 | 'All too often, people seem to assume that if local authorities aren't actually corrupt, they are likely to be self-perpetuating, complacent, insensitive and unimaginative.' Tam Dalyell in Devolution, the end of Britain? |  |
| 'All too often, people seem to assume that if local authorities aren't actually corrupt, they are likely to be self-perpetuating, complacent, insensitive and unimaginative.' Tam Dalyell in Devolution, the end of Britain? | |
Milton in Argyll was the fifth by-election of 2001 and the third Labour loss, this time to an independent. This left Labour without a single councillor on Argyll Council which is run by an Independent/SNP/Lib Dem coalition.
The Milton ward is in Dunoon and has changed hands at each of the past three elections. In 1992 the political composition of Argyll District Council was 16 Independents, 4 Conservatives, 3 Liberal Democrats and 2 SNP. This appeared to be similar to the previous council composition but hid the fact that no less than eight of the 26 wards had changed hands. An Independent gained Central Rothesay from the Lib Dems, the Lib Dems gained Craignish-Glenaray from an Independent, the SNP gained Holy Loch from an Independent, the Conservatives gained Kirn & Hunter's Quay from the Lib Dems, and Independents gained Knapdale-Lochgilphead and North Kintyre from the SNP.
Perhaps the strangest result to report was in Milton where there was an 'Independent gain from Last Provost of Dunoon'. In a two way fight, Cllr J. Thomson, the provost in question, had taken 283 votes (39.1 %) and been beaten by Independent Scott McClure with 440 votes (60.9 %).
After local government reorganisation, the new Argyll & Bute Unitary Council was composed of the old Argyll & Bute District Council plus five wards from Dumbarton and one ward made up from existing Argyll & Bute and Dumbarton wards.
In 1995, the new Argyll & Bute Council was composed of 21 Independents, 4 SNP, 3 Lib Dems, 3 Conservatives and 2 Labour. Milton produced an extremely close result with only 53 votes separating first and fourth place. Independent James English was elected with a majority of just 18 over Labour's David Graham. James English took 266 votes (27.6 %) compared to 248 (25.7 %) for David Graham. Eleven votes behind Labour was the SNP's Edward Drummond who polled 237 votes (24.6 %) while 24 votes behind him was Independent Scott McClure, the District Cllr for Milton, with 213 votes 22.1 %).
There were boundary changes for the May 1999 elections. These produced a similar result to 1995 in Argyll & Bute with electors choosing 20 Independents, 6 Lib Dems, 5 SNP, 3 Conservatives and 1 Labour. Milton was a two horse race between Stephen Gray for Labour who won the ward with 583 votes (54.7 %) giving him a majority of exactly 100 votes (9.7 %) over the SNP's John Scott who took 483 votes (45.3 %).
The by-election was won by an independent who took 414 votes (43.5 %) giving him a 216 (22.7 %) majority over Labour. Labour took 20.8 %, down 33.9 % on May 1999. The SNP were in third place, 7 votes behind Labour with 20.1 %, down 25.2 % on the last election. The Scottish Socialist party, contesting the ward for the first time came fourth with 149 votes (15.7 %).
Following the Independent by-election gain from Labour in Milton, the composition of Argyll Council is 22 Independents, 6 Liberal Democrats, 4 Scottish National Party, and 3 Conservatives.
I am grateful to Nick McKerrell of Glasgow Scottish Socialist Party for sending the result.
| 15 th March 2001 | 6 th May 1999 | ||||||
| Independent | 414 | 43.5 % | Stephen Gray |  |
583 | 54.7 % | |
|
198 | 20.8 % | John Scott |  |
483 | 45.3 % | |
|
191 | 20.1 % | |||||
 |
149 | 15.7 % | |||||
| Ind gain from Lab | Ind maj. | 216 | 22.7 % | Lab win | Lab maj. | 100 | 9.4 % |
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