# 2012 Argyll and Bute Council election

Elections to Argyll and Bute Council were held on 3 May 2012, on the same day as the 31 other local authorities in Scotland. The election used the eleven wards created under the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with 36 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either 3 or 4 members, using the STV electoral system.
After the 2007 local election, a coalition was formed between the Alliance for Independents group and the Scottish National Party. This arrangement subsequently broke up and the Independent group formed a minority administration with the support of the Scottish Liberal Democrats.
The 2012 election saw Independent councillors remain the largest grouping on the Council, while the Scottish National Party increased their representation again by 3 seats, chiefly at the expense of the Lib Dems. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party gained an additional seat and replaced the Lib Dems in third place according to vote share.
Following the election an administration was formed between the Scottish National Party and the Argyll First Group of Independent Councillors. However, this coalition subsequently broke down, and after the SNP National Executive prevented the SNP group forming a coalition with the Scottish Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, 4 members of the SNP group including Roddy McCuish, Mary Jean Devon, Michael Breslin and Robert MacIntyre left the SNP, and a coalition of Independents, Scottish Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats was subsequently formed in October 2013, led by Dick Walsh. Another member of the SNP Group, Fred Hall, had previously left the SNP in April 2013, and now sits as an independent.

## Election result

Argyll and Bute Local Election Result 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 15 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 41.67 | 38.40 | 11,922 | -0.7 |
| SNP | 13 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 36.1 | 29.74 | 9,234 | +7.54 |
| Conservative | 4 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 11.1 | 15.50 | 4,811 | -0.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | 4 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 11.1 | 11.40 | 3,540 | -7.8 |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 4.60 | 1,422 | +0.9 |
| Scottish Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.24 | 73 | New |
| Scottish Christian | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 0.14 | 45 | New |
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
### South Kintyre

* 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
South Kintyre - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Donald Kelly (incumbent) | 45.87% | 1,133 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | John Donald Semple (incumbent) †††† | 16.80% | 415 | 507.3 | 517.5 | 551.5 | 696.7 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rory Colville (incumbent) | 14.21% | 351 | 519.2 | 535.1 | 570.3 | 595.7 | 613.7 | 728.3 |
| | SNP | Anne Baird | 8.22% | 203 | 216.6 | 224.4 | 234.2 | | | |
| | Independent | Robert Graham | 6.72% | 167 | 221.9 | 246.9 | 315.9 | 338.7 | 354.9 | |
| | Independent | George Rahman | 5.59% | 138 | 192.5 | 205.5 | | | | |
| | Independent | Deirdre Henderson | 2.55% | 63 | 85.3 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 5,278 Valid: 2,470 Spoilt: 40 Quota: 618 Turnout: 2,510 (46.8%) |||||||||||

### Kintyre and the Islands

* 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2012: 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Kintyre and the Islands - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | SNP | Anne Horn (incumbent) | 23.43% | 610 | 613 | 630 | 694 | | | |
| | Independent | John McAlpine (incumbent) | 22.43% | 584 | 587 | 603 | 653 | | | |
| | Conservative | Alastair John Redman | 21.24% | 553 | 553 | 559 | 579 | 586.2 | 586.4 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robin Currie (incumbent) | 20.74% | 540 | 541 | 548 | 623 | 635.9 | 636.2 | 884.3 |
| | Labour | Bob Chicken | 8.64% | 225 | 232 | 247 | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Ed Tyler | 2.80% | 73 | 74 | | | | | |
| | | Arthur McFarlane | 0.73% | 19 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 5,144 Valid: 2,604 Spoilt: 29 Quota: 652 Turnout: 2,633 (50.62%) |||||||||||

### Mid Argyll

* 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Mid Argyll - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Independent | Douglas Trevor Philand (incumbent) | 38.42% | 1,111 | | | | |
| | SNP | Sandy Taylor | 24.62% | 712 | 811.6 | | | |
| | Independent | Donnie MacMillan (incumbent) | 14.14% | 409 | 518.7 | 543.6 | 598.7 | 677.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alison Jean Hay (incumbent) | 10.79% | 312 | 387.2 | 401.1 | 483.4 | 528.5 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Hanbury | 6.02% | 174 | 190.7 | 193.6 | | |
| | Labour | Wendy Reynolds | 6.02% | 174 | 209.1 | 222.9 | 231.9 | |
| Electorate: 5,999 Valid: 2,892 Spoilt: 24 Quota: 724 Turnout: 2,916 (48.21%) |||||||||

### Oban South and the Isles

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
* 2012: 3xSNP; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Oban South and the Isles - 4 seats :
| 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 | Mary-Jean Devon (incumbent) (Subsequently left the SNP) | 24.67% | 830 | | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Roddy McCuish (incumbent) (Subsequently left the SNP) | 22.79% | 767 | | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Fred Hall† (Subsequently left the SNP) | 10.37% | 349 | 408.6 | 461.6 | 475.2 | 489.6 | 523.2 | 569 | 632.6 |
| | Independent | Alistair MacDougall | 8.35% | 281 | 305.4 | 307.9 | 333.8 | 373.4 | 406 | 580.9 | 701.5 |
| | Independent | Gordon Chalmers (incumbent) | 7.99% | 269 | 305.1 | 307.1 | 329.7 | 370.5 | 386.2 | | |
| | Independent | Neil MacKinnon MacIntyre | 7.64% | 257 | 260.4 | 273.9 | 291.1 | 327.4 | 442.7 | 483.7 | |
| | Independent | Sean MacIntyre | 7.04% | 237 | 239.8 | 248.4 | 266.7 | 283.9 | | | |
| | Conservative | Michael Hawke | 5.68% | 191 | 194 | 196.4 | 252.2 | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Kanes | 5.47% | 184 | 189.5 | 191.6 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,615 Valid: 3,365 Spoilt: 51 Quota: 674 Turnout: 3,416 (44.19%) ||||||||||||

### Oban North and Lorn

* 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP
* 2012: 3xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem
Oban North and Lorn - 4 seats :
| 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 |
| | Independent | Elaine Robertson (incumbent) | 22.23% | 807 | | | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Louise Anne Glen-Lee†† (incumbent) | 19.47% | 707 | 715.6 | 721.9 | 732 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Duncan MacIntyre (incumbent)†††††† | 11.59% | 421 | 436.2 | 443.7 | 471.9 | 472.2 | 509.6 | 611.3 | 726.7 | 811.4 |
| | SNP | Donald Melville | 11.29% | 410 | 415.9 | 420 | 445.1 | 448.8 | 471 | 517.2 | 541.9 | |
| | Independent | Iain Angus MacDonald ††††† | 9.94% | 361 | 372.7 | 379.9 | 410.8 | 411.1 | 437.8 | 476.8 | 542.6 | 645.3 |
| | Conservative | Roy Rutherford | 9.14% | 332 | 340.1 | 343.3 | 353.5 | 353.6 | 384.4 | 409.2 | | |
| | Independent | Neil MacKay (incumbent) | 6.11% | 222 | 231.3 | 239 | 243.1 | 243.3 | 264.3 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gwyneth Neal | 5.17% | 188 | 196.7 | 201.1 | 206.3 | 206.5 | | | | |
| | Independent | George Doyle | 3.44% | 125 | 126.9 | 136.1 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Wilma McIntosh | 1.60% | 58 | 61.3 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,524 Valid: 3,631 Spoilt: 46 Quota: 727 Turnout: 3,677 (48.26%) |||||||||||||

### Cowal

* 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Cowal - 3 seats :
| 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 |
| | SNP | William Gordon Blair | 19.57% | 570 | 575 | 585 | 613 | 653 | 942 | | | |
| | Independent | Alex McNaughton (incumbent) | 18.65% | 543 | 564 | 593 | 628 | 713 | 744 | | | |
| | Independent | Bruce Marshall (incumbent) | 12.88% | 375 | 391 | 410 | 452 | 514 | 542 | 572.5 | 577.4 | 742.7 |
| | SNP | Ron Simon (incumbent) | 12.12% | 353 | 359 | 367 | 378 | 405 | | | | |
| | Conservative | Lewis Macdonald | 11.78% | 343 | 356 | 388 | 407 | 433 | 454 | 480 | 481.9 | |
| | Independent | Stephen Johnstone | 9.68% | 282 | 295 | 312 | 341 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Chris Talbot | 5.8% | 169 | 182 | 201 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Russell Weir | 5.19% | 151 | 173 | | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Chris Lambert | 4.33% | 126 | | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 5,840 Valid: 2,912 Spoilt: 40 Quota: 729 Turnout: 2,952 (49.86%) |||||||||||||

