# 1974 Shetland Islands Council election

Elections to the Shetland Islands Council were held on 7 May 1974 as part of Scottish local elections. This was the first election for the all-purpose Shetland Islands Council, as established by the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, combining the Lerwick Town Council and the Zetland County Council. The Council operated as a shadow authority until May 1975, when it assumed full responsibilities for local government in Shetland. 11 seats were uncontested.

## Aggregate results

Shetland Islands Council election, 1974 :
| Party | Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| | Independent | 18 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 84.0 | 89.8 | 3,781 | N/A |
| | Labour | 4 | N/A | N/A | N/A | 6.0 | 10.2 | 430 | N/A |

## Ward results

Aithsting and Sandsting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | A.I. Tulloch | 291 | 55.3% |
| | Independent | Robert Garrick | 235 | 44.7% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 56 | 10.6% |
Bressay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | James Irvine | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Burra and Trondra :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | William Cumming | 225 | 78.1% |
| | Independent | Victor Church | 63 | 21.9% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 56.2% |
Delting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Fraser Peterson | 232 | 66.7% |
| | Independent | Clem Robb | 116 | 33.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 116 | 33.4% |
Dunrossness :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | James Leask | 258 | 55.4% |
| | Independent | Raymond Bentley | 208 | 44.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 50 | 10.8% |
Gulberwick, Quarff and Cunningsburgh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Joan McLeod | 248 | 69.7% |
| | Independent | Angus Smith | 108 | 30.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 130 | 39.4% |
Lerwick Breiwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | John Butler | 141 | 39.1% |
| | Independent | Harry Gray | 125 | 34.6% |
| | Independent | Ronald Cumming | 95 | 26.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 16 | 4.5% |
Lerwick Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Eric Gray | 219 | 59.5% |
| | Independent | Robert Wishart | 149 | 40.5% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 | 19.0% |
Lerwick North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Alex Morrison | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Lerwick Sound :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | William Peterson | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Lerwick Twageos :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | James Paton | 289 | 58.7% |
| | Independent | George Blance | 203 | 41.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 86 | 17.4% |
Lerwick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Labour | Bill Smith | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Nesting :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Edward Thomason | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Northmavine :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Jamieson | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Sandness and Walls :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Williamina Tait | 206 | 65.4% |
| | Independent | Peter Garrick | 109 | 34.6% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 30.8% |
Sandwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Thomas Stove | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Scalloway :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Andrew Irvine | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Unst :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Alan Fraser | 225 | 56.7% |
| | Independent | William Thomson | 172 | 43.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 53 | 13.4% |
Whalsay and Skerries :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Frederick Dainty | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Whiteness, Weisdale and Tingwall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | John Johnson | 164 | 55.8% |
| | Independent | John Rae | 81 | 27.6% |
| | Independent | George Morrison | 49 | 16.7% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 83 | 28.2% |
Yell North and Fetlar :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | David Johnson | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
Yell South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Stewart Gray | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |

## By-elections since 1974

1976 Lerwick Sound by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Ian Byrne | unopposed | unopposed |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | unopposed | unopposed |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |
1977 Dunrossness by-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Prophet Smith | 143 | 34.5% |
| | Independent | Ray Bentley | 123 | 29.7% |
| | Independent | Alan Whitfield | 93 | 22.5% |
| | Independent | Williamina Flaws | 55 | 13.3% |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 20 | 4.8% |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |