 | 'This win heralds the way for the SNP taking the seat of Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale in 2007 where we only need a swing away from the Liberals of 270 votes to secure the seat.' SNP Cllr Bill Herd, 10 th June 2005. |  |
| 'This win heralds the way for the SNP taking the seat of Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale in 2007 where we only need a swing away from the Liberals of 270 votes to secure the seat.' SNP Cllr Bill Herd, 10 th June 2005. | |
A by-election was held in Kilnknowe & Clovenfords on the 9 th of June 2005 following the death of Independent Cllr Thomas Riddle Dumble on 25 th March 2005. Cllr Dumble was David Steel's election agent.
Kilnknowe & Clovenfords is in the Berwickshire, Roxburgh & Selkirk Westminster parliamentary seat (held by Lib Dem Michael Moore MP) and in the Tweedale, Ettrick & Lauderdale Scottish parliamentary seat (held by Lib Dem Jeremy Purves MSP).
Scottish National Party gain from Independent. Swing: 15.0 % Independent to Scottish National Party.
| 9 th June 2005 By-election Turnout 44.0 % | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bill Herd |  |
Scottish National Party | 372 | 33.7 % | + 6.9 % |
| Gavin Logan |  |
Conservative | 325 | 29.4 % | + 8.0 % |
| Frank McCann |  |
Independent | 206 | 18.7 % | (+ 18.7 %) |
| Alastair O'Neill |  |
Liberal Democrat | 181 | 16.4 % | (+ 16.4 %) |
| Mary Douglas | |
Independent | 20 | 1.8 % | (+ 1.8 %) |
| Scottish National Party gain from Independent | |
Scottish National Party majority | 150 | 9.6 % | |
| 1 st May 2003 Turnout % | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cllr Thomas Dumble | |
Independent | 462 | 41.8 % | - 21.2 % |
| Graham Fleming | |
Scottish National Party | 296 | 26.8 % | + 2.1 % |
| William Hall | |
Conservative | 236 | 21.4 % | + 9.0 % |
| Joy McLelland |  |
Scotish Socialist Party | 110 | 10.0 % | (+ 10.0 %) |
| Independent hold | |
Independent majority | 166 | 15.0 | - 23.3 % |
| 6 th May 1999 Turnout % ( %) | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cllr Thomas Dumble | |
Independent | 871 | 63.0 % | % |
| Graham Godsell | |
Scottish National Party | 341 | 24.7 % | - 9.5 % |
| Nicola C. Roberts | |
Conservative | 171 | 12.4 % | (+12.4 %) |
| Independent hold | |
Independent majority | 522 | 38.3 % | + 6.7 % |
| 6 th April 1995 Turnout 32.8 % | |||||
| Candidate | Logo | Party | Votes | % | % change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Dumble | |
Independent | 377 | 65.8 % | |
| Alexander Herd | |
Scottish National Party | 196 | 34.2 % | |
| Independent win | |
Independent majority | 181 | 31.6 % | |
The members and officers of Scottish Borders Council wish to extend their sincere sympathies and condolences to the family of the late Thomas R Dumble, MBE, Councillor for Kilnknowe and Clovenfords, who died on Friday 25 March in the Borders General Hospital, following a short illness.
Councillor Dumble, 73, known to all by his middle name of Riddle, had been involved in the politics of the Scottish Borders for most of his life and had served as a local government councillor for 36 years.
Riddle Dumble was born in Galashiels and educated at Broughton Primary School, the Burgh Primary School and Galashiels Academy.
He began his working life in the office of J G Lindsay, painter. He went on to do his national service with the Royal Army Service Corps and returned to J G Lindsay again before leaving to become the political agent for David Steel in the mid 1960s. He was awarded the MBE for his political services.
Riddle was elected to Galashiels Town Council on May 6 1969. As a member of the Town Council he was also a member of Selkirk County Council. Most of his time with the town council was on the Housing Committee.
Riddle became a regional councillor at the inception of Borders Regional Council in 1975 and also served on Ettrick & Lauderdale District Council as Housing Convener until 1996. In 1987 Riddle was elected Chairman of the Education Committee on Borders Regional Council, a post he held for 10 years.
In 1995 Riddle was elected to the new Scottish Borders Council where he served continuously. He became Chairman of the Leisure and Recreation Committee in May 1999.
For most of his time in politics, Riddle was passionately interested in the development of the education service and the education of Borders children. He was also interested in libraries, leisure and recreation services, as well as the Ettrick and Lauderdale Sports Council, in which he played a prominent part.
In 2001, to assist in the rebuilding of the Education service, Riddle was asked to return to Education as the portfolio holder for Education and Lifelong Learning until the fall of Scottish Borders Council's second Administration in 2002.
Following the 2003 election Riddle was the natural choice to spearhead education in the Borders and once again returned to Education as the portfolio holder for Education and Lifelong Learning, a responsibility he shared with Councillor Val Robson.
Since 2003 Riddle has vigorously pursued the improvement of the education school estate. He was the driving force behind the proposals to provide three new secondary schools at Earlston, Duns and Eyemouth and four new primary schools at Lauder, Halyrude, Kingsland and in his own ward of Clovenfords, replacing Caddonfoot Primary School.
Although he worked for the Liberal Party, he was always an independent councillor who believed very strongly that local government should not be political.
Riddle was a life-long supporter of the Braw Lads Gathering and was an attendant in 1954. In 2004 he celebrated 50 years' association with the Braw Lads. He was Chairman of the Braw Lads Gathering in 1964, 1968 and 1969 and President from 1979 to 1981 and was made a life member of the Braw Lads Gathering in 1981. He was Vice President of the Edinburgh Braw Lads Association.
He was a supporter of Gala RFC and very seldom missed a home match and for many years was Treasurer of Gala Wanderers.
Council Leader, Councillor David Parker said, "Riddle had tremendous experience as a Councillor and was a man who had been used to politics all his life. He was essentially quiet and private, particularly since the death of his wife, Ella, in 1997. He was, however, a man to be taken seriously. He was assiduous in his pursuit of excellence in education on behalf of our young people and he was a capable performer in the Council Chamber. He will be very much missed by all those who knew or came into contact with him. I would like to send every sympathy to his family on behalf of all of us who were sufficiently privileged to know him and to work with him. He was untiring in his efforts for the people of the Borders. In particular his dry and impish sense of humour which touched all those who knew him will be a real loss to the Council Chamber and I can truly say that the Scottish Borders has lost a true friend.
On a personal basis, Riddle has been a real friend and source of advice and support to me since 2003 and will be very sadly missed. Gala has lost a true Braw Lad."
Scottish Borders Council Convener, Alasdair Hutton, added his condolences to Councillor Parker's, saying, "I admired Riddle Dumble for his breadth of political experience which gave him the ability to take a long view. He bore the pressures of a very tough portfolio with firm courage and good humour."
Riddle Dumble's funeral will take place on Friday 1 April, 2005 at 12.15pm in St Ninian's Church, Galashiels. After the funeral there will be an interment at Eastlands Cemetery, followed by refreshments at the Kingsnowes Hotel where friends and associates of Riddle are welcome to join the family to reflect on the life of Riddle Dumble.
The family has requested family flowers only, although there is likely to be a collection that people can make donations to at the service.
Scottish Borders Council gained a second SNP Councillor today, when William (Bill) Herd was elected to the ward of Kilnknowe and Clovenfords.
Mr Herd won 372 of the 1,105 votes cast in a by-election which saw a solid, 43.95% turnout. He succeeds the long-serving Councillor Thomas Riddle Dumble, who died in March.
In second place came Gavin Logan (Scottish Conservative and Unionist) with 325 votes; Frank McCann (Independent) with 206; Alastair O'Neil (Scottish Liberal Democrats) with 181 and Mary Douglas (Independent) with 20.
Voters in Kilnknowe and Clovenfords went to the polls yesterday (June 9). The count was carried out today (June 10) and the result announced shortly after noon.
Mr Herd, a former teacher at Galashiels Academy, is a past member of both Borders Regional Council and Scottish Borders Council.
Following the announcement of today's result, Mr Herd said, 'I would like to thank the people of Kilnknowe and Clovenfords for voting with their feet.'
Cllr Bill Herd is the SNP's latest elected representative following his decisive victory in the local authority by-election in Kilnknowe and Clovenfords in Borders Council yesterday (Thursday). The seat was previously held by an Independent candidate.
The result provides a huge boost to the SNP in an area where the party are only around 500 votes behind the Liberal Democrats in the Scottish Parliament election.
Cllr Herd said:
"I'd like to thank both the voters in the area for placing their trust in me and the SNP to represent them within the council, and my fantastic election team for all their hard work in the campaign.
"I look forward to repaying their trust in me in the coming weeks and months."
South of Scotland MSP Christine Grahame said:
"This is a fantastic result for the SNP and my congratulations to Bill and the campaign team who ran a very professional and committed campaign.
"This win heralds the way for the SNP taking the seat of Tweedale, Ettrick and Lauderdale in 2007 where we only need a swing away from the Liberals of 270 votes to secure the seat.
