2012 Scottish Borders Council election

Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 3 May 2012, 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: 2012 Scottish local elections
2012 Scottish Borders Council election
3 May 2012 (2012-05-03)
All 34 seats to Scottish Borders Council
18 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Jim Fullarton John Mitchell David Parker
Party Conservative SNP Independent
Leader's seat East Berwickshire Galashiels and District Leaderdale and Melrose
Last election 11 seats, 32.4% 6 seats, 17.6% 5 seats, 14.7%
Seats before 12 6 4
Seats won 10 9 7
Seat change 1 3 2
  Fourth party Fifth party
 
Leader Graham Garvie Sandy Aitchison
Party Liberal Democrats Borders
Leader's seat Tweeddale East Galashiels and District
Last election 10 seats, 29.4% 2 seats, 5.9%
Seats before 10 2
Seats won 6 2
Seat change 4 -
The 11 multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

David Parker
Independent

 Council Leader after election

David Parker
Independent

The election saw the Scottish Conservative Party remain the largest party on the Council though they lost 1 seat. The Scottish National Party replaced the Scottish Liberal Democrats as the second largest party by gaining 3 seats at the expense of the latter. The Lib Dems were reduced to 6 seats. Independents increased their numbers to 7 seats while the Borders Party retained their 2 seats.

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

Election results
Scottish Borders Local Election Result 2012
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 10 1 2 -1 29.41 23.22 8,644 -3.58
  SNP 9 4 1 +3 26.47 20.75 7,723 +1.95
  Independent 7 3 1 +2 20.59 22.71 8,454 -1.61
  Liberal Democrats 6 0 4 -4 17.65 16.49 6,138 -8.11
  Borders 2 0 0 0 5.88 10.09 3,755 +4.79
  Labour 0 - - - - 6.31 2,347 +4.41
  Scottish Green 0 - - - - 0.44 161 -0.46

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 3 May 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

Tweeddale West
  • 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Tweeddale West - 3 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Liberal Democrats Catriona Bhatia (incumbent) 25.62 919        
Conservative Nathaniel Buckingham†† 24.67 885 887.4 978.6    
SNP Willie Archibald (incumbent) 21.75 780 782.1 833.4 839.6 934.3
Labour Julia Reid 9.37 336 337.2 389.3 393.1  
Liberal Democrats Nancy Norman 9.31 334 347.9 415.5 449.4 548.9
Borders David Pye 9.28 333 334.4      
Electorate: 7,577   Valid: 3,587   Spoilt: 34   Quota: 897   Turnout: 3,621 (47.34%)

    Tweeddale East
    • 2007: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon
    • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
    • 2007-2012 Change: No change
    Tweeddale East
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456
    SNP Stuart Bell 26.41 990          
    Conservative Gavin Logan (incumbent) 24.78 929 934.4 971.8      
    Liberal Democrats Graham Garvie (incumbent) 16.38 614 622.3 674.5 686.7 811.9 1,087.9
    Labour Robin Tatler 15.23 571 579.6 629.9 631.2 731.2  
    Borders Frances Pringle 9.20 345 352.9 439 448.7    
    Independent David Cox 8.00 300 307.1        
    Electorate: 8,106   Valid: 3,749   Spoilt: 32   Quota: 938   Turnout: 3,781 (46.25%)

      Galashiels and District
      • 2007: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xBP
      • 2012: 2xSNP; 1xBP; 1xIndependent
      • 2007-2012 Change: SNP and Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem and Con
      Galashiels and District - 4 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      123456
      Borders Sandy Aitchison (incumbent) 22.45 822          
      SNP Bill Herd * 20.95 766          
      Independent Bill White 13.69 501 522.9 524.6 590.6 701 894.8
      SNP John Mitchell (incumbent) 13.45 492 506 532.5 593.5 639.9 762
      Liberal Democrats Rick Kenney 11.40 417 432.9 434.8 490.3 609.4  
      Conservative Fiona Lackenby (incumbent) 10.56 386 402.5 403.2 409.6    
      Labour Robbie Tatler 7.47 273 280.8 281.7      
      Electorate: 10,813   Valid: 3,657   Spoilt: 69   Quota: 732   Turnout: 3,726 (33.82%)
        • = Outgoing Councillor from a different Ward.

