10.1% 460 517.8 532.4 592.4 753.1 757 988.3
      SNP John Mitchell (incumbent) 11.5% 523 530.4 558.9 597.7 647.3    
      Independent Bill White (incumbent) 8.7% 396 441.3 462.1 522      
      Liberal Democrats Caledonia Bhatia 5.5% 249 316 369.2        
      Labour David Sharp 3.7% 167 188.5          
      Electorate: 10,980 (Est.)   Valid: 4,533   Spoilt: 66   Quota: 907   Turnout: 4,599 (41.9%)

        Selkirkshire
        • 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
        • 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
        • 2012-2017 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
        Selkirkshire - 3 seats[2]
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8Count 9
        Conservative Michelle Ballantyne† (incumbent) 27% 1,081                
        SNP Elaine Thornton-Nicol 22.2% 888 889 941 956 983 1,031      
        Independent Gordon Edgar (incumbent) 12.8% 514 524 531 569 607 646 652 847 1,083
        Conservative Trevor Adams 15.1% 606 661 663 675 694 713 713 763  
        Independent Kenneth Gunn 9.8% 392 396 403 417 429 456 464    
        Labour Scott Redpath 3.7% 147 148 165 176 219        
        Liberal Democrats Nancy Norman 3.3% 134 136 163 171          
        Independent David Black 3.1% 123 124 125            
        Scottish Green Barbara Harvie 3% 122 123              
        Electorate: 7,752 (Est.)   Valid: 4,007   Spoilt: 86   Quota: 1,002   Turnout: 4,093 (52.8%)

          Leaderdale and Melrose
          • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xBP; 1xSNP
          • 2017: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP
          • 2012-2017 Change: Con gain one seat from BP
          Leaderdale and Melrose - 3 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
          Independent David Parker (incumbent) 25.2% 1,149            
          Conservative Tom Miers 20.5% 934 934.9 950.9 1,014 1,476.5    
          SNP Kevin Drum†† 17.8% 811 812.4 832.5 903.7 910.8 915.5 1,105.3
          Independent Iain Gillespie (incumbent) 11.2% 510 513.3 585.7 720.2 744.4 871.1  
          Conservative Diana Findlay 11.5% 523 523.6 543.7 529.8      
          Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day 9.4% 426 427.5 473.6        
          Independent Rebecca Fraser 4.4% 202 202.7          
          Electorate: 8,673 (Est.)   Valid: 4,555   Spoilt: 78   Quota: 1,139   Turnout: 4,633 (53.4%)

            Mid Berwickshire
            • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
            • 2017: 2xCon; 1xSNP
            • 2012-2017 Change: Con gain one seat from Lib Dem
            Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
            Conservative John Greenwell (incumbent) 35.1% 1,592          
            Conservative Mark Rowley 24.1% 1,096 1,434.3        
            SNP Donald Moffat (incumbent) 21.2% 962 983.2 995.3 1,022.9 1,124.7 1,435.7
            Liberal Democrats Frances Renton (incumbent) 11.9% 539 576.5 665 728.6 816.2  
            Scottish Green Pauline Stewart 3.9% 177 181 201 249    
            Labour David Smith 3.9% 175 180.4 199.8      
            Electorate: 8,494 (Est.)   Valid: 4,541   Spoilt: 96   Quota: 1,136   Turnout: 4,637 (54.6%)

              East Berwickshire
              • 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
              • 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
              • 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Independent
              East Berwickshire - 3 seats[3]
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
              Conservative Jim Fullarton (incumbent) 35.6% 1,505            
              Conservative Carol Hamilton 23.1% 979 1,357          
              SNP Helen Laing 19.6% 831 835 841 893 932 1,001 1,203
              Liberal Democrats Danny Robertson 6.5% 276 296 352 398 475 627  
              Labour Eddy Coulson 7.1% 301 309 328 359 408    
              Independent Michael Clift 4.2% 178 185 233 259      
              Scottish Green Kate Duncan 3.8% 162 166 178        
              Electorate: TBC   Valid: 4,232   Spoilt: 66   Quota: 1,059   Turnout: 49.0%

                Kelso and District
                • 2012: 2 x Conservative, 1 x Liberal Democrat
                • 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x Liberal Democrat
                • 2012-2017 Change: No Change
                Kelso and District - 3 seats[4]
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7Count 8
                Conservative Tom Weatherston (incumbent) 28% 1,212              
                Conservative Simon Mountford (incumbent) 25% 1,083              
                Liberal Democrats Euan Robson 14.7% 636 675 675 700 741 788 955 1,370
                SNP Alison Lamond 16.5% 713 715 715 731 749 809 850  
                Independent Ian Aitchison 7.7% 333 362 362 389 401 424    
                Scottish Green Colin Shaughnessy 3% 129 133 133 144 164      
                Labour Sally Prentice 2.7% 116 119 119 124        
                Independent Colin McGrath 2.4% 104 114 114          
                Electorate: TBC   Valid: 4,326   Spoilt: 89   Quota: 1,082   Turnout: 53.1%

