# 2007 East Dunbartonshire Council election

Elections to East Dunbartonshire Council were held on 3 May 2007, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections and the Scottish Parliament general election. This election was the first to use eight new multi-member wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Each ward returned three councillors elected under the single transferable vote form of proportional representation, replacing the previous 24 single-member wards, which had used the plurality (first past the post) system of election.

## Election results

East Dunbartonshire Local Election Result 2007 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes |
| SNP | 8 | N/A | N/A | +8 | 33.3 | 18.2 | 9,146 |
| Labour | 6 | N/A | N/A | -1 | 25.0 | 25.9 | 13,025 |
| Conservative | 5 | N/A | N/A | +2 | 20.8 | 21.5 | 10,788 |
| Liberal Democrats | 3 | N/A | N/A | -9 | 12.5 | 17.9 | 9,001 |
| East Dunbartonshire Independent Alliance | 2 | N/A | N/A | +2 | 8.3 | 11.4 | 5,703 |
| Scottish Green | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0.0 | 2.4 | 1,191 |
| Scottish Socialist | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0.0 | 0.7 | 344 |
| Scottish Unionist | 0 | N/A | N/A | 0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 114 |
| Independent | 0 | N/A | N/A | -2 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 896 |

## Ward results
### Milngavie

Milngavie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |
| | SNP | Jim Gibbons | 20.1 | 1,310 | 1,327 | 1,388 | 1,475 | 1,581 | 1,637 | | |
| | Conservative | Bill Binks | 18.8 | 1,230 | 1,234 | 1,277 | 1,305 | 1,372 | 1,436 | 1,436 | 1,742 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eric Gotts | 18.8 | 1,226 | 1,229 | 1,257 | 1,304 | 1,951 | | | |
| | Labour | Peter Ritchie | 17.8 | 1,161 | 1,175 | 1,217 | 1,263 | 1,336 | 1,400 | 1,400 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Fiona Risk | 14.1 | 919 | 924 | 962 | 1,051 | | | | |
| | EDIA | Pat Ryan | 4.7 | 308 | 314 | | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Emma Sheppard | 4.7 | 307 | 319 | 364 | | | | | |
| | Scottish Socialist | Bill Newman | 1.1 | 71 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,124 Valid: 6,532 Spoilt: 61 Quota: 1,634 Turnout: 65.12% ||||||||||||

### Bearsden North

Bearsden North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Amanda Stewart | 33.3 | 2,383 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Ian MacKay | 18.9 | 1,354 | 1,428 | 1,444 | 1,472 | 1,546 | 1,637 | 1,868 |
| | Labour | Ali Syed | 15.1 | 1,082 | 1,138 | 1,147 | 1,163 | 1,221 | 1,340 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Duncan Cumming† | 13.7 | 981 | 1,074 | 1,078 | 1,114 | 1,233 | 1,788 | 2,218 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ashay Ghai | 11.4 | 818 | 875 | 881 | 894 | 963 | | |
| | Scottish Green | Stuart Callison | 4.8 | 344 | 393 | 411 | 459 | | | |
| | Independent | Dennis Brogan | 1.8 | 132 | 199 | 203 | | | | |
| | Scottish Socialist | Neil Scott | 1.0 | 70 | 73 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,698 Valid: 7,164 Spoilt: 56 Quota: 1,792 Turnout: 67.49% |||||||||||

### Bearsden South

Bearsden South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Simon Hutchison | 24.4 | 1,654 | 1,677 | 1,794 | | | | |
| | Labour | Manjinder Shergill | 19.3 | 1,305 | 1,357 | 1,386 | 1,394 | 1,473 | 1,486 | |
| | SNP | Graeme Douglas | 19.1 | 1,294 | 1,352 | 1,432 | 1,446 | 1,521 | 1,531 | 1,938 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vaughan Moody | 16.1 | 1,094 | 1,172 | 1,218 | 1,239 | 1,741 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Morrison | 10.3 | 695 | 733 | 786 | 795 | | | |
| | Independent | Garry McKendrick | 5.7 | 387 | 421 | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Scott Ferguson | 5.1 | 349 | | | | | | |
| Electorate:  Valid: 6,778 Spoilt: 59 Quota: 1,695 Turnout: 66.15% |||||||||||

### Campsie and Kirkintilloch North

Campsie and Kirkintilloch North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | EDIA | Charles Kennedy | 48.6 | 2,609 | | | | | |
| | Labour | John Dempsey | 17.7 | 950 | 1,179 | 1,383 | | | |
| | SNP | David Ritchie | 13.1 | 704 | 890 | 911 | 917 | 990 | 1,337 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Cathy McInnes | 9.6 | 515 | 639 | 667 | 675 | 826 | |
| | Conservative | Catherine Brown | 6.2 | 333 | 436 | 447 | 450 | | |
| | Labour | Alex Wingate | 4.8 | 255 | 350 | | | | |
| Electorate:  Valid: 5,366 Spoilt: 68 Quota: 1,342 Turnout: 62.68% ||||||||||

### Bishopbriggs North and Torrance

Bishopbriggs North and Torrance :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Billy Hendry | 33.7 | 2,370 | | | | | | |
| | Labour | Una Walker | 27.0 | 1,899 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Anne McNair | 17.6 | 1,242 | 1,333 | 1,352 | 1,364 | 1,400 | 1,551 | 2,003 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret McNaughton | 13.2 | 927 | 1,017 | 1,047 | 1,059 | 1,095 | 1,231 | |
| | EDIA | Jim Gilmour | 5.4 | 379 | 463 | 477 | 499 | 593 | | |
| | Independent | Bernard Mills | 2.5 | 176 | 218 | 228 | 245 | | | |
| | Scottish Unionist | Diane McDougall | 0.6 | 44 | 100 | 103 | | | | |
| Electorate:  Valid: 7,037 Spoilt: 51 Quota: 1,760 Turnout: 65.79% |||||||||||

