# 1982 Orkney Islands Council election

The 1982 Orkney Islands Council election, the third election to Orkney Islands Council, was held on 4 May 1982 as part of the wider 1982 Scottish regional elections.
The election saw the Independents take all save one of the seats on the council as the pro-autonomy Orkney Movement contested its first election, winning one seat. Two other Orkney Movement members, Billy Dass and Chris Soames, were elected as independent candidates.

## Results

1982 Orkney Islands election :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 23 | 0 | 1 | 1 | | 86.5 | 3,114 | 13.5 |
| Orkney Movement | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | | 3.8 | 135 | New |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 9.7 | 350 | New |

## Ward Results

Kirkwall St Magnus :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. McRae (Incumbent) | 156 | 66.7% |
| | Labour | R. Presland | 77 | 32.9% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 79 | 33.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Kirkwall Weyland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Orkney Movement | Spencer Rosie | 135 | 41.8% |
| | Independent | James Melrose (Incumbent) | 102 | 31.6% |
| | Independent | James Hine | 53 | 16.4% |
| | Labour | A. Bain | 31 | 9.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 33 | 10.2% |
| | Orkney Movement gain from Independent | Orkney Movement gain from Independent | Orkney Movement gain from Independent | Orkney Movement gain from Independent |
Kirkwall Broadsands :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Edwin Eunson (Incumbent) | 221 | 73.4% |
| | Labour | J. Johnson | 80 | 26.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 141 | 46.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Kirkwall St Olafs :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Marwick (Incumbent) | 240 | 78.9% |
| | Independent | G. Harcus | 64 | 21.1% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 57.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Kirkwall Quoybanks :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | A. Stranger (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Kirkwall Papdale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Allan Taylor (Incumbent) | 123 | 64.4% |
| | Independent | Alma Fotheringhame | 68 | 35.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 28.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Stromness West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ian Argo | 227 | 73.7% |
| | Labour | E. Bevan | 80 | 26.0% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 147 | 47.7% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Stromness Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Brenda Robertson (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Stromness North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Chalmers (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
St Ola :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | E. Harcus (Incumbent) | 154 | 65.0% |
| | Labour | D. Holland | 82 | 34.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 72 | 30.4% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Firth & Harray :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Eoin Scott (Incumbent) | 256 | 61.7% |
| | Independent | R. Sabiston | 159 | 38.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 23.4% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Orphir & Stenness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Hugh Halcro-Johnston (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Sandwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Robertson (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
St Andrews & Deerness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Jackie Tait (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Birsay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Brown (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Evie & Rendall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | George Stevenson (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Holm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Alastair Scholes (Incumbent) | 120 | 59.7% |
| | Independent | A. Heddle | 81 | 40.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 | 10.4% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Ronaldsay South & Burray :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Billy Dass | 288 | 51.6% |
| | Independent | Alex Annal (Incumbent) | 270 | 48.4% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 18 | 3.2% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Hoy & Graemsay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | C. Rioch | 179 | 49.6% |
| | Independent | Ewen Traill (Incumbent) | 129 | 35.7% |
| | Independent | T. Thomson | 52 | 14.4% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 50 | 13.9% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Ronaldsay North & Sanday :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Towrie (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Westray & Papa Westray :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Scott (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Eday & Stronsay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Groat (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Rousay & Egilsay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Chris Soames | 76 | 44.2% |
| | Independent | I. Owen (Incumbent) | 73 | 42.4% |
| | Independent | R. Clark | 23 | 13.4% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 | 1.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
Shapinsay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. Sinclair (Incumbent) | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |