2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election

2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election
← 2017 5 May 2022 (2022-05-05) 2027 →
All 22 seats to West Dunbartonshire Council
12 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
 
Leader Martin Rooney Jonathon McColl Jim Bollan
Party Labour SNP West Dunbartonshire Community
Leader's seat Lomond Lomond Leven
Last election 8 seats, 33.6% 10 seats, 40.1% 1 seat, 7.8%
Seats before 8 10 1
Seats won 12 9 1
Seat change Increase 4 Decrease 1 Steady
Popular vote 12,473 12,676 1,462
Percentage 41.9% 42.6% 4.9%
Swing Increase 8.3% Increase 2.5% Decrease 2.9%
Council Leader before election

Jonathan McColl
SNP

Council Leader after election

Martin Rooney
Labour

The 2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election was held on 5 May 2022, on the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the six wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 22 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system - a form of proportional representation.

The SNP minority administration formed after the 2017 election was replaced with a new Labour majority administration.

Results

2022 West Dunbartonshire Council election result
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 12 4 0 Increase 4 54.5 41.9 12,473 Increase 8.3
  SNP 9 0 1 Decrease 1 40.9 42.6 12,676 Increase 2.5
  West Dunbartonshire Community 1 0 0 Steady 4.5 4.9 1,462 Decrease 2.9
  Conservative 0 0 2 Decrease 2 0.0 8.9 2,644 Decrease 3.6
  Scottish Green 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.7 206 Increase 0.4
  Scottish Family 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.4 121 New
  TUSC 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 73 New
  Independent 0 0 1 Decrease 1 0.0 0.2 51 Decrease 5.1
  Scottish Libertarian 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.2 45 New
  Sovereignty 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.1 30 New

Ward results

Lomond

  • 2017: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
  • 2022: 2xLab; 1xSNP
  • 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one seat from Con
Lomond - 3 seats[1]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5
SNP Jonathan McColl (incumbent) 34.5 1,494        
Labour Martin Rooney (incumbent) 21.7 938 1,017.4 1,163.1    
Labour Hazel Sorrell 16.6 719 782.1 969.3 1,035.0 1,433.5
Conservative Sally Page (incumbent) 15.4 666 680.9 731.0 735.2  
West Dunbartonshire Community Drew MacEoghainn 11.8 509 620.7      
Electorate: 9,111   Valid: 4,326   Spoilt: 75   Quota: 1,082   Turnout: 48.3%  

Leven

  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xWDCP; 1xLab
  • 2022: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xWDCP;
  • 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one from SNP
Leven - 4 seats[2]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
SNP Ian Dickson (incumbent) 25.7 1,494            
Labour John Millar (incumbent) 18.7 1,089 1,095.2 1,101.2 1,116.8 1,184.3    
Labour Michelle McGinty 16.4 956 963.3 966.3 997.8 1,116.8 1,130.7 1,280.3
West Dunbartonshire Community Jim Bollan (incumbent) 16.4 953 972.2 988.4 1,047.1 1,136.1 1,138.2 1,500.6
SNP Ronnie McColl 11.2 653 913.3 917.3 1,007.6 1,017.3 1,017.9  
Conservative Matthew Dillon 7.2 420 421.1 432.1 439.3      
Scottish Green Paula Baker 3.5 206 226.5 231.7        
Independent Sian Wilkie 0.9 51 51.7          
Electorate: 13,820   Valid: 5,822   Spoilt: 129   Quota: 1,165   Turnout: 43.1%  

Dumbarton

  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon
  • 2022: 2xLab; 2xSNP
  • 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one from Con
Dumbarton - 4 seats[3]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP Karen Conoghan (incumbent) 33.8 2,171          
Labour David McBride (incumbent) 31.8 2,045          
Labour Gurpreet Singh Johal 14.5 950 987 1,546.5      
Conservative Brian Walker (incumbent) 9.4 601 602.9 642.4 682.5 686.5 696.4
SNP Chris Pollock 8.2 592 1,246.2 1,265.4 1,291.8 1,295.8 1,305.8
TUSC Lynda McEwan 1.1 73 86.9 99.9 123.0 127.7 137.4
Scottish Libertarian Johnathan Rainey 0.7 45 49.7 54.8 62.3 68.5  
Sovereignty Kelly Wilson 0.5 30 30.8 32.2 34.3    
Electorate: 13,336   Valid: 6,524   Spoilt: 163   Quota: 1,305   Turnout: 50.1%  

