# 2012 Angus Council election

Elections to Angus Council were held on 3 May 2012 the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election used the eight wards, created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with each ward electing three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system form of proportional representation, with 29 Councillors being elected.
The 2007 election saw the Scottish National Party lose majority control on the council. In their stead the Angus Alliance took over the leadership of the council made up of all parties and groupings opposed to the SNP. Two independent councillors (one elected in 2007, the other elected at a by-election in 2011) remained outside the Angus Alliance.
The 2012 election saw the SNP gain two additional seats and regain their overall majority on the council. Independents also increased their overall numbers and became the second largest grouping while all other parties; the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Labour and the Scottish Liberal Democrats lost seats. The Conservative and Unionist Party are the second largest political party represented on the council.
Following the election the Scottish National Party formed the administration on the council. Cllr Ian Gaul (Kirriemuir and Dean) was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent statutory meeting, Cllr Paul Valentine (Montrose) Depute Leader. Cllr Helen Oswald (Carnoustie and District) was elected Provost.

## Election result

Angus Local Election Result 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| SNP | 15 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 51.72 | 44.38 | 14,689 | 6.08 |
| Independent | 8 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 27.59 | 24.24 | 8,023 | 3.34 |
| Conservative | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13.79 | 17.71 | 5,863 | 1.39 |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 3.45 | 7.34 | 2,429 | 4.46 |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 3.45 | 5.77 | 1,911 | 3.93 |
Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections on 3 May 2007. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

## Ward results
### Kirriemuir and Dean

* 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Kirriemuir and Dean – 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Conservative | Ronnie Proctor | 39.99 | 1,375 | | | |
| | SNP | Iain Gaul (incumbent) | 37.84 | 1,301 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alison Andrews (incumbent) | 12.48 | 429 | 691.9 | 717.7 | |
| | SNP | Jeanette Gaul | 9.69 | 333 | 389.9 | 783.5 | 1,034.9 |
| Electorate: 8,264 Valid: 3,438 Spoilt: 78 Quota: 860 Turnout: 3,516 (41.6%) ||||||||

### Brechin and Edzell

* 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent
Brechin and Edzell – 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SNP | Mairi Evans (incumbent) | 35.36 | 1,145 | | | | |
| | Independent | Bob Myles (incumbent) | 19.49 | 631 | 641.8 | 666.9 | 878.2 | |
| | Conservative | Jane Ferguson | 15.01 | 486 | 495.7 | 533.4 | 617.7 | 645.6 |
| | SNP | Jim Houston | 14.18 | 459 | 736.6 | 752.9 | 799.1 | 812.1 |
| | Independent | Douglas Murray | 12.04 | 390 | 400.8 | 429.4 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Janet Cowan | 3.92 | 127 | 133.1 | | | |
| Electorate: 8,386 Valid: 3,238 Spoilt: 62 Quota: 810 Turnout: 3,300 (38.61%) |||||||||

### Forfar and District

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xCon
* 2012: 2xSNP; 2xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Con
Forfar and District – 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SNP | Lynne Devine | 21.8% | 986 | | | | |
| | SNP | Glennis Middleton (incumbent) | 20.52% | 928 | | | | |
| | Independent | Ian McLaren | 18.59% | 841 | 855.5 | 859.5 | 890.2 | 972 |
| | Independent | Colin Brown (incumbent) | 17.4% | 787 | 798.3 | 802.4 | 820.9 | 1,050.4 |
| | Conservative | John Rymer (incumbent) | 10.78% | 487 | 490.2 | 491.1 | 526.6 | 546.1 |
| | Independent | Charlie Brown | 7.89% | 357 | 367 | 369.3 | 383.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Avril Simpson | 3.03% | 137 | 141.4 | 142.6 | | |
| Electorate: 11,218 Valid: 4,523 Spoilt: 53 Quota: 905 Turnout: 4,578 (40.32%) |||||||||

### Monifieth and Sidlaw

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLab
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLab
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Monifieth and Sidlaw – 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Conservative | Craig Fotheringham | 21.5% | 1,170 | | | | |
| | SNP | Sheila Hands | 21.32% | 1,160 | | | | |
| | SNP | Rob Murray (incumbent) | 20.69% | 1,126 | | | | |
| | Labour | Margaret Thomson (incumbent) | 17.64% | 960 | 970.4 | 973.7 | 975.6 | 1,098.1 |
| | SNP | Sandy Ritchie | 14.5% | 789 | 796.9 | 855.5 | 887.7 | 933.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Petrie | 4.32% | 235 | 266.6 | 269.8 | 270.6 | |
| Electorate: 12,692 Valid: 5,441 Spoilt: 40 Quota: 1,089 Turnout: 5,481 (42.87%) |||||||||

### Carnoustie and District

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xLab
* 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain two seats from SNP and Lab
Carnoustie and District – 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Brian Boyd (incumbent) | 39.5% | 1,750 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Helen Oswald (incumbent)††† | 23.23% | 1,029 | 1,135.4 | | | | |
| | SNP | Fiona Gibb | 13.14% | 582 | 613.2 | 632.8 | 636.9 | 654.4 | 712.5 |
| | Independent | Bill Bowles | 10.9% | 483 | 841.4 | 844.7 | 856.2 | 970.4 | 1,084 |
| | Labour | Hamid Rasheed | 6.19% | 274 | 297.1 | 298.8 | 311.2 | 337.9 | |
| | Conservative | Adam Cormie | 6.12% | 271 | 299.5 | 299.7 | 306.2 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lorraine Barthorpe | 1% | 41.4 | 49.8 | 49.8 | | | |
| Electorate: 9,955 Valid: 4,430 Spoilt: 54 Quota: 1,108 Turnout: 4,484 (44.5%) ||||||||||

