2017 City of Edinburgh Council election explained

See main article: 2017 Scottish local elections.

Election Name:2017 City of Edinburgh Council election
Country:Scotland
Flag Image:Flag of Edinburgh.svg
Type:parliamentary
Ongoing:no
Previous Election:2012 City of Edinburgh Council election
Previous Year:2012
Next Election:2022 City of Edinburgh Council election
Next Year:2022
Seats For Election:All 63 seats to City of Edinburgh Council
Majority Seats:32
Turnout:50.5% (7.9%)
3Blank:Swing (pp)-->
Leader of the Council
Before Election:Andrew Burns
Before Party:Scottish Labour
Posttitle:Leader of the Council after election
After Election:Adam McVey
After Party:Scottish National Party
Party1:Scottish National Party
Last Election1:18 seats, 26.87%
Leaders Seat1:Leith
Seats Before1:17
Seats After1:19
Seat Change1:1
Popular Vote1:49,994
Percentage1:27.1%
Swing1:0.2%
Leader2:Cameron Rose
Party2:Scottish Conservatives
Last Election2:11 seats, 19.75%
Leaders Seat2:Southside
/Newington
Seats Before2:11
Seats After2:18
Seat Change2:7
Popular Vote2:51,212
Percentage2:27.7%
Swing2:8.8%
Leader3:Cammy Day
Party3:Scottish Labour
Leaders Seat3:Forth
Last Election3:20 seats, 28.13%
Seats Before3:21
Seats After3:12
Seat Change3:8
Popular Vote3:33,916
Percentage3:18.4%
Swing3:9.8%
Leader4:Steve Burgess
Party4:Scottish Greens
Last Election4:6 seats, 11.44%
Leaders Seat4:Southside
/Newington
Seats Before4:5
Seats After4:8
Seat Change4:2
Popular Vote4:22,907
Percentage4:12.4%
Swing4:1.0%
Party5:Scottish Liberal Democrats
Last Election5:3 seats, 9.34%
Leaders Seat5:Corstorphine
/Murrayfield
Seats Before5:2
Seats After5:6
Seat Change5:3
Popular Vote5:25,154
Percentage5:13.6%
Swing5:4.3%
Map Size:400px
Map2 Image:City of Edinburgh Council 2017.svg

The elections to the City of Edinburgh Council were held on Thursday 4 May 2017, on the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland.[1] It was the third successive Local Council election to run under the single transferable vote (STV) electoral system.

The election saw the SNP become the largest party on the council for the first time, whilst the Conservative party overcame Labour to become the second largest party. Following the election Leith councillor Adam McVey took over control of the SNP group from Frank Ross. Conservative group leader Cameron Rose was similarly replaced by Iain Whyte. The Labour group elected Cammy Day as their leader.[2]

The Labour-SNP administration formed in 2012 lost their majority however were able to continue in office in a minority administration, with Labour now being the junior partner to the SNP.

Boundary changes

Following the implementation of changes recommended by the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland the number of councillors to be elected was increased from 58 to 63. This was also the first election contested on new boundaries since the 2007 election. While the number of wards remained at 17, five wards:

elected four councillors instead of three.

The fourth placed and losing candidate in four wards was SNP and one ward a Lib Dem. In a re-run of the 2017 election the boundary changes would have likely lead to an increase of +4 SNP Councillors and +1 Liberal Democrat.

The Meadows/Morningside ward was also renamed as Morningside.[3] [4]

Ward summary

|- class="unsortable" align="centre"!rowspan=2 align="left"|Ward! % !Seats! %!Seats! %!Seats! %!Seats! %!Seats! %!Seats!rowspan=2|Total|- class="unsortable" align="center"!colspan=2 | Labour!colspan=2 | SNP!colspan=2 | Conservative!colspan=2 | Green!colspan=2 | Lib Dem!colspan=2 | Others|-|align="left"|Almond|5.53|0|22.60|1|16.86|1|2.64|0|50.80|2|1.57|0|4|-|align="left"|Pentland Hills|20.63|1|28.83|1|41.27|2|4.32|0|4.95|0|0.00|0|4|-|align="left"|Drum Brae/Gyle|13.32|0|26.82|1|22.00|1|4.34|0|33.52|1|0.0|0|3|-|align="left"|Forth|20.73|1|31.31|2|28.38|1|9.99|0|7.81|0|1.78|0|4|-|align="left"|Inverleith|12.37|0|18.96|1|36.91|2|12.30|0|16.59|1|2.87|0|4|-|align="left"|Corstorphine/Murrayfield|7.68|0|21.65|1|33.41|1|5.23|0|30.64|1|1.38|0|3|-|align="left"|Sighthill/Gorgie|21.64|1|40.17|2|19.09|1|14.88|0|3.91|0|0.32|0|4|-|align="left"|Colinton/Fairmilehead|20.59|1|20.73|0|49.76|2|4.28|0|4.64|0|0.00|0|3|-|align="left"| Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart|13.84|0|21.04|1|31.80|1|27.61|1|5.04|0|0.68|0|3|-|align="left"|Morningside|18.21|1|17.87|0|29.54|1|19.36|1|15.02|1|0.00|0|4|-|align="left"|City Centre|13.25|1|25.07|1|32.68|1|20.52|1|8.00|0|0.48|0|4|-|align="left"|Leith Walk|22.49|1|34.46|2|14.42|0|19.69|1|3.74|0|5.19|0|4|-|align="left"|Leith|20.35|1|36.16|1|15.93|0|22.26|1|5.29|0|0.00|0|3|-|align="left"|Craigentinny/Duddingston|23.25|1|37.11|1|23.72|1|11.70|1|4.21|0|0.00|0|4|-|align="left"|Southside/Newington|20.12|1|20.54|1|26.93|1|20.35|1|12.05|0|0.00|0|4|-|align="left"|Liberton/Gilmerton|32.27|1|33.80|2|23.24|1|5.17|0|5.52|0|0.00|0|4|-|align="left"|Portobello/Craigmillar|30.39|1|32.56|1|19.48|1|15.10|1|2.47|0|0.00|0|4|- class="unsortable" class="sortbottom"!align="left"| Total!18.37!12!27.08!19!27.74!18!12.41!8!13.62!6!0.89!0!63|-|}

