# 2003 Highland Council election

The 2003 Highland Council election was held on 1 May 2003; the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament and to the 31 other councils in Scotland. 80 councillors were elected from 80 wards using the plurality system (a.k.a. 'First Past the Post'). Independent councillors retained their status as the majority group, with councillors also being elected representing the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, and Scottish National Party.

## Results

2003 Highland Council election result :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 57 | 11 | 4 | 8 | 71.3 | 69.6 | 45,405 | 12.2 |
| Liberal Democrats | 9 | 2 | 5 | 3 | 11.3 | 6.1 | 3,986 | 4.5 |
| Labour | 8 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 10.0 | 11.6 | 7,536 | 3.8 |
| SNP | 6 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 7.5 | 10.2 | 6,664 | 2.2 |
| Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.2 | 799 | 2.1 |
| Scottish Socialist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.1 | 730 | New |
| Countryside | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.2 | 116 | New |

## Caithness

The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness North-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alastair MacDonald | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Thurso West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Eric Saxon | 543 |
| | Independent | James Fry | 425 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 118 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Thurso Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Donald Mackay | 636 |
| | Labour | John Rosie | 527 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Thurso East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Tom Jackson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Flear | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness North-East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Green | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Wick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graeme Smith | 536 |
| | Labour | Bill Mowat | 242 |
| | SNP | Niall Smith | 198 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 294 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Wick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | William Fernie | 469 |
| | SNP | James Sutherland | 355 |
| | Labour | Neil MacDonald | 225 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 114 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Pulteneytown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Katrina MacNab | 599 |
| | Labour | Jim Oag | 301 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 298 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness South-East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | William Mowat | Unopposed | | |

## Sutherland

The Highland Council election, 2003: Sutherland North-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Francis Keith | 519 |
| | Independent | John Forbes | 442 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 77 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Tongue and Farr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Sandy Mackay | 518 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Jardine | 376 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Sutherland Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alison Magee | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Golspie and Rogart :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ian Ross | 912 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Francis Ward | 79 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 833 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Brora :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Rita Finlayson | 634 |
| | Independent | Robbie Rowantree | 602 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 32 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Dornoch Firth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Duncan Allan | 826 |
| | Independent | Gordon Campbell | 339 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 487 |

## Ross & Cromarty

The Highland Council election, 2003: Lochbroom :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Jean Urquhart | 393 |
| | Independent | Kenneth MacLeod | 338 |
| | Labour | Lauri Chilton | 239 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Alness and Ardross :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Andrew Anderson | 961 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Jean Cadden | 88 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 873 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Tain West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Alasdair Rhind | 1,025 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Sean Robertson | 162 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 863 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Tain East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Alan Torrance | 540 |
| | Independent | James Paterson | 497 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 43 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Seaboard :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Richard Durham | 554 |
| | Independent | Linda Bruce | 232 |
| | SNP | Andrew Currie | 232 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 322 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Invergordon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | John Connell | 662 |
| | Independent | Maxine Smith | 251 |
| | Labour | Lou Wilkerson | 203 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 411 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Rosskeen and Saltburn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Carolyn Wilson | 900 |
| | Independent | Dot MacLennan | 292 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 608 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Gairloch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Roy Macintyre | 601 |
| | Labour Co-op | Christine Conniff | 351 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 250 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Lochcarron :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ewan Mackinnon | 746 |
| | Countryside | Neveille-Suzanette MacDonald-Rolfe | 116 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 630 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ferindonald :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Val MacIver | 531 |
| | Independent | Mike Finlayson | 492 |
| | Independent | Dennis Dunbar | 173 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Strathpeffer and Strathconon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Douglas Briggs | 812 |
| | Conservative | John Scott | 219 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 593 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Dingwall South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Margaret Paterson | 470 |
| | Labour | Marilyn Ross | 439 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 31 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Dingwall North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Michael MacMillan | 576 |
| | Independent | Andrew Paterson | 532 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Muir of Ord :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | David Chisholm | 806 |
| | Independent | Tom Davis | 380 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 426 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Conon and Maryburgh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Angela MacLean | 786 |
| | Independent | David Philip | 519 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 267 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Knockbain and Killearnan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Isobel McCallum | 980 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Duncan | 226 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 754 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Black Isle North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | David Alston | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Avoch and Fortrose :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Billy Barclay | 598 |
| | Independent | Okain McLennan | 584 |
| | Independent | Morris Downie | 496 |
| | Labour | Leslie Hood | 136 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 |

## Skye & Lochalsh

The Highland Council election, 2003: Snizort and Trotternish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Iain MacDonald | 547 |
| | SNP | Rod Liddon | 306 |
| | Independent | Ben Palmer | 87 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 241 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Skye West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | John Laing | 538 |
| | Independent | William Sutherland | 330 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 208 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Portree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Drew Millar | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Skye Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Hamish Fraser | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kyle and Sleat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | William Fulton | 529 |
| | Independent | Audrey Sinclair | 450 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 79 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kinlochshiel :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Isabelle Campbell | Unopposed | | |