                  Jedburgh and District
                  • 2012: 1 x SNP, 1 x Conservative, 1 x Independent
                  • 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
                  • 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative from Independent
                  Jedburgh and District - 3 seats[5]
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
                  Conservative Sandy Scott (incumbent) 28.5% 1,094            
                  Conservative Scott Hamilton 26.8% 1,026            
                  SNP Jim Brown (incumbent) 19.7% 755 759 760 768 795 877 1,150
                  Independent Rory Stewart (incumbent) 15.6% 600 633 657 708 747 801  
                  Scottish Green Charles Strang 4.5% 171 179 183 185 218    
                  Labour Kenryck Lloyd-Jones 3.1% 119 128 133 135      
                  Independent Harvey Oliver 1.8% 70 82 90        
                  Electorate: TBC   Valid: 3,835   Spoilt: 56   Quota: 959   Turnout: 54.4%

                    Hawick and Denholm
                    • 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
                    • 2017: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
                    • 2012-2017 Change: No Change
                    Hawick and Denholm - 3 seats[6]
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6
                    Independent Stuart Marshall (incumbent) 63.3% 2,283          
                    Conservative Neil Richards 16.5% 596 952        
                    SNP Clair Ramage 13.3% 478 696 697 738 764 905
                    Liberal Democrats Ian Turnbull 3.9% 140 393 410 432 471  
                    Labour David Byrne 1.6% 57 98 101 114    
                    Scottish Green Kevin Ferguson 1.4% 51 93 95      
                    Electorate: TBC   Valid: 3,605   Spoilt: 26   Quota: 902   Turnout: 50.9%

                      Hawick and Hermitage
                      • 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Liberal Democrat, 1 x Conservative
                      • 2017: 2 x Independent, 1 x Conservative
                      • 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Independent gain from Liberal Democrats
                      Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats[7]
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2
                      Independent Watson McAteer * 43.2% 1,496  
                      Conservative George Turnbull (incumbent) 26.4% 912  
                      Independent Davie Paterson (incumbent) 19.2% 665 936
                      SNP Iain Whyte 11.2% 386 482
                      Electorate: TBC   Valid: 3,459   Spoilt: 53   Quota: 865   Turnout: 50.3%
                        • = Sitting Councillor from Hawick and Denholm Ward.

                        Changes since 2017
                        • † On 4 December 2017, Selkirkshire Conservative Cllr Michelle Ballantyne resigned her seat upon her election to the Scottish Parliament.[8] A by-election was held on 22 February 2018 and the seat was won by Independent candidate, Caroline Penman.
                        • †† On 9 March 2020, it was announced that Leaderdale and Melrose SNP Cllr Kevin Drum had died over the weekend.[9] A by-election will take place later in the year.

                        By-elections since 2017
                        Selkirkshire By-election (22 February 2018)[10]
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count 1Count 2Count 3Count 4Count 5Count 6Count 7
                        Conservative Trevor Adams 35.7 1,247 1,251 1,262 1,276 1,307 1,342  
                        Independent Caroline Penman 29.7 1,040 1,049 1,080 1,125 1,231 1,522 2,028
                        SNP John Mitchell 19.8 691 717 729 758 797    
                        Independent Kenneth Gunn 6.3 219 226 238 249      
                        Labour Scott Redpath 3.8 134 144 158        
                        Liberal Democrats Jack Clark 2.7 95 103          
                        Scottish Green Barbra Harvie 2.0 70            

                          References
                          1. "Conservatives and independents to run Scottish Borders Council". 9 May 2017. Retrieved 9 May 2017.
                          2. Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 4 Selkirkshire results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                          3. Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 7 East Berwickshire results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                          4. Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 8 Kelso and District results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                          5. Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 9 Jedburgh and District results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                          6. Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 10 Hawick and Denholm results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                          7. Council, Scottish Borders. "Ward 11 Hawick and Hermitage results information | Scottish Borders Council". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
                          8. "Michelle Ballantyne resigns as Selkirkshire councillor". Border Telegraph.
                          9. "Councillor's death a 'great shock' to colleagues". March 9, 2020 – via www.bbc.co.uk.
                          10. Council, Scottish Borders. "Local government by-election results". www.scotborders.gov.uk.
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