### Arbroath West and Letham

* 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Arbroath West and Letham – 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | SNP | Alex King (incumbent) | 23.57% | 1,033 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | David Lumgair (incumbent) | 21.91% | 960 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | David Fairweather (incumbent) | 17.05% | 747 | 751.8 | 768.2 | 829.5 | 883.8 | | |
| | SNP | Ewan Smith † | 14.90% | 653 | 785.7 | 791.3 | 812.9 | 851.8 | 852.7 | 894.4 |
| | Labour | Alec Mollison | 9.65% | 423 | 426.8 | 431.1 | 446.5 | 487.1 | 487.9 | 537.4 |
| | Independent | Peter Nield (incumbent) | 4.36% | 191 | 194.2 | 201.4 | 238.6 | 268.9 | 271.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Barthorpe | 4.36% | 191 | 193.7 | 205.7 | 223.5 | | | |
| | Independent | Ian Watson | 4.2% | 184 | 185.2 | 192.9 | | | | |
| Electorate: 11,230 Valid: 4,382 Spoilt: 59 Quota: 877 Turnout: 4,441 (39.02%) |||||||||||

### Arbroath East and Lunan

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xCon
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xCon
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Arbroath East and Lunan – 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Bob Spink (incumbent)†† | 25.76% | 955 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Sheena Welsh (incumbent) | 23.15% | 858 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Donald Morrison (incumbent) | 20.66% | 766 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Martyn Geddes | 14.76% | 547 | 600.3 | 609.4 | 610.8 | 641.9 | 784.2 |
| | Labour | Alastair Stuart | 12.73% | 472 | 509 | 529.6 | 533.8 | 577.3 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ginny Graham | 2.9% | 109 | 142.8 | 153.7 | 155.4 | | |
| Electorate: 11,032 Valid: 3,707 Spoilt: 70 Quota: 742 Turnout: 3,777 (33.6%) ||||||||||

### Montrose and District

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Montrose and District – 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Mark Salmond (incumbent) | 22.61% | 891 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Bill Duff | 20.69% | 815 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Paul Michael Valentine (incumbent) | 18.43% | 726 | 743.1 | 764.1 | 821.1 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David May (incumbent) | 16.29% | 642 | 678.2 | 680.9 | 757.7 | 765.1 | 1,119.2 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Boyd | 14.37% | 566 | 588.9 | 589.6 | 617 | 621.2 | |
| | Labour | Ina Paton | 7.61% | 300 | 308.4 | 309.1 | | | |
| Electorate: 11,434 Valid: 3,940 Spoilt: 54 Quota: 789 Turnout: 3,994 (34.46%) ||||||||||

## Changes since 2012 election

* † On 26 February 2013, Ewan Smith, councillor for Arbroath West and Letham, resigned from the Scottish National Party to sit as an independent, following a dispute over schooling in Arbroath. Angus councillor Ewan Smith resigns from the SNP over schools His resignation caused the SNP to lose their majority on the council, however their administration continued.
* †† On 8 September 2016, Bob Spink resigned for health reasons.'Voice of reason' Bob Spink stands down from Angus Council Spink was an independent councillor for Arbroath East and Lunan. A by-election was held on 28 November 2016 and was won by Brenda Durno for the SNP. As a result, the SNP briefly regained their majority on the council, but it was lost after another by-election a week later.
* ††† On 13 October 2016, Helen Oswald died from cancer. Archived 18 October 2016 at the Wayback Machine Oswald was the Scottish National Party councillor for Carnoustie and District and the incumbent provost. A by-election was held on 5 December 2016 and was won by independent candidate David Cheape.

## By-elections Since 2012

Arbroath East and Lunan By-election (28 November 2016)- 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | SNP | Brenda Durno | 35.0 | 919 | 925 | 956 | 1,010 | 1,172 | 1,357 |
| | Conservative | Derek Wann | 27.0 | 709 | 723 | 741 | 799 | 928 | |
| | Independent | Lois Speed | 17.2 | 452 | 457 | 482 | 619 | | |
| | Independent | Kevin Smith | 11.8 | 309 | 315 | 352 | | | |
| | Labour | John Ruddy | 6.7 | 177 | 191 | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Moore | 2.3 | 60 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 12,409 Valid: 2,626 Spoilt: 42 Quota: Turnout: 21.5% ||||||||||
Carnoustie and District By-election (5 December 2016)- 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Independent | David Cheape | 43.5% | 1,401 | 1,420 | 1,477 | 1,737 |
| | SNP | Mark McDonald | 32.1% | 1,033 | 1,043 | 1,078 | 1,117 |
| | Conservative | Derek Shaw | 17.7% | 568 | 586 | 606 | |
| | Labour | Ray Strachan | 4.4% | 141 | 151 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Beth Morrison | 2.3% | 75 | | | |
| Electorate: 10,752 Valid: 3,218 Spoilt: 28 Quota: 1,610 Turnout: 30.2% ||||||||