"I will look forward to working with Bill to build the SNP team in the Borders which also includes Councillor John Mitchell."
Result - Kilknowe & Clovenfords by-election - Scottish Borders Council
Bill Herd - SNP - 372
Logan - Tory - 325
McCann - Ind - 206
O'Neill - Lib - 181
Douglas - Ind - 20
2003 Result
Independent 462 (41.8%) -21.2
SNP 296 (26.8%) +2.1
Conservative 236 (21.4%) +9.0
SSP 110 (10.0%) +10.0
Victorious SNP candidate Bill Herd has described his success as a "slap in the face" for the Lib Dems, after taking the vacant Kilnknowe and Clovenfords ward on Scottish Borders Council by 47 votes, writes Andrew Keddie.
Mr Herd, 63, himself a former Lib Dem councillor, said he also believed his win, which doubles his party's representation on SBC to two, was a "wake up call" for the local authority and its Conservative/Independent administration.
"There was strong feedback on the doorstep that we are not well represented by the Lib Dems in Holyrood and that the council is being run by officials rather than elected members, with an increasing number of decisions made without adequate consultation."
Mr Herd's comments came after he polled 372 of the 1,105 votes (a 44 per cent turnout) at Thursday's by-election, called after the death of veteran sitting councillor Riddle Dumble.
The Conservatives, who already have 11 of the 34 SBC wards, had pinned their hopes on increasing their influence in the coalition on Clovenfords farmer Gavin Logan. He finished runner-up with 325 votes.
Independent Frank McCann, the businessman who is chairman of Clovenfords Community Council, took third place on 206, while Lib Dem hopeful Alastair O'Neil, a former Borders health trust chairman and retired banker, came fourth with 181.
Languishing with just 20 votes was farmer's wife Mary Douglas who stood on the single issue of saving the government buildings in Galashiels from demolition as part of a new Tesco supermarket development.
The result was announced by returning officer David Hume at SBC headquarters in Newtown St Boswells on Friday morning.
In his victory speech, Galashiels-born Mr Herd thanked his "hard-working and dedicated" team of party supporters and particularly his wife Janine.
He claimed the Lib Dems had adopted a negative stance against the SNP.
"I had a good rapport with Gavin and Frank throughout, but the Lib Dems criticised the SNP from the word go and they now have some serious thinking to do."
Mr Herd, a technical teacher at Berwick High School, was elected on a Lib Dem ticket to represent Eyemouth on Borders Regional Council in 1994 and continued when SBC took over two years later.
Mr Herd's success last week follows two local election defeats under the SNP colours he adopted four years ago Ð first by Michael Cook, now SBC deputy leader, in Eyemouth, and then in 2003 by Bill Lamb (Lib Dem) in Mossilee and Galashiels Central.
Six months ago, Mr Herd, who plans to retire from teaching later this year, returned to live in Galashiels.
He told TheSouthern that he and his sole SNP colleague Councillor John Mitchell would continue to concentrate on local issues, while supporting the "holistic development" in the Borders.
"I have to say that a lot of people do not support the railway. I personally disagree with them, but feel the line is not a panacea and must be part of a structured programme which involves good, affordable housing and job creation."
After attending a meeting of Clovenfords Community Council on Monday night, Mr Herd said he had already set up talks with First Bus and local transport officials to discuss improving the safety/ congestion situation in Wood Street, Galashiels.
He is also set to oppose a new 44-house development in Catrail Road and to press SBC to ensure the proposed new school at Caddonfoot comes to fruition.
Councillor Alec Nicol, Lib Dem leader on SBC, said: "We had an excellent candidate (Mr O'Neil) but the fact he lived in St Boswells clearly worked against us."
Scottish Borders Council gained a second SNP Councillor today, when William (Bill) Herd was elected to the ward of Kilnknowe and Clovenfords.
Bill won 372 of the 1,105 votes cast in a by-election which saw a solid, 43.95% turnout. He succeeds the long-serving Councillor Thomas Riddle Dumble, who died in March.
In second place came Gavin Logan (Scottish Conservative and Unionist) with 325 votes; Frank McCann (Independent) with 206; Alastair O'Neil (Scottish Liberal Democrats) with 181 and Mary Douglas (Independent) with 20.
Voters in Kilnknowe and Clovenfords went to the polls on June 9. The count was carried out and the result announced shortly after noon on the 10th.
Mr Herd, a former teacher at Galashiels Academy, is a past member of both Borders Regional Council and Scottish Borders Council.
Following the announcement of today's result, Mr Herd said, 'I would like to thank the people of Kilnknowe and Clovenfords for voting with their feet.'
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