# 1974 Sutherland District Council election

Elections to Sutherland District Council were held on 7 May 1974, on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. This was the first election to the district council following the implementation of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973.
The election used 12 wards created by the Formation Electoral Arrangements in 1974. Each ward elected one councillor using first-past-the-post voting.
As with other elections in the Highland region, no candidates were affiliated with any political parties and the 12 councillors elected were all independents. In total, five of the 12 wards were uncontested.

## Background

Prior to 1974, Sutherland was one of 33 counties in Scotland. The area had been made a county following local government reforms in 1890 as a result of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1889. Within Sutherland was the Royal Burgh of Dornoch which had existed in its own right since 1628 and had its own elected council which was separate from Sutherland County Council. Dornoch, as a small burgh, had powers over local taxation and building control as well as housing, lighting and drainage within the burgh. The county council had powers and responsibilities over roads, education, police, public health, social services and electoral registration as well as the registration of births, marriages and deaths for the whole county.
Following the recommendations in the Wheatly Report, the old system of counties and burghs – which had resulted in a mishmash of local government areas in which some small burghs had larger populations but far fewer responsibilities than some large burghs and even counties – was to be replaced by a new system of regional and district councils. Sutherland became a district council within the Highland region while Dornoch Burgh Council was abolished.

## Results

1974 Sutherland District Council election result :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Independent | 12 | | | N/A | 100.0 | 100.0 | 4,008 | N/A |
Source:

## Ward results
### Dornoch Burgh

Dornoch Burgh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | H. Clunie | 344 | 75.6 |
| | Independent | E. L. MacKay | 111 | 24.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 233 | 51.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 455 | 70.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 652 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Dornoch East and West

Dornoch East and West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | G. Fraser | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 776 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Creich East and West

Creich East and West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | A. M. Gilmour | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 827 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Kincardine

Kincardine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | G. S. Richardson | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 512 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Rogart and Golspie Rural

Rogart and Golspie Rural :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | C. C. D. Kinghorn | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 611 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Golspie Village

Golspie Village :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | D. I. MacRae | 438 | 65.3 |
| | Independent | G. Beaton | 122 | 18.2 |
| | Independent | J. W. Mowatt | 111 | 16.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 316 | 47.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 671 | 76.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 884 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Lairg

Lairg :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | W. G. Johnston | 292 | 60.3 |
| | Independent | N. G. MacDonald | 192 | 39.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 100 | 20.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 484 | 71.5 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 685 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Assynt and Stoer

Assynt and Stoer :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | D. M. McBain | 324 | 58.1 |
| | Independent | D. MacDonald | 234 | 41.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | 16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 558 | 88.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 650 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Eddrachillis and Durness

Eddrachillis and Durness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | L. MacKenzie | 310 | 45.5 |
| | Independent | C. M. Campbell | 174 | 25.6 |
| | Independent | J. C. Morrison | 129 | 18.9 |
| | Independent | T. S. Sinclair | 68 | 10.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 19.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 681 | 82.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 837 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Clyne

Clyne :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | W. Sutherland | 454 | 66.9 |
| | Independent | H. Coghill | 225 | 33.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | 33.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 679 | 70.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 979 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Loth and Kildonan South

Loth and Kildonan South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | R. R. MacDonald | 275 | 57.3 |
| | Independent | J. M. MacGregor | 205 | 42.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 14.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 480 | 70.6 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 687 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source:

### Kildonan North

Kildonan North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | J. O. F. MacKay | Unopposed | Unopposed |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 597 | |
| | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) | Independent win (new seat) |
Source: