The 2012 Moray Council election was held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other 31 local authorities in Scotland. The election used the eight wards created under the

Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 The Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 (asp 9) is an Act of the Scottish Parliament which provided, amongst other things, for the election of councillors to the local government in Scotland, local authorities in Scotland by the single transfera ...

, with 26 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system. The election saw the Scottish National Party (SNP) increase their representation by 1 seat, equalling the seat numbers of the independents who lost 2 seats, while becoming the largest party on the council in terms of vote share. The

Conservatives Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilizati ...

retained their 3 seats while Labour gained an additional seat. Following the election, a coalition was formed between the independents and the Conservatives which was a continuance of the arrangement from 2007 to 2012.

Background

Previous election

The previous election in 2007 were the first in Moray to use the STV electoral system. The results in 2007 saw the traditionally independent controlled council become a independent-Conservative controlled council. The independent group lost 4 seats, as the SNP gained 6, and the Conservatives gained 2. Labour lost 3, and the Liberal Democrats lost any representation on the council. Source:

Composition

There were 2 by-elections in the 2007-12 term. One by-election was in the Elgin City South ward, which resulted in an SNP gain from independent. The other by-election was held in the Forres ward, which resulted in an independent gain from Conservative. Source:

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

Ward results

Speyside Glenlivet

*2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent *2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent *2007-2012 Change: No change

Keith and Cullen

*2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP *2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP *2007-2012 Change: No change

Buckie

*2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP *2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP *2007-2012 Change: No change

Fochabers Lhanbryde

*2007: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent *2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab *2007-2012 Change: Lab gain one seat from Independent

Heldon and Laich

*2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon *2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon *2007-2012 Change: No change

Elgin City North

*2007: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent *2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab *2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent

Elgin City South

*2007: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent *2012: 1xLab; 1xCon; 1xSNP *2007-2012 Change: Con gain from Independent

Forres

*2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon *2012: 3xIndependent; 1xSNP *2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Con

Aftermath

As no single political group on the council won enough seats for a majority, the independent group and the Conservative group continued their coalition administration which had been in place since the

2007 2007 was designated as the International Heliophysical Year and the International Polar Year. Events January * January 1 **Bulgaria and Romania 2007 enlargement of the European Union, join the European Union, while Slovenia joins the Eur ...

election.

2013 Heldon and Laich by-election

SNP councillor Carolle Ralph resigned her seat on 7 December 2012. The by-election was held in the Heldon and Laich ward on 7 March 2013 and was won by independent candidate John Cowe. Source:

2014 Buckie by-election

Independent councillor Anne McKay resigned her seat on 13 November 2013. A by-election was held in the Buckie ward on 30 January 2014 and was won by independent candidate Gordon Cowie. Source:

Elgin City North by-election

Labour councillor Barry Jarvis resigned his seat on 26 September 2014 to train as a teacher. A by-election was held in the Elgin City North ward on 11 December 2014 and the seat was won by the SNP candidate Kirsty Reid. Source:

2015 Buckie by-election

Independent councillor Joe Mackay died on 12 January 2015 after a fall from his mobility scooter. A by-election was held in the Buckie ward to fill the vacancy on 26 March 2015 and the seat was won by the SNP candidate Sonya Warren. Source:

2015 Heldon and Laich by-election

Independent councillor Eric McGillivray announced on 31 July 2015 he was standing down from the council for personal reasons. A by-election was held in the Heldon and Laich ward on 1 October 2015 and the seat was won by independent candidate Dennis Slater. Source:

References

{{United Kingdom local elections, 2012

2012 2012 was designated as: *International Year of Cooperatives *International Year of Sustainable Energy for All Events January *January 4 – The Cicada 3301 internet hunt begins. * January 12 – Peaceful protests begin in the R ...

2012 Scottish local elections 21st century in Moray