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Elections to Falkirk Council was held on 4 May 2017, the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the nine wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 , with 30 councillors being elected, a reduction of 2 members from 2012. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system .
Following the 2012 election, the controlling administration consisted of 14 Labour members, 2 Conservative and 1 Independent (Cllr Buchanan). Opposition is 13 SNP members and 2 Independent (Cllrs Spears and McCabe). The Council Leader is Cllr Craig C Martin, Provost is Cllr Reid and the Depute Provost Cllr Patrick.
2017 Falkirk Council election
First party
Second party
Third party
Leader
Cecil Meiklejohn
Craig Martin
John Patrick
Party
SNP
Labour
Conservative
Leader's seat
Falkirk North
Falkirk South
Last election
13 seats, 40.6%
14 seats, 43.8%
2 seats, 6.3%
Seats before
13
14
2
Seats won
13
14
2
Seats after
12
9
7
Seat change
-1
-5
+5
Fourth party
Leader
Billy Buchannan
Party
Independent
Leader's seat
Bonnybridge and Larbert
Last election
3 seats, 9.4%
Seats before
1
Seats won
3
Seats after
2
Seat change
-1
Council Leader before election
Craig Martin
Labour
Council Leader after election
Cecil Meiklejohn
SNP
Election result summary [ ]
Falkirk Local Election Result 2017
Party
Seats
Gains
Losses
Net gain/loss
Seats %
Votes %
Votes
+/−
SNP
12
-
1
-1
40
38.8
20,861
Labour
9
-
5
-5
30
23.1
12,421
Conservative
7
5
-
+5
23.3
24.5
13,168
Independent
2
-1
-1
6.7
9.8
5,308
Green
-
-
-
-
0.0
3.6
1,933
Other parties
-
-
-
-
0.0
0.1
63
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 May 2012. The number of Falkirk Council seats was reduced by 2 in the 2017 election. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
Ward results [ ]
Bo'ness and Blackness [ ]
2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab
2017: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain one seat from SNP
Bo'ness and Blackness - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
SNP
Ann Ritchie (incumbent )
27.97
1,510
Conservative
Lynn Munro
26.15
1,412
Labour
David Aitchison
20.49
1,106
1,116.38
1,130.17
1,381.23
SNP
Alan Gilbert
14.1
761
880.73
882.71
892.69
Green
Mari-Ellena Corvi
5.78
312
324.72
333.19
360.08
Labour
Michael Burnett
5.52
298
302.24
312.82
Electorate: TBC Valid: 5,399 Spoilt: 137 Quota: 1350 Turnout: 5,536 (46.8%)
Grangemouth [ ]
2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
2017: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose seat.
Grangemouth - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
SNP
David Balfour (incumbent )
26.95
1,510
Labour
Allyson Black (incumbent )
23.22
1,301
1,309.44
1,332.73
1,483.53
Conservative
James Bundy
18.38
1,030
1,031.79
1,040
1,074.58
1,094.4
Independent
Robert Spears (incumbent )
17.49
980
988.08
1,004.58
1,247.12
1,274.46
1,834.19
SNP
Margaret-Ann Milne
12.06
676
756.82
799.39
Green
Judith McLaughlin
1.91
107
109.72
Electorate: TBC Valid: 5,604 Spoilt: 99 Quota: 1,402 Turnout: 5,703 (44.3%)
[1]
Denny and Banknock [ ]
2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Independent
Denny and Banknock - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
SNP
Paul Garner (incumbent )
26.3
1,664
Labour
Jim Blackwood (incumbent )
15.27
965
976.27
976.51
996.75
1,019.23
1,020.57
1,233.78
1,359.61
Conservative
Nigel Harris
14.49
916
918.16
918.16
924.16
950.16
950.39
964.43
1,068.91
1,086.46
1,314.59
SNP
Fiona Collie
13.98
884
1,200.27
1,210.99
1,255.15
1,274.11
Independent
Brian McCabe (incumbent )
10.87
687
719.13
722.85
737.57
780.57
782.45
811.89
984.92
1,002.97
Independent
Alexander John Waddell
8.26
522
528.47
529.47
537.7
615.95
616.69
640.97
Labour
Khalid Hamid
4.97
314
322.87
323.11
333.35
355.83
356.51
Independent
Anne Montgomery
3.65
231
232.92
235.16
247.4
Green
Cheryl Brind
1.89
119
122.84
125.08
Solidarity
Sean Mellon
0.3
19
21.64
Electorate: TBC Valid: 6,321 Spoilt: 95 Quota: 1,265 Turnout: 6,416 (44.1%)
Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst [ ]
2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Labour
Carse, Kinnaird & Tryst - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Conservative
Jim Flynn
27.85
1,968
SNP
Gary Bouse
27.18
1,921
Labour
Joan Coombes *
13.53
956
1,069.44
1,098.21
1,154.31
1,229.31
1,251.22
2,106.01
SNP
Laura Murtagh
13.3
940
955.48
1,350.04
1,374.34
1,530.07
Labour
Martin Murray
12.03
850
964.01
980.63
997.67
1,050.7
1,070.97
Green
Chris Marsh
4.12
291
328.16
358.51
408.87
Independent
Safia Ali
1.99
141
198.71
206.1
Electorate: TBC Valid: 7,067 Spoilt: 133 Quota: 1,414 Turnout: 7,200 (44%)
= Outgoing Councillor for Grangemouth ward.