Kilpatrick

  • 2017: 2xLab; 1xSNP
  • 2022: 2xLab; 1xSNP
  • 2017-2022 Change: no change
Kilpatrick - 3 seats[4]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2
Labour Douglas McAllister (incumbent) 49.1 1,903  
SNP Gordon Scanlan 25.4 986  
SNP Marina Scanlan 12.5 486 524.2
Labour Lawrence O'Neill (incumbent) 7.0 272 1,020.6
Conservative David Jardine 5.9 229 269.7
Electorate: 8,987   Valid: 4,059   Spoilt: 183   Quota: 970   Turnout: 45.2%  

Clydebank Central

  • 2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent
  • 2022: 2xSNP; 2xLab
  • 2017-2022 Change: Lab gain one seat from Independent
Clydebank Central - 4 seats[5]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
SNP Diane Docherty (incumbent) 41.0 1,903      
Labour Craig Edward 25.8 1,199      
Labour Claire Steel 13.9 645 717.7 900.7 1,137.8
SNP Sophie Traynor 11.1 531 1,367.8    
Conservative Liam Wilson 7.9 366 368.6 384.2 390.5
Electorate: 11,820   Valid: 4,848   Spoilt: 204   Quota: 929   Turnout: 41.0%  

Clydebank Waterfront

  • 2017: 2xSNP; 2xLab
  • 2022: 2xSNP; 2xLab
  • 2017-2022 Change: no change
Clydebank Waterfront - 4 seats[6]
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
SNP James McElhill 31.8 1,493          
Labour Daniel Lennie (incumbent) 25.9 1,217          
SNP Lauren Oxley 16.3 767 1,179.9        
Labour June McKay 11.5 540 571.5 811.4 822.1 868 1,093.5
Conservative Holly Moscrop 7.7 362 367.2 374.2 376.6 403.9  
SNP Jacob Toland 4.2 196 255.3 259.5 475.1 493.2 500.8
Scottish Family Brian Michael Lally 2.6 121 125.4 129.5 130.6    
Electorate: 11,537   Valid: 4,696   Spoilt: 158   Quota: 940   Turnout: 42.1%  

Aftermath

Labour won twelve seats, giving them the majority they needed to regain control of the council from the SNP, who had won control in 2017.[7] Martin Rooney was appointed Council Leader, with Michelle McGinty serving as his deputy.[8]

Clydebank Central SNP councillor Diane Docherty quit the SNP group in January 2023, and now sits as an Independent.[9][10]

In July 2024 Labour councillor and Provost Douglas McAllister was elected to Parliament for the West Dunbartonshire constituency during the 2024 United Kingdom general election, and as such stood back from being Provost.[11]

Ex-council leader Dumbarton SNP councillor Jonathon McColl quit the SNP group on 19 August 2024, and now sits as an Independent.[12][13]

Clydebank Waterfront Labour councillors Daniel Lennie and June McKay quit the Labour group in August 2024, and now sit as Independents.[14] This resulted in the Labour group losing control of the council.[15] However in September 2024, it was announced that Labour will retain control of the council as a minority administration, as opposition councillors were unable to form a coalition administration.[16]

On 28 August 2024, Dumbarton councillor Karen Murray Conaghan was elected to serve as the new Provost, becoming the first woman to hold the position in the history of the council.[17]

Clydebank Central by-election

A by-election was held on 13 June 2024 after Clydebank Central Labour councillor Craig Edward was removed from the party group after being charged with possession of indecent images and had resigned as a councillor after pleading guilty.[18][19] It was won by the Labour candidate Fiona Hennebry.[20]

