Local By-elections

saltire shield 'A leading authority on local government has sparked fury within the Scottish Executive by observing that recently announced deprivation grants amounting to £21.5m have in the main benefited Labour councils in the West of Scotland, where three Cabinet Ministers have their constituencies.'
John MacCalman in the Herald, 28 th February 2000.		 Lion Rampant

Gains and Losses in local by-elections 1995 - 2007

First-past-the-post system

Party Logo Holds Gains Losses Overall
Scottish National Party Scottish National Party logo 14 + 30 - 9 + 21
Conservative & Unionist Conservative logo 22 + 15 - 0 + 15
Liberal Democrats Lib Dem logo 12 + 15 - 6 + 9
Border Action Group Ind 0 + 1 - 0 + 1
Independents Ind 14 + 11 - 16 - 5
Shetland Movement
0 0 - 1 - 1
Labour Labour logo 39 + 3 - 36 - 23

Wards changing hands in local by-elections 1995 - 2006

Scottish National Party gains from Labour (19)

Ward Council Date Result
Harbour Edinburgh 10 th October 1996 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Rosyth West & Dockyard Fife 13 th November 1997 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Garrowhill Glasgow 22 nd January 1998 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Kilmaurs, Fenwick & Waterside East Ayrshire 26 th February 1998 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Condorrat North/Westfield & Smithstone North Lanarkshire 18 th June 1998 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Dumbarton West West Dunbartonshire 13 th August 1998 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Carmichael South Lanarkshire 3 rd September 1998 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Kildrum & Park North Lanarkshire 3 rd December 1998 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Delph & Cambus Clackmannanshire 27 th April 2000 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Scottish National Party take overall control of Clackmannanshire Council
Musselburgh East East Lothian 22 nd June 2000 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Logie City of Dundee 31 st August 2000 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
South Parks & Macedonia Fife 19 th October 2000 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Kinneil & Whitecross Falkirk 18 th January 2001 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Stonehouse South Lanarkshire 15 th February 2001 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Thornton, Stenton & Finglassie Fife 18 th April 2002 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Herbertshire Falkirk 11 th August 2005 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Milton City of Glasgow 16 th February 2006 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Borestone Stirling 30 th March 2006
(originally set for 27 th April)		 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Labour lose overall majority on Stirling Council
Dumbarton West West Dunbartonshire 15 th June 2006 Scottish National Party gain from Labour
Markinch & Woodside East Fife 28 th Septmber 2006 Scottish National Party gain from Labour

Liberal Democrat gains from Labour (11)

Ward Council Date Result
Ward 11 Inverclyde 10 th October 1996 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Helensburgh East Argyll & Bute 21 st November 1996 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Hilton Highland 4 th December 1997 Liberal Democrat Dem gain from Labour
Garthdee Aberdeen 26 th February 1998 Liberal Democrat Dem gain from Labour
Ward 13 Inverclyde 21 st September 2000 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Labour lose overall control of Inverclyde Council
Tay Bridges City of Dundee 30 th August 2001 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Auchtertool & Burntisland East Fife 20 th September 2001 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Newhills City of Aberdeen 7 th November 2002 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Langstane City of Aberdeen 5 th November 2002 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
Dalkeith/Woodburn Midlothian 17 th March 2005 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour
King's Park City of Glasgow 30 th March 2006 Liberal Democrat gain from Labour

Scottish National Party gains from Independents (9)

Ward Council Date Result
Invergordon Highland 27 th June 1996 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Old Kilpatrick Dumbarton & Clydebank 28 th November 1996 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Speyside Moray 12 th August 2004 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Menstrie Clackmannanshire 19 th August 2004 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Inchyra Falkirk 16 th December 2004 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Kilnknowe & Clovenfords Scottish Borders 9 th June 2005 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Kildrum & Park North Lanarkshire 16 th June 2005 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Auchtertool & Burntisland East Fife 29 th September 2005 Scottish National Party gain from Independent
Loanhead Midlothian 10 th November 2005 Scottish National Party gain from Independent

