2017 West Lothian Council election explained

Election Name:2017 West Lothian Council election
Country:Scotland
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2012 West Lothian Council election
Previous Year:2012
Next Election:2022 West Lothian Council election
Next Year:2022
Seats For Election:All 33 seats to West Lothian Council
Majority Seats:17
Leader1:Peter Johnston
Party1:Scottish National Party
Leaders Seat1:Livingston South
Seats Before1:15
Seat Change1: 2
Party2:Scottish Labour Party
Leaders Seat2:Bathgate
Seats Before2:16
Seat Change2: 4
Leader4:Damian Timson
Party4:Scottish Conservative Party
Leaders Seat4:East Calder and East Livingston
Seats Before4:1
Seat Change4: 6
Leader5:Stuart Borrowman
Party5:Independent (politician)
Leaders Seat5:Armadale and Blackridge
Seats Before5:1
Map2 Image:West Lothian Council Election 2017.svg
Council Leader
Before Election:John McGinty
Before Party:Scottish Labour Party
Posttitle:Council Leader after election
After Election:Lawrence Fitzpatrick
After Party:Scottish Labour Party
Percentage2:29.0%
Seats1:13
Swing1: 3.1%
Popular Vote1:23,218
Percentage1:37.3%
Popular Vote2:18,082
Swing2: 9.1%
Seats2:12
Seats4:7
Swing4: 14.3%
Percentage4:23.2%
Popular Vote4:14,449
Seats5:1
Popular Vote5:3,088
Percentage5:5.0%
Swing5: 0.3%

The 2017 West Lothian Council election took place on 4 May 2017. The election used the 9 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 33 Councillors being elected. The election resulted in no overall party majority, leading to the Labour Party and the Conservative Party forming a coalition administration.

Results

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections in 2012. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Ward results

Linlithgow

Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh

Livingston North

Livingston South

East Livingston and East Calder

Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley

Whitburn and Blackburn

Bathgate

Armadale and Blackridge

Aftermath

On 26 October 2021 Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh Labour Cllr Angela Doran-Timson left the Labour Party and joined the Conservatives.[1]

By-elections

Livingston South by-election

On 29 March 2020 Livingston South SNP Councillor Peter Johnston resigned his seat due to illness.[2] The By-Election was postponed due to the ongoing Coronavirus Pandemic.[3] The By Election was held on Thursday 11 March 2021. The seat was won by the SNP candidate, Maria MacAulay.

East Livingston and East Calder by-election

On 11 May 2021 East Livingston and East Calder Labour Cllr Dave King died. A by-election was held on 5 August 2021 and was gained by the SNP's Thomas Ullathorne.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: West Lothian Labour councillor defects to Tories after marrying Tory group leader . 2021-10-27 . www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com . en.
  2. Web site: Sommerville . Stuart . 14 April 2020 . Livingston councillor steps down after serving Livingston fro 35 years . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211014033041/https://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/local-news/livingston-councillor-steps-down-after-21835640 . 2021-10-14 . 19 May 2020 . Daily Record.
  3. Web site: Livingston South By-Election . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20201001161918/https://www.westlothian.gov.uk/article/58312/Livingston-South-By-Election . 2020-10-01 . 19 May 2020 . West Lothian Council.