        Selkirkshire
        • 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
        • 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
        • 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from SNP
        Selkirkshire - 3 seats
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        12345
        Conservative Michelle Ballantyne 24.28 799 832      
        SNP Kenneth Gunn (incumbent) 20.39 671 696 696.8 744.9  
        Liberal Democrats Vicky Davidson (incumbent) 19.72 649 708 710.8 821.4 1,042.6
        Independent Gordon Edgar 18.14 597 673 674.1 762.4 983.5
        Borders Leven Brown 9.09 299 340 341.7    
        Independent Gordon Harrison 8.39 276        
        Electorate: 7,714   Valid: 3,291   Spoilt: 36   Quota: 823   Turnout: 3,327 (42.66%)

          Leaderdale and Melrose
          • 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem; 1xBP
          • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xBP; 1xSNP
          • 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
          Leaderdale and Melrose - 3 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          123456
          Independent David Parker (incumbent) 36.34 1,304          
          Borders Nicholas Watson (incumbent)† 17.31 621 705.9 758.9 929.6    
          SNP Jim Torrance†††† 15.55 558 632.4 706.8 742.6 747.6 969.6
          Conservative Peter Duncan 12.29 441 488.3 500.2      
          Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day (incumbent) 12.24 439 527.1 568.3 715.8 726.8  
          Labour Agnes Craig 6.27 225 258.6        
          Electorate: 8,292   Valid: 3,588   Spoilt: 21   Quota: 898   Turnout: 3,609 (43.27%)

            Mid Berwickshire
            • 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
            • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
            • 2007-2012 Change: No change
            Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            12345
            SNP Donald Moffat (incumbent) 31.97 1,133        
            Conservative John Greenwell 21.46 747 768.9 1,085.9    
            Liberal Democrats Frances Renton (incumbent) 18.24 635 703.3 753.9 804.6 1,110.9
            Borders Tom Miers 15.34 534 598.5 635.3 688.3  
            Conservative Trevor Jones (incumbent) 12.41 432 446.6      
            Electorate: 8,209   Valid: 3,481   Spoilt: 43   Quota: 871   Turnout: 3,524 (42.4%)

              East Berwickshire
              • 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
              • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP
              • 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
              East Berwickshire - 3 seats
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              1234567
              Independent Michael Cook (incumbent) 35.96 1,236            
              Conservative Jim Fullarton (incumbent) 21.24 730 835.9 875.4        
              SNP Joan Umpherston Campbell 15.74 541 583.3 600.9 602.2 629.5 699 906.9
              Labour Kenryck Lloyd-Jones 12.66 435 472.1 485.9 486.6 521.9 596.9  
              Liberal Democrats Ken Webb 6.58 226 263.1 285.9 289.5 329    
              Independent Jack Johnston 3.96 136 192.9 226.9 229.7      
              Borders Cat MacDonald-Home 3.87 133 161.6          
              Electorate: 8,383   Valid: 3,437   Spoilt: 37   Quota: 860   Turnout: 3,474 (41%)

                Kelso and District
                • 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
                • 2012: 2xCon; 1xLib Dem
                • 2007-2012 Change: Con gain from Independent
                Kelso and District - 3 seats
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                12345678
                Conservative Tom Weatherston (incumbent) 23.98 777 777 794 824        
                Liberal Democrats Alec Nicol (incumbent) 22.5 729 756 791 832        
                Conservative Simon Mountford 14.29 463 471 482 518 522.6 529.2 610.1 703.7
                SNP Maggie Stanfield 12.75 413 444 462 507 510.5 511.6 590.1  
                Independent Yvonne Huggins-Haig 10.0 324 331 365 435 438.7 440.2    
                Borders Diana Miers 7.81 253 269 306          
                Independent Colin McGrath 5.09 165 176            
                Scottish Green Michael Scott 3.58 116              
                Electorate: 8,242   Valid: 3,240   Spoilt: 24   Quota: 811   Turnout: 3,264 (39.31%)

                  Jedburgh and District
                  • 2007: 2xCon; 1xSNP
                  • 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
                  • 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Con
                  Jedburgh and District - 3 seats
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  1234567
                  SNP Jim Brown (incumbent) 23.44 759 793 837        
                  Conservative Sandy Scott (incumbent) 21.68 702 704 769 771.1 948.5    
                  Independent Rory Stewart 16.95 549 580 642 650.2 781.1 801.9 1,050.6
                  Conservative Len Wyse (incumbent) 12.75 413 417 430 432.5      
                  Liberal Democrats John Bathgate 11.98 388 409 459 464.7 539 567.4  
                  Borders Trevor Jackson 7.97 258 292          
                  Labour David Robert Scott Sharp 5.22 169            
                  Electorate: 8,242   Valid: 3,238   Spoilt: 45   Quota: 810   Turnout: 3,283 (45.24%)