### Dunoon

* 2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Dunoon - 3 seats * :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Independent | Dick Walsh (incumbent) | 32.83 | 777 | | | | |
| | SNP | Michael Breslin (Subsequently left the SNP) | 28.01 | 663 | | | | |
| | Independent | Jimmy McQueen (incumbent) | 18.25 | 432 | 527.5 | 544.8 | 590.7 | 638 |
| | Labour | Mick Rice | 12.51 | 296 | 315.5 | 324.7 | 337.8 | 381.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Miles | 4.44 | 105 | 128.1 | 137.3 | 160.1 | |
| | Conservative | William Green | 3.97 | 94 | 106.9 | 111.1 | | |
| Electorate: 5,715 Valid: 2,367 Spoilt: 38 Quota: 592 Turnout: 2,405 (41.42%) |||||||||
* Elections to the Dunoon Ward were suspended following the death of SNP candidate Alister MacAlister. Polling took place on 10 May 2012.

### Isle of Bute

* 2007: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Isle of Bute - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Len Scoullar (incumbent) | 30.91% | 707 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Robert MacIntyre (incumbent) (Subsequently left the SNP) | 26.63% | 609 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Isobel Strong (incumbent) | 15.7% | 359 | 409.6 | 440.7 | 450.8 | 515.1 | 673.8 |
| | Labour | Adam Bellshaw | 15.34% | 351 | 372.6 | 374.8 | 385.4 | 440.8 | |
| | Conservative | Peter Wallace | 9.44% | 216 | 244.5 | 245.2 | 264.6 | | |
| | Scottish Christian | Hugh Cole | 1.97% | 45 | 48.6 | 49 | | | |
| Electorate: 5,078 Valid: 2,287 Spoilt: 39 Quota: 572 Turnout: 2,326 (45.04%) ||||||||||

### Lomond North

* 2007: 3xIndependent
* 2012: 2xIndependent; 1xCon
* 2007-2012 Change: Con gain one seat from Independent
Lomond North - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | George Freeman (incumbent) | 29.24% | 847 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Maurice Corry | 18.78% | 544 | 560.3 | 565.7 | 607.6 | 672.1 | 716.3 |
| | SNP | Kenneth Smith | 14.01% | 406 | 417.1 | 433.1 | 463.4 | 542.1 | |
| | Labour | Fiona Howard | 12.98% | 376 | 386.4 | 412.1 | 453.4 | | |
| | Independent | Robert Graham MacIntyre | 12.36% | 358 | 373.8 | 407.2 | 531.7 | 650.9 | 816.1 |
| | Independent | Danny Kelly (incumbent) | 8.18% | 237 | 272.1 | 307.5 | | | |
| | Independent | Susie Will | 4.45% | 129 | 143.5 | | | | |
| Electorate: 6,117 Valid: 2,897 Spoilt: 22 Quota: 725 Turnout: 2,919 (47.36%) ||||||||||

### Helensburgh Central

* 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
* 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Helensburgh Central - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 |
| | Independent | Vivien Dance (incumbent) | 22.80% | 749 |
| | SNP | James Alexander Robb (incumbent) | 20.91% | 687 |
| | Conservative | Gary Mulvaney (incumbent) | 20.49% | 673 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aileen Morton | 20.24% | 665 |
| | Independent | David Alastair Allan | 11.63% | 382 |
| | | Richard William Humphrey | 3.93% | 129 |
| Electorate: 7,377 Valid: 3,285 Spoilt: 32 Quota: 658 Turnout: 3,317 (44.53%) |||||

### Helensburgh and Lomond South

* 2007: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
* 2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent
Helensburgh and Lomond South - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ellen Morton (incumbent) | 38.30% | 895 | | | |
| | SNP | Richard MacDonald Trail | 24.99% | 584 | 603.7 | | |
| | Conservative | David Fairbairn Kinniburgh (incumbent) | 23.88% | 558 | 582.2 | 584.6 | 877.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Nisbet (incumbent) | 12.84% | 300 | 548.3 | 555.8 | |
| Electorate: 5,395 Valid: 2,337 Spoilt: 35 Quota: 585 Turnout: 2,372 (43.32%) ||||||||

