2017 Elections to East Lothian Council were held on 4 May 2017 on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections . The election consisted of 6 wards electing three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation , with 22 councillors elected.
This election featured revised ward boundaries to three wards resulting in the reduction of the number of East Lothian councillors from 23 to 22. Two former Musselburgh wards were merged, while losing Wallyford and Whitecraig with 4 councillors being elected. The bulk of the previous Fa'side ward became Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry. Haddington and Lammermuir ward expanded with the addition of Ormiston and Pencaitland and gained a councillor.
Following the elections, Labour announced that they would form a minority administration. This replaced the previous coalition between Labour, the Conservatives and the one Independent councillor.[ 1]
2017 East Lothian Council election[ 2]
Party
Seats
Gains
Losses
Net gain/loss
Seats %
Votes %
Votes
+/−
Labour
9
1
2
-1
40.9
33.1
13,723
-10.0
Conservative
7
4
0
+4
31.82
27.4
11,382
+13.0
SNP
6
0
3
-3
27.27
27.9
11,584
-2.5
Liberal Democrats
0
0
0
-
-
4.75
1,971
-0.85
Scottish Green
0
-
-
-
-
4.49
1,862
New
Independent
0
0
1
-1
0.0
2.17
900
-3.73
TUSC
0
-
-
-
-
0.15
63
-0.15
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 2012. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
2012:
Musselburgh West (2xSNP; 1xLab)
Musselburgh East and Carberry (1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xLab)
2017: 2xSNP 1xConservative 1xLab
2012-2017 Change: 2 wards combined due to ward change resulting in one less councillor for Musselburgh. Conservative gain one seat.
Musselburgh - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
SNP
Stuart Currie (incumbent )
22.12
1,683
Conservative
Katie Mackie
19.34
1,472
1,473
1,478
1,570
Labour
Andy Forrest (incumbent )
15.48
1,178
1,187
1,192
1,266
1,274
1,362
1,924
SNP
John Williamson (incumbent )
11.04
840
960
967
1,007
1,008
1,241
1,278
1,322
1,583
Independent
John Caldwell (incumbent )
10.56
804
809
843
896
907
985
1,015
1,107
Labour
Katherine Sangster
7.47
568
570
579
637
644
742
Scottish Green
Jason Rose
6.53
497
506
520
630
633
Liberal Democrats
Clare Graham
6.17
470
473
487
Independent
Theresa Sives
1.26
96
96
Electorate: 15,874 Valid: 7,608 Spoilt: 139 Quota: 1,522 Turnout: 48.8%
Preston, Seton and Gosford
edit
2012: 2xLabour 2xSNP
2017: 2xLabour 1xSNP 1xCON
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain one seat from SNP
Preston, Seton and Gosford - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Labour
Willie Innes (Incumbent ) ††
24.3
1,801
Conservative
Lachlan Bruce
24.1
1,784
SNP
Neil Gilbert
16.2
1,197
1,208
1,215
1,260
1,288
1,294
1,322
2,201
Labour
Fiona O'Donnell
12.6
932
1,164
1,226
1,261
1,369
1,818
SNP
Janis Wilson
11.4
844
852
854
922
936
951
975
Labour
Brian Weddell
5.8
429
471
485
501
520
Scottish Green
Lesley Orr
3.11
230
234
250
Liberal Democrats
Ghill Donald
2.4
180
184
260
300
Electorate: 14,702 Valid: 7,397 Spoilt: 178 Quota: 1,480 Turnout: 51.5%
Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry
edit
2012: 3xLabour 1xSNP (as Fa'side ward)
2017: 2xLabour 1xSNP 1xConservative
2012-2017 Change: Conservatives gain one seat from Labour
Tranent/Wallyford/Macmerry - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SNP
Kenny McLeod (incumbent )
24.5
1,540
Labour
Fiona Dugdale
20.3
1,272
Labour
Colin McGinn
15.3
958
969
972
978
1,000
1,102
1,893
Conservative
