Local By-elections

'Even on Thursday - Devolution Day - we managed to win back a seat from Labour in Troon.'
Brian Meek in the Herald, 16 th September 1997.

Troon West (South Ayrshire) 11 th September 1997

The by-election in the Troon West ward of South Ayrshire council was held on the same night as the devolution referendum. The result was the single consolation to despondant Conservative spokesman Lord MacKay of Ardbrecknish - who in a previous incarnation had been John MacKay, Conservative MP for Argyll (1979-83) and Argyll & Bute (1983-87).

Amidst Tory gloom and doom concerning the overwhelming 'Yes-Yes' vote, Lord MacKay was able to announce that the Tories had made a local authority by-election gain. This was the Tories first local by-election gain since the 1995 elections and they won Troon West in style, taking the ward with a majority of 478, which represented an enormous 18 % swing from Labour to Conservative. The SNP, who did not stand in 1997, took 12.7 % of the vote.

The result is a further chapter in the swings and roundabouts of Troon politics. In the 1995 Unitary Council elections Troon West was captured by Labour with a 361 majority over the Conservatives. Troon Central and Troon East were also gained by Labour.

The Unitary Council results were a reversal of the 1992 District Council elections when the Conservatives wrestled control of Kyle & Carrick District from Labour. The Conservatives held Troon South & West with a 1,532 majority and gained the Troon East and Troon North & Central wards from Labour.

The Tories required a swing of 8.4 % to take Troon West and obtained 18%. This by-election result will be extremely heartening to the beleagured Scottish Tories after their disastrous showings in the European, Local and General elections and is a reminder that many of Labour's new Scottish MPs could be vulnerable to a resurgent Scottish Unionist Party.

However, it should be remembered that this part of Scotland has been extremely volatile. Change was the norm for the old Kyle & Carrick District Council which was controlled by Labour in 1980, then won by the Conservatives in 1984, regained by Labour in 1988, only to be retaken by the Tories in 1992.

Following the by-election, the political composition of South Ayrshire council is 20 Labour and 5 Conservatives.

Troon West

11 th September 1997				6 th April 1995
		1,325	53.3 %	Susan Wilson		1,259	58.4 %
		847	34.0 %	James Clark		898	41.6 %
		316	12.7 %
Con gain from Labour	Con maj.	478	9.7 %	Lab gain	Lab maj.	361	16.8 %

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