## Changes since 2012

* † Independent Oban South and the Isles Cllr Fred Hall resigned his seat on 14 March 2014. A by-election was held on 23 May 2014 and was won by the Labour Party's Neil MacIntyre.
* †† SNP Oban North and Lorn Cllr Louise Glen-Lee resigned on 30 April 2014 for personal reasons. A by-election was held on 17 July 2014 and was won by the Independent John MacGregor.
* ††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr John MacGregor died on 28 July 2014. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy and was won by the SNP's Iain MacLean on 23 October 2014. He resigned from the SNP and became an Independent on 15 March 2016.
* †††† SNP South Kintyre Cllr John Semple resigned on 19 September 2014 for personal reasons. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 11 December 2014 and was won by the SNP's John Armour.
* ††††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr Iain Angus MacDonald joined the SNP and ceased to be an Independent on 24 September 2014. He resigned his seat on 11 March 2016. The by-election was held on 2 June 2016 and was won by the Independent Kieron Green
* †††††† Independent Oban North and Lorn Cllr Duncan McIntyre resigned due to ill health in December 2015. A by-election was held to fill the vacancy on 18 February 2016 which was won by the SNP's Julie McKenzie.

## By-elections

Oban South and the Isles By-election (23 May 2014) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Labour | Neil MacIntyre | 26.27 | 918 | 946 | 1,134 | 1,413 | 2,001 |
| | SNP | Iain MacLean | 28.05 | 980 | 988 | 1,102 | 1,260 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Pollard | 18.17 | 635 | 742 | 865 | | |
| | Independent | John MacGregor | 17.63 | 616 | 688 | | | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Vennard | 9.87 | 345 | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,023 Valid: 3,494 Spoilt: 31 Quota: 1,748 Turnout: 3,525 (43.55%) |||||||||
Oban North and Lorn By-election (17 July 2014) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SNP | Gerry Fisher | 24.6 | 595 | 635 | 658 | | |
| | Independent | John MacGregor ††† | 22.7 | 548 | 614 | 771 | 920 | 1,293 |
| | Labour | Kieron Green | 21.8 | 526 | 572 | 681 | 874 | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Vennard | 18.4 | 445 | 493 | | | |
| | Independent | Marri Molloy | 12.5 | 301 | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,821 Valid: 2,415 Spoilt: 28 Quota: 1,208 Turnout: 2,443 (30.88%) |||||||||
Oban North and Lorn By-election (23 October 2014) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | SNP | Iain MacLean | 40.9% | 1,090 | 1,102 | 1,199 | 1,635 |
| | Independent | Stephanie Irvine | 23.6% | 629 | 812 | 1,080 | |
| | Labour | Kieron Green | 19.9% | 530 | 621 | | |
| | Conservative | Andrew Vennard | 15.6% | 415 | | | |
| Electorate: 8,056 Valid: 2,664 Spoilt: 25 Quota: 1,333 Turnout: 2,689 (33.07%) ||||||||
South Kintyre By-election (11 December 2014) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 |
| | SNP | John Armour | 62.2% | 942 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joyce Oxborrow | 14.1% | 214 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Hanbury | 13.4% | 203 |
| | Labour | Michael Kelly | 10.3% | 156 |
| Valid: 1,515 Spoilt: 7 Quota: 759 Turnout: 1,522 |||||
Oban North and Lorn By-election (18 February 2016) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | SNP | Julie McKenzie | 42.3% | 1,113 | 1,186 | 1,241 | 1,656 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Ross Vennard | 23.2% | 609 | 640 | | |
| | Independent | Kieron Green | 23.1% | 608 | 721 | 1,048 | |
| | Scottish Green | Pat Tyrell | 11.4% | 300 | | | |
| Electorate: 7,772 Valid: 2,630 Spoilt: 9 Quota: 1,316 Turnout: 2,639 (33.84%) ||||||||
Oban North and Lorn By-election (2 June 2016) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |
| | SNP | Breege Smyth | 39.8 | 1055 | 1097 | 1138 | |
| | Independent | Kieron Green | 26.8 | 711 | 821 | 1160 | 1617 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Ross Vennard | 22.3 | 591 | 668 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Pollard | 11.1 | 294 | | | |
| Valid: 2651 Spoilt: 16 Quota: 1326 Turnout: 2667 (33.46%) ||||||||