Clydebank Central by-election (13 June 2024) - 1 seat
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4
Labour Fiona Hennebry 49.6 1,398 1,400 1,404 1,425
SNP Marina Scanlan 38.9 1,095 1,099 1,118 1,127
Conservative Ewan McGinnigle 4.4 125 126 126 130
Independent Andrew Muir 3.1 87 87 91 98
Scottish Liberal Democrats Kai Robert Murray Pyper 1.8 52 56 59  
Communist Nathan Hennebry 1.7 47 47    
Independent Kelly Wilson 0.4 12      
Electorate: 11,702   Valid: 2,816   Spoilt: 29   Quota: 1,409   Turnout: 24.3%  

Kilpatrick by-election

In September 2024 Labour councillor and newly elected Member of Parliament Douglas McAllister resigned as a councillor. A by-election was held in the Kilpatrick ward on 28 November 2024.[21][22]

Kilpatrick by-election (28 November 2024) - 1 seat
Party Candidate FPv% Count
1 2 3 4 5 6
Labour William Rooney 42.75 725 731 736 753 782 814
SNP Marina Scanlan 30.31 514 514 518 523 559 564
Reform UK David Haydn Smith 10.38 176 178 184 186 191 200
Conservative Ewan McGinnigle 5.72 97 97 97 102 103
Scottish Green Paula Baker 4.30 73 83 84 95
Scottish Liberal Democrats Kai O'Connor 3.71 63 64 66
Scottish Family Andrew Muir 1.47 25 25
Communist Dylan McAllister 1.36 23
Electorate: 8,879   Valid: 1,696   Spoilt: 9   Quota: 849   Turnout: 19.2%  

References

  1. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 1 - Lomond" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
  2. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 2 - Leven" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
  3. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 3 - Dumbarton" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
  4. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 4 - Kilpatrick" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
  5. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 5 - Clydebank Central" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
  6. ^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report - Ward 6 - Clydebank Waterfront" (PDF). 6 May 2022.
  7. ^ Grant, Tom (6 May 2022). "Council elections 2022: Labour win West Dunbartonshire". Clydebank Post. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  8. ^ Clarke, Fraser (23 May 2022). "West Dunbartonshire Council's new Labour leader is named". Daily Record. Retrieved 24 May 2022.
  9. ^ Stewart-Robertson, Tristan (18 January 2023). "Clydebank councillor quits party over gender recognition reforms". Clydebank Post. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  10. ^ Walker, David (18 January 2023). "SNP councillor and sister of MP resigns from party over gender reform stance". Scottish Daily Express. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  11. ^ Macdonald, Aiden (21 August 2024). "West Dunbartonshire Labour MP to step down from council roles". Dumbarton and Vale of Leven Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  12. ^ Macdonald, Aiden (21 August 2024). "Dumbarton councillor Jonathan McColl resigns from SNP". Dumarton and Vale of Leven Reporter. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  13. ^ Clarke, Fraser (21 August 2024). "BREAKING: Former West Dunbartonshire Council leader Jonathan McColl resigns from SNP". Daily Record (Scotland). Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  14. ^ Clarke, Fraser (28 August 2024). "Two West Dunbartonshire councillors quit Labour group ahead of Provost decision". Daily Record (Scotland). Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  15. ^ Clarke, Fraser (28 August 2024). "Labour relinquish control of West Dunbartonshire Council". Daily Record (Scotland). Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  16. ^ Paterson, Kirsteen (25 September 2024). "Labour to lead West Dunbartonshire Council after rivals pass on administration". Holyrood. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  17. ^ Moore, Emily (28 August 2024). "First female Provost of West Dunbartonshire has been elected". Clydebank Post. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
  18. ^ "Ex Labour councillor facing indecent images charge now sits as independent". The National. 28 November 2022.
  19. ^ "Disgraced former councillor Craig Edward JAILED". 26 March 2024.
  20. ^ "New Councillor for Clydebank Central following by election". West Dumbartonshire Council. 14 June 2024. Retrieved 29 August 2024.
  21. ^ "By-election announced for West Dunbartonshire's Kilpatrick ward". West Dunbartonshire Council. 12 September 2024. Retrieved 8 October 2024.
  22. ^ "Ward 4 - Kilpatrick Results Count Spreadsheet" (PDF). West Dunbartonshire Council. 28 November 2024. Retrieved 1 January 2025.