## Inverness

The Highland Council election, 2003: Beauly and Strathglass :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Garry Coutts | 555 |
| | Independent | Helen Carmichael | 549 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 6 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kirkhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Jack Shiels | 572 |
| | Independent | Graham Cross | 407 |
| | Independent | Hamish Wood | 312 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 165 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Scorguie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Jimmy MacDonald | 452 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shanea Fraser | 227 |
| | Independent | Christine Forbes | 195 |
| | Labour | Mark Grant | 179 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 225 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Muirtown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine Cumming | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Merkinch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Peter Corbett | 642 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Simon Cann | 92 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 550 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Inverness Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Eilidh MacDonald | 319 |
| | Independent | Jim Alexander | 316 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Farthing | 174 |
| | Independent | Hector MacDonald | 170 |
| | Independent | Donald MacKay | 116 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 3 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Culloden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | John Ford | 434 |
| | SNP | James McCreath | 377 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Perrin | 187 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ardersier, Croy, and Petty :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Roderick Balfour | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Loch Ness West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Margaret Davidson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Inverness West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ronald Lyon | 546 |
| | Independent | Joan Stewart | 280 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 266 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Canal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | William Smith | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ballifeary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Alistair Milne | 625 |
| | Labour | Jim Thomson | 465 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 160 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Lochardil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Margaret MacLennan | 712 |
| | Independent | Michael Gimson | 377 |
| | Labour | Andrew Ingram | 211 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 335 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Hilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Angus Dick | 547 |
| | Independent | Thomas Lamont | 368 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Clive Goodman | 494 |
| | SNP | Ian Brown | 429 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ruth Hunt | 199 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Crown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | James Gray | 734 |
| | Independent | Hamish McKenzie | 622 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Raigmore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | David Munro | 521 |
| | SNP | Scott MacKenzie | 217 |
| | Independent | Donald Robertson | 89 |
| | Independent | David Gallant | 81 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 304 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Loch Ness East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ella MacRae | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Culduthel :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Norrie Donald | 1,061 |
| | Independent | Ralph Sauer | 245 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 816 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Inshes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Janet Home | 746 |
| | Independent | John Holden | 540 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 206 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Drumossie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Kathleen Matheson | 754 |
| | Independent | Farquhar Forbes | 482 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 272 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Westhill and Smithton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Gillian McCreath | 461 |
| | Labour | Malcolm Jack | 397 |
| | Conservative | Peter Saggers | 152 |
| | Independent | George Davidson | 107 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Balloch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Robert Wynd | 647 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glynis Sinclair | 409 |
| | Conservative | Tony Lister | 202 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 238 |

## Nairn

The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Alltan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | John Matheson | 363 |
| | Independent | Jim Lennon | 300 |
| | Independent | Bill Shand | 297 |
| | SNP | June Gordon | 217 |
| | Independent | Nigel Hanlin | 53 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Ninian :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Elizabeth MacDonald | 606 |
| | Independent | Andrew Brown | 330 |
| | Independent | Duncan McDonald | 310 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 276 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Cawdor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Laurie Fraser | 766 |
| | Independent | Graham Marsden | 242 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 524 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Auldearn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Alexander Park | 837 |
| | Independent | James Young | 394 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 443 |

## Badenoch & Strathspey

The Highland Council election, 2003: Badenoch West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Sheena Slimon | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Badenoch East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Gregor Rimell | 348 |
| | SNP | Robert Severn | 309 |
| | Independent | Hendy Pollock | 285 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 39 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Strathspey South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Angus Gordon | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Strathspey North-East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Francis Black | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Grantown-on-Spey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Basil Dunlop | Unopposed | | |

## Lochaber

The Highland Council election, 2003: Mallaig and Small Isles :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Charles King | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kilmallie and Invergarry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Bill Clark | 582 |
| | Independent | George Bruce | 411 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Claggan and Glen Spean :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Thomas MacLennan | 449 |
| | Independent | William MacLachlan | 325 |
| | Independent | Alistair MacGregor | 168 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 124 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ardnamurchan and Morvern :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Foxley | 545 |
| | Independent | Iain Thornber | 468 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 77 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caol :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Olwyn Macdonald | 656 |
| | Independent | Edward Hunter | 627 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Fort William North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Brian Murphy | 733 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Douglas Nolan | 309 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 424 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Fort William South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Neil Clark | 450 |
| | Independent | May Alexander | 238 |
| | Independent | Euan Harper | 187 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 212 |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Glencoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Andrew McFarlane-Slack | 722 |
| | SNP | David Ingham | 486 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 236 |