                    Hawick and Denholm
                    • 2007: 1xCon; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
                    • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP
                    • 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
                    Hawick and Denholm - 3 seats
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    123456
                    Independent Stuart Marshall (incumbent) 56.72 1,734          
                    Conservative Zandra Elliott (incumbent)††† 13.97 427 580.1 589.3 618.2 633.2 802.3
                    SNP Alastair Cranston 12.46 381 506.2 523.9 539.3 593.1 749.9
                    Liberal Democrats Watson McAteer 8.60 263 482.6 493.8 507.2 542.3  
                    Labour Michael A Grieve 4.81 147 191.1 205.9 215.2    
                    Borders Mary Douglas 2.45 75 96.8 105.8      
                    Independent Craig Bryson 0.98 30 88.1        
                    Electorate: 7,183   Valid: 3,057   Spoilt: 34   Quota: 765   Turnout: 3,091 (42.56%)

                      Hawick and Hermitage
                      • 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
                      • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon
                      • 2007-2012 Change: No change
                      Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      1234567
                      Independent Davie Paterson (incumbent) 44.93 1,302            
                      Liberal Democrats Ron Smith (incumbent) 18.12 525 676.1 687.7 706.4 785.2    
                      Conservative George Turnbull (incumbent) 17.70 513 614 616.5 641.2 657.6 686.3 779.9
                      SNP Tommy Stevenson 8.25 239 300.2 309.5 323.9 368.9 377.2  
                      Labour Bill Cumming 6.59 191 246.8 258.4 270.3      
                      Borders Frank Little 2.83 82 115.2 124.8        
                      Scottish Green Kevin Ferguson 1.59 46 65.5          
                      Electorate: 7,041   Valid: 2,898   Spoilt: 34   Quota: 725   Turnout: 2,932 (41.16%)

                        Post Election Changes
                        • † On 4 February 2012 Leaderdale and Melrose Borders Party Cllr Nicholas Watson resigned his seat on the Council to pursue employment in Cumbria. The by-election was won by Iain Gillespie, also of the Borders Party, on 2 May 2013.
                        • †† On 29 July 2013 Tweedale West Conservative and Unionist Party Cllr Nathaniel Buckingham resigned his seat on the Council due to work pressures and family commitments. The by-election was held on 10 October 2013 and was held by the Conservatives Keith Cockburn.
                        • ††† On 22 February 2014 Hawick and Denholm Conservative and Unionist Cllr Zandra Elliot died. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy and was won by the Independent Watson McAteer.
                        • †††† On 2 June 2016 Leaderdale and Melrose SNP Cllr Jim Torrance resigned from the party and became an Independent citing lack of support from Christine Grahame MSP over the Council's plans to house the Great Tapestry of Scotland at Tweedbank.

                        By-elections since 2012
                        Leaderdale and Melrose By-election (2 May 2013) - 1 Seat[1]
                        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                        123456
                        Conservative Rachael Hamilton 27.57 956 975 982 1,038 1,283  
                        Borders Iain Gillespie 23.48 814 844 900 1,118 1,444 2,066
                        Liberal Democrats John Paton-Day 21.46 744 756 816 983    
                        SNP Harry Cummings 17.68 613 623 666      
                        Labour Robin Tatler 6.78 235 238        
                        UKIP Sherry Fowler 3.03 105          
                        Electorate: 8,386   Valid: 3,467   Spoilt: 20   Quota: 1,734   Turnout: 3,487 (41.58%)
                          Tweeddale West By-election (10 October 2013) - 1 Seat[2]
                          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                          1234567
                          Conservative Keith Cockburn 42.65 1,155 1,165 1,176 1,193 1,255 1,288 1,616
                          Liberal Democrats Nancy Norman 25 677 682 690 759 858 1,034  
                          SNP Morag Kerr 13.26 359 369 373 409 444    
                          Borders David Pye 8.4 228 237 245 272      
                          Labour Veronica McTernan 7.5 203 204 207        
                          UKIP Mars Goodman 1.56 43 44          
                          Independent David Cox 1.56 43            
                          Electorate: 7,707   Valid: 2,708   Spoilt: 21   Quota: 1,355   Turnout: 2,729 (35.41%)
                            Hawick and Denholm By-election (22 May 2014) - 1 Seat[3]
                            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                            1234567
                            Independent Watson McAteer 25.5 732 750 803 900 1,010 1,222 1,505
                            Conservative Trevor Adams 21.6 622 627 638 665 692 798  
                            Liberal Democrats Ian Turnbull 15.7 450 455 485 545 637    
                            SNP Harry Stoddart 14.6 419 423 461 505      
                            Independent Marion Short 11.3 326 334 385        
                            Independent Davie Paterson 8.7 250 269          
                            Independent Craig Bryson 2.6 74            

                              References
                              1. http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/downloads/file/5927/election_results
                              2. http://www.scottishelections.org.uk/scotland/lby/tweeddalewest.php
                              3. http://www.scottishelections.org.uk/scotland/lby/hawickdenholm.php

                              https://web.archive.org/web/20120611120526/http://www.scotborders.gov.uk/info/799/elections_and_voting/1072/results_for_council_election_2012

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