### Bishopbriggs South

Bishopbriggs South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Labour | Alex Hannah | 27.7 | 1,505 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Gordon Low | 20.1 | 1,095 | 1,105 | 1,114 | 1,264 | 1,430 | | |
| | Conservative | Alan Brown | 14.1 | 767 | 774 | 805 | 897 | 1,060 | 1,073 | |
| | Labour | Michael O'Donnell | 14.0 | 761 | 845 | 848 | 942 | 1,117 | 1,135 | 1,399 |
| | EDIA | Donald MacDonald | 12.1 | 656 | 666 | 673 | 771 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tom Dibble | 10.8 | 586 | 595 | 600 | | | | |
| | Scottish Unionist | Derek Doughty | 1.3 | 70 | 71 | | | | | |
| Electorate:  Valid: 5,440 Spoilt: 99 Quota: 1,361 Turnout: 58.50% |||||||||||

### Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South

Lenzie and Kirkintilloch South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Labour | Rhondda Geekie | 28.8 | 1,937 | | | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Anne Jarvis | 26.3 | 1,772 | | | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Gillian Renwick | 16.8 | 1,128 | 1,163 | 1,174 | 1,201 | 1,233 | 1,282 | 1,325 | 1,477 | 1,838 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gordon MacDonald | 10.1 | 681 | 717 | 731 | 741 | 764 | 800 | 1,032 | 1,139 | |
| | EDIA | Ken Selbie | 6.5 | 435 | 454 | 464 | 473 | 538 | 575 | 592 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Margaret Morris | 4.1 | 277 | 290 | 299 | 305 | 318 | 359 | | | |
| | Independent | James Barker | 3.0 | 201 | 221 | 229 | 239 | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Isabel Park | 2.8 | 191 | 210 | 216 | 241 | 261 | | | | |
| | Scottish Socialist | Moira Brown | 1.5 | 103 | 118 | 120 | | | | | | |
| Electorate:  Valid: 6,725 Spoilt: 87 Quota: 1,682 Turnout: 64.08% |||||||||||||

### Kirkintilloch East and Twechar

Kirkintilloch East and Twechar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Labour | Stewart MacDonald | 28.7 | 1,487 | | | | | | |
| | EDIA | Jack Young | 25.4 | 1,316 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | John Jamieson | 19.7 | 1,019 | 1,029 | 1,033 | 1,064 | 1,114 | 1,241 | 1,464 |
| | Labour | Alan Moir | 13.4 | 693 | 828 | 832 | 859 | 886 | 953 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rod Ackland | 5.4 | 282 | 288 | 289 | 298 | 373 | | |
| | Conservative | Alison Lothian | 5.4 | 279 | 281 | 283 | 285 | | | |
| | Scottish Socialist | Willie Telfer | 1.9 | 100 | 103 | 104 | | | | |
| Electorate:  Valid: 5,176 Spoilt: 85 Quota: 1,295 Turnout: 55.18% |||||||||||

## Aftermath

Although the SNP were elected as the largest group (winning their first ever councillors on East Dunbartonshire Council), the administration was formed by a Labour/Conservative coalition. Labour councillors Rhondda Geekie and Alex Hannah became Leader and Provost respectively, with the positions of Depute Leader and Depute Provost being filled by Conservative councillors Billy Hendry and Anne Jarvis. However, following the death of Alex Hannah in April 2009, LibDem councillor Eric Gotts was appointed as Provost.
In December 2009, Lib Dem representation increased briefly to 4, following Ashay Ghai's win in the Bearsden South by-election caused by the resignation of the Conservatives' Simon Hutchison. However, their numbers reverted to 3 in June 2011, when Lib Dem councillor Duncan Cumming resigned from the party citing issues relating to the Liberal Democrats' role in the UK coalition government, sitting thereafter as an Independent.

## Changes since 2007 Election

* A by-election was held to fill the vacancy which arose with the death of Labour Cllr Alex Hannah on 12 April 2009. The seat was held by Labour's Alan Moir on 4 June 2009
* A by-election was held to fill the vacancy which arose following the resignation of Conservative Cllr Simon Hutchison on 29 October 2009. The seat was won by the Liberal Democrats Ashay Ghai on 10 December 2009.
* †On 10 July 2011, Bearsden North Cllr Duncan Cumming resigned from the Liberal Democrats and thereafter sat as an Independent.

## By-elections since 2007 Election
### Bishopbriggs South

Bishopbriggs South By-election (4 June 2009)- 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Labour | Alan Moir | 39.2 | 1,401 | 1,479 | 1,784 | 1,787 |
| | SNP | Denis Johnston | 23.4 | 837 | 949 | 1,223 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alastair McPhee | 20.6 | 736 | 928 |
| | Conservative | Matt Ford | 14.0 | 500 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Mark Callaghan | 2.7 | 96 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| Electorate: 23,202 Valid: 5,196 Spoilt: 65 Quota: 2,599 Turnout: 5,261 (22.7%) ||||||||

### Bearsden South

Bearsden South By-election (10 December 2009)- 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 |
| | Conservative | Rachel Higgins | 33.4 | 1,261 | 1,306 | 1,499 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ashay Ghai | 29.4 | 1,110 | 1,381 | 1,770 |
| | SNP | Fiona McLeod | 20.7 | 783 | 972 | |
| | Labour | Manjinder Shergill | 16.6 | 626 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| Electorate: 10,850 Valid: 3,780 Spoilt: 150 Quota: 1,891 Turnout: 3,930 (36.22%) |||||||