Gordon Mackett
15.7
986
987
988
994
1,054
1,089
1,142
Labour
Jim Gillies (incumbent )
13.3
837
844
854
864
897
1,014
SNP
Linda Watson
7.4
464
713
713
725
746
Liberal Democrats
Alexander Graham
2.5
159
162
162
176
TUSC
Jimmy Haddow
1.0
63
Electorate: 14,699 Valid: 6,279 Spoilt: 127 Quota: 1,256 Turnout: 43.6%
North Berwick Coastal
edit
2012: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP
2017: 2xCon 1xLabour
2012-2017 Change: Conservatives gain one seat from SNP
North Berwick Coastal - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Conservative
Jeremy Douglas Findlay
27.16
1,703
Labour
Jim Goodfellow (incumbent )
23.73
1,488
1,497
1,573
Conservative
Jane Henderson
21.38
1,341
1,454
1,474
1,475
1,589
SNP
Laura Lowe Forrest
17.97
1,127
1,128
1,233
1,234
1,335
Liberal Democrats
Robert O'Riordan
5.07
318
323
388
389
Scottish Green
Eurig Scandrett
4.67
293
294
Electorate: 10,752 Valid: 6,270 Spoilt: 114 Quota: 1,568 Turnout: 59.4%
Haddington and Lammermuir
edit
2012: 1xConservative 1xLabour 1xSNP
2017: 1xConservative 2xLabour 1xSNP
2012-2017 Change: No change
Haddington and Lammermuir - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Conservative
Brian Small †
29.03
2,262
Labour
John McMillan (incumbent )
18.71
1,458
1,593
Labour
Shamin Akhtar (incumbent )
15.00
1,169
1,234
1,256
1,316
1,627
SNP
Tom Trotter (incumbent )
14.66
1,142
1,153
1,155
1,236
1,327
1,333
2,227
SNP
Ruth Currie
11.41
889
894
895
947
1,007
1,017
Liberal Democrats
Kelvin Pate
7.29
568
791
795
889
Scottish Green
Cris Thacker
3.88
302
329
330
Electorate: 14,095 Valid: 7,790 Spoilt: 108 Quota: 1,559 Turnout: 56.0%
Dunbar and East Linton
edit
2012: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP
2017: 1xLabour 1xConservative 1xSNP
2012-2017 Change: No change
Dunbar and East Linton - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Conservative
Sue Kempson
29.86
1,834
Labour
Norman Hampshire (incumbent )
26.59
1,633
SNP
Paul McLennan (incumbent )
17.04
1,047
1,054
1,064
1,094
1,199
2,216
SNP
Isobel Knox
13.2
811
819
828
852
1,177
Scottish Green
Sarah Beattie-Smith
8.79
540
569
584
761
Liberal Democrats
Elisabeth Wilson
4.49
276
392
421
Electorate: 10,995 Valid: 6,141 Spoilt: 43 Quota: 1,536 Turnout: 56.4%
Retiring councillors
edit
† On 26 February 2019, Haddington and Lammermuir Councillor Brian Small resigned his seat.[ 7] A by-election followed was held on 9 May 2019. The seat was won by Craig Hoy of the Conservative Party.[ 8]
†† On 24 October 2021, Preston, Seton and Gosford Councillor and Leader of East Lothian Council, Willie Innes, passed away after a long illness.[ 9]
By-elections since 2017
edit
Haddington and Lammermuir by-election 9 May 2019
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
Conservative
Craig Hoy
35.01
2,212
2,249
2,428
2,759
3,277
SNP
Lorraine Glass
29.53
1,866
1,874
2,044
2,469
Labour
Neal Black
21.51
1,359
1,370
1,589
Liberal Democrats
Stuart Crawford
12.25
774
782
UKIP
David Sisson
1.71
108
Electorate: 14,396 Valid: 6,319 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 3,160 Turnout: 44.2%
Preston, Seton and Gosford by-election 20 January 2022 [ 10]
[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
Labour
Colin Yorkston
38.53
1,793
1,815
1,861
1,927
2,390
SNP
Janis Wilson
26.16
1,217
1,242
1,258
1,391
1,458
Conservative
Andy Ovens
24.80
1,154
1,173
1,204
1,212
Scottish Green
Tim Porteus
4.96
231
241
266
Liberal Democrats
Ben Morse
2.92
136
154
Independent
Calum Miller
2.62
122
Electorate: 14,952 Valid: 4,696 Spoilt: 43 Quota: 2,327 Turnout: 31.4%