Conservative gains from Labour (5)

Ward Council Date Result
Troon West South Ayrshire 11 th September 1997 Conservative gain from Labour
Dunblane West Stirling 25 th June 1998 Conservative gain from Labour
Solway Border Dumfries & Galloway 13 th September 2001 Conservative gain from Labour
Ardrossan North North Ayrshire 29 th July 2004 Conservative gain from Labour
Bothwell South South Lanarkshire 26 th August 2004 Conservative gain from Labour

Independent gains from Scottish National Party (5)

Ward Council Date Result
Beauly Highland 26 th June 1997 Independent gain from Scottish National Party
Claggan & Glen Spean Highland 21 st August 1997 Independent gain from Scottish National Party
Kirn & Hunter's Quay Argyll & Bute 21 st December 2000 Independent gain from Scottish National Party
Bowling/Milton/Old Kilpatrick West Dunbartonshire 14 th October 2004 Independent gain from Scottish National Party
Speyside Moray 11 th November 2004 Independent gain from Scottish National Party

Independent gains from Labour (4)

Ward Council Date Result
Manor Park Western Isles 13 th April 2000 Independent gain from Labour
Milton Argyll 15 th March 2001 Independent from Labour
Kincardine, Culross & Low Valleyfield Fife 3 rd October 2002 Independent gain from Labour
Labour lose overall control of Fife Council
North Carrick & Maybole East South Ayrshire 2 nd February 2006 Independent gain from Labour

Conservative gains from Independents (3)

Ward Council Date Result
Kintore Aberdeenshire 19 th February 1998 Conservative gain from Independent
Elie, St Monans & Pittenween Fife 26 th August 1999 Conservative gain from Independent
Kelso & District North Scottish Borders 6 th May 2004 Conservative gain from Independent

Conservative gains from Liberal Democrats (3)

Ward Council Date Result
Strathbogie Aberdeenshire 13 th September 2001 Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat
Kelso Central Scottish Borders 2 nd May 2002 Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat
Earlston, Gordon & District Scottish Borders 7 th November 2002 Conservative gain from Liberal Democrat

Conservative gains from Scottish National Party (3)

Ward Council Date Result
Highland Stirling 13 th April 2000 Conservative gain from Scottish National Party
Gamrie King Edward Aberdeenshire 19 th September 2002 Conservative gain from Scottish National Party
Biggar, Symington & Black Mount South Lanarkshire 11 th May 2006 Conservative gain from Scottish National Party

Independent gains from Liberal Democrats (2)

Ward Council Date Result
Eyemouth Landward Scottish Borders 26 th March 1998 Independent gain from Liberal Democrat
Badenoch West Highland 31 st August 2000 Independent gain from Liberal Democrat

Labour gains from Independents (2)

Ward Council Date Result
Milton Argyll & Bute 30th March 1997 Labour gain from Independent
Lochside Dumfries & Galloway 13 th October 2005 Labour gain from Independent

Liberal Democrat gains from Independent (2)

Ward Council Date Result
Upper Ythan Aberdeenshire 19 th June 1997 Liberal Democrat Dem gain from Independent
Lochardil Highland 10 th August 2006 Liberal Democrat gain from Independent

Borders Action group gains from Independents (1)

Ward Council Date Result
Eyemouth & District South Scottish Borders 2 nd May 2002 Borders Action Group gain from Independent

Labour gains from Liberal Democrats (1)

Ward Council Date Result
Crown Highland 8 th June 2000 Labour gain from Liberal Democrat

Liberal Democrat gains from Scottish National Party (1)

Ward Council Date Result
Kinross Town Perth & Kinross 7 th June 2001 Liberal Democrat gain from Scottish National Party

Liberal Democrat gains from Shetland Movement (1)

Ward Council Date Result
South Yell Shetland 14 th November 1996 Liberal Democrat gain from Shetland Movement

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