Ward results

Almond

City Centre

Colinton/Fairmilehead

Corstorphine/Murrayfield

Craigentinny/Duddingston

Drum Brae/Gyle

Forth

Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart

Inverleith

Leith

Leith Walk

Liberton/Gilmerton

Morningside

* = Outgoing Councillor from a different Ward.

Pentland Hills

Portobello/Craigmillar

Sighthill/Gorgie

Southside/Newington

Changes since 2017

Retiring Councillors

Council WardDeparting CouncillorParty
AlmondLindsay Paterson[14] Conservative
AlmondAlastair Shields†[15] Independent
Corstorphine/MurrayfieldJeremy BalfourConservative
Corstorphine/MurrayfieldPaul Edie[16] Liberal Democrat
Colinton/FairmileheadElaine AitkenConservative
Craigentinny/DuddingstonStefan Tymkewycz[17] Scottish National Party
Drum Brae/GyleRonald CairnsScottish National Party
Fountainbridge/CraiglockhartAndrew Burns[18] Labour
ForthAllan Jackson[19] Conservative
InverleithLesley Hinds[20] Labour
Liberton/GilmertonNorma Austin HartLabour
Liberton/GilmertonKeith RobsonLabour
Meadows/MorningsidePaul GodzikLabour
Meadows/MorningsideMark McInnes[21] Conservative
Pentland HillsBill Henderson[22] Scottish National Party
Pentland HillsDominic HeslopConservative
Sighthill/GorgieEric MilliganLabour
Southside/NewingtonJim Orr††Independent
† Originally elected as a Liberal Democrat candidate.
†† Originally elected as a Scottish National Party candidate.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Upcoming elections. King. Hannah. www.edinburgh.gov.uk. en. 2017-02-03. 19 March 2017. https://web.archive.org/web/20170319002146/http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20033/elections_and_voting/258/upcoming_elections. dead.
  2. Web site: Adam McVey to replace Frank Ross as SNP group leader. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  3. Web site: Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland - Fifth Electoral Reviews - City of Edinburgh. www.lgbc-scotland.gov.uk. 6 February 2019.
  4. https://theedinburghreporter.co.uk/2016/09/edinburgh-to-have-five-more-councillors-from-next-year/# Edinburgh to have five more councillors from next year
  5. Web site: SNP councillor quits party amid punch claims. HeraldScotland. 20 February 2018 . 6 February 2019.
  6. Web site: Senior councillor Gavin Barrie quits SNP. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  7. Web site: Edinburgh Tory councillor quits in protest at benefit changes. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  8. Web site: Conservatives are biggest party in Edinburgh after third SNP councillor quits. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  9. Web site: Edinburgh Labour councillor quits amid reports of internal party tensions. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  10. Web site: By-election for electoral ward 12: Leith Walk. The City of Edinburgh. Council. www.edinburgh.gov.uk. 1 April 2019. 1 April 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190401202728/http://www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20033/elections_and_voting/1893/by-election_for_electoral_ward_12_leith_walk. dead.
  11. Web site: SNP candidate Rob Munn victorious in Leith Walk by-election. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 14 April 2019.
  12. Web site: Craigentinny/Duddingston by-election result. www.edinburgh.gov.uk.
  13. Web site: Edinburgh politicians and residents respond to local councillor's resignation from the SNP.
  14. News: Swanson . Ian . 23 October 2016 . Half Edinburgh's Tory group to quit at next year's elections . Edinburgh Evening News .
  15. Web site: Another Edinburgh councillor who will not be standing in May 2017. Phyllis. Stephen. 17 October 2016. 6 February 2019.
  16. Web site: Edinburgh councillor Paul Edie to step down next year. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  17. Web site: SNP councillor to quit at May local elections. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  18. News: Edinburgh leader to stand down from post. BBC News. 18 August 2016. 6 February 2019.
  19. Web site: Tory stalwart to join exodus from Edinburgh council. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.
  20. News: City transport leader to stand down. BBC News. 22 August 2016. 6 February 2019.
  21. Web site: Edinburgh Conservative councillor gets peerage in David Cameron's honours list. 5 August 2016. Holyrood Magazine. 6 February 2019. 7 February 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190207021940/https://www.holyrood.com/articles/news/edinburgh-conservative-councillor-gets-peerage-david-cameron%E2%80%99s-honours-list. dead.
  22. Web site: Edinburgh's longest serving councillor to stand down in 2017. www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com. 6 February 2019.

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