Bonnybridge and Larbert [ ]
2012: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
2017: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Labour
Bonnybridge and Larbert - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
SNP
Tom Coleman (incumbent )†
33.7
1,898
Conservative
David Grant
24.31
1,368
1,389.43
1,404.2
1,427.07
Independent
Billy Buchanan (incumbent )
20.15
1,134
1,225.91
1,271.58
1,394.9
1,400.54
1,902.47
Labour
Linda Gow (incumbent )
15.71
884
963.51
992.13
1,110.3
1,115.96
Green
David Robertson
3.84
216
384.58
417.2
Independent
Janine Rennie
2.27
128
153.3
Electorate: TBC Valid: 5,628 Spoilt: 51 Quota: 1,408 Turnout: 5,679 (45.1%)
Falkirk North [ ]
2012: 2xSNP; 2xLab
2017: 2xSNP; 2xLab
2012-2017 Change: No change
Falkirk North - 4 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
SNP
David Alexander (incumbent )
35.82
2,326
Labour
Denis Goldie *
17.22
1,118
1,160.83
1,208.1
1,313.84
SNP
Cecil Meiklejohn (incumbent )
16.33
1,060
1,864.91
Conservative
Wendy Chandrachud
14.11
916
933.22
948.14
978.61
979.61
Labour
Robert Bissett
12.95
841
908.11
962.4
1,102.62
1,113.75
1,563.47
Green
Debra Pickering
3.56
231
263.23
519.28
Electorate: TBC Valid: 6,492 Spoilt: 196 Quota: 1,299 Turnout: 6,688 (41%)
= Outgoing Councillor for Falkirk South.
Falkirk South [ ]
2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2017: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012-2017 Change: 1 less seat compared to 2012. Labour lose seat.
Falkirk South - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
SNP
Lorna Binnie
35.68
2,216
Conservative
John Patrick (incumbent )
32.09
1,993
Labour
Pat Reid *†††
27.15
1,686
Green
Donnie Buchanan
5.07
315
Electorate: TBC Valid: 6,210 Spoilt: 71 Quota: 1,553 Turnout: 6,281 (48.3%)
= Sitting Councillor from Falkirk North.
Lower Braes [ ]
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
2012-2017 Change: No change
Lower Braes - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Conservative
Malcolm Nicol (incumbent )
34.49
1,864
SNP
Adanna McCue
30.19
1,632
Labour
Alan Nimmo (incumbent )
14.06
760
894.04
944.99
961.84
970.94
1,066.33
1,146.65
1,446.12
Independent
Ricky Wilson
10.34
559
633.98
669.5
684.89
725.99
779.78
993.11
Independent
Steven Jackson (incumbent )
5.27
285
339.93
359.32
369.06
421.23
472.93
Green
Chris Brind
3.02
163
181.68
282.9
293.23
303.1
Independent
Sam Hemple
1.81
98
121.07
128.28
137.12
UKIP
Stuart Martin
0.81
44
89.04
91.96
Electorate: TBC Valid: 5,405 Spoilt: 50 Quota: 1,352 Turnout: 5,455 (46.2%)
Upper Braes [ ]
2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP
2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
2012-2017 Change: Conservative gain 1 seat from Labour
Upper Braes - 3 seats
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Conservative
James Kerr ††
30.22
1,701
Labour
John McLuckie (incumbent )††
23.85
1,342
1,441.91
SNP
Gordon Hughes (incumbent )
18.27
1,028
1,036.61
1,040.73
1,066.78
1,093.98
1,218.31
2,112.31
SNP
Farah Farzana
14.84
835
837.07
838.76
890.08
910.68
978.8
Independent
Jim Robertson
6.4
360
401.68
409.18
449.03
602.12
Independent
Neil Durning
3.25
183
224.17
228.32
262
Green
Tom McLaughlin
3.18
179
193.12
196.92
Electorate: TBC Valid: 5,628 Spoilt: 104 Quota: 1,408 Turnout: 5,732 (46.5%)
Changes since 2017 [ ]
† On 30 November 2017 Bonnybridge and Larbert SNP Cllr Tom Coleman died following a short illness.[2] A by-election was held on 15 February 2018 and the seat was retained by his son, Niall.
†† On 21 September 2018 Upper Braes Labour Cllr John McLuckie and Conservative Cllr James Kerr were suspended by both of their respective parties and became Independents having been charged by the police following an investigation into planning irregularities in Falkirk.[3]
†††On 29 July 2021 Falkirk South Labour Cllr Pat Reid announced he was resigning his seat.[4] A by-election will be held on 14 October and was gained by Emma Russell of the SNP.[5]
By-elections since 2017 [ ]
Bonnybridge and Larbert By-election (15 February 2018)[6] [7]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
SNP
Niall Coleman
38.6
1,295
1,300
1,354
1,619
1,866
Conservative
George Stevenson
32.4
1,088
1,096
1,115
1,280
Labour
Linda Gow
24.2
813
821
858
Green
David Robertson
3.7
124
129
UKIP
Stuart Martin
1.0
35
Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,355 Spoilt: 30 Quota: 1,678 Turnout: 3,385 (26.5%)
Falkirk South By-election (14 October 2021)[8] [9]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
SNP
Emma Russell
38.6
1,691
1,844
2,019
2,472
Conservative
Sarah Patrick
32.4
1,678
1,694
1,903
Labour
James Marshall
24.2
678
733
Green
Stuart Duffin
3.7
267
Electorate: TBC Valid: 4,313 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 2,157 Turnout: 4,364 (32.5%)
References [ ]