# 1999 Highland Council election

The 1999 Highland Council election was held on 6 May 1999; 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

1999 Highland Council election result :
| Party | Seats | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 49 | | 61.3 | 57.4 | 43,810 | 3.8 |
| Liberal Democrats | 12 | 6 | 15.0 | 10.6 | 8,108 | 3.9 |
| Labour | 10 | 3 | 12.5 | 15.4 | 11,756 | 4.4 |
| SNP | 8 | 1 | 10.0 | 12.4 | 9,456 | 5.0 |
| Independent Liberal | 1 | 1 | 1.3 | 0.9 | 695 | New |
| Conservative | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 3.3 | 2,509 | 2.4 |
Note: there were 8 more seats at this election than at the previous election on 6 April 1995.
Source:

## Ward results

The Highland Council election, 1999: Caithness North-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alastair MacDonald | 680 |
| | Independent | John Mowat | 480 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 200 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Thurso West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Eric Saxon | 454 |
| | Independent | James Fry | 407 |
| | Independent | George Bruce | 357 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 47 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Thurso Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | John Rosie | 553 |
| | Independent | Elizabeth MacDonald | 482 |
| | Independent | Ronald Henderson | 198 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 71 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Thurso East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Donald Waters | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Caithness Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Flear | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Caithness North-East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | John Green | 793 |
| | Independent | David Richard | 580 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 213 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Wick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graeme Smith | 447 |
| | Labour | Bill Mowat | 402 |
| | Independent | Anderson Murray | 376 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 45 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Wick West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Deirdre Steven | 463 |
| | Independent | William Fernie | 438 |
| | Independent | Alistair Roy | 333 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Pulteneytown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Jim Oag | 673 |
| | Independent | Niall Smith | 437 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 236 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Caithness South-East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent Liberal | William Mowat | 695 |
| | Independent | Jeanette Calder | 522 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 173 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Sutherland North-West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Francis Keith | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Tongue and Farr :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Barbara Jardine | 539 |
| | Independent | Alexander Mackay | 514 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 25 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Sutherland Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Alison Magee | 725 |
| | Independent | Russell Taylor | 470 |
| | Independent | Alexander Chalmers | 186 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 255 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Golspie and Rogart :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ian Ross | 687 |
| | Independent | Helen Houston | 373 |
| | Independent | Valerie Scott | 150 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 314 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Brora :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Rita Finlayson | 802 |
| | Independent | Ronald McDonald | 662 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Dornoch Firth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Duncan Allan | 1,104 |
| | Independent | Gordon Campbell | 306 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 798 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Lochbroom :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | David Green | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Alness and Ardross :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Andrew Anderson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Tain West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Alasdair Rhind | 1,040 |
| | SNP | Derek Louden | 415 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 625 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Tain East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | James Paterson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Seaboard :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Richard Durham | 747 |
| | Labour | John Mitchell | 493 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Invergordon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Lou Wilkerson | 622 |
| | SNP | Morag McCourt | 355 |
| | Independent | Maxine Smith | 320 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 267 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Rosskeen and Saltburn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Carolyn Wilson | 568 |
| | Independent | Norman Chisholm | 350 |
| | SNP | Andrew Currie | 302 |
| | Labour | John Boocock | 270 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 218 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Gairloch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Roy Macintyre | 857 |
| | SNP | Kris Murray Browne | 260 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 597 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Lochcarron :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ewan Mackinnon | 518 |
| | Independent | Elizabeth Pritchard | 399 |
| | Independent | Allan MacArthur | 143 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 119 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Ferindonald :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Mike Finlayson | 848 |
| | SNP | Robert Gibson | 627 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 221 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Strathpeffer and Strathconon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Douglas Briggs | 959 |
| | Conservative | Bill Mackenzie | 309 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 650 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Dingwall South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Margaret Paterson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Dingwall North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Andrew Paterson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Muir of Ord :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | David Philip | 789 |
| | SNP | John MacInnes | 572 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 217 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Conon and Maryburgh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Sandy MacKenzie | 743 |
| | Independent | Evelyn Vass | 703 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 40 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Knockbain and Killearnan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Peter Cairns | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Black Isle North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | David Alston | 596 |
| | Independent | Thomas Anderson | 591 |
| | SNP | Alistair Dunn | 268 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 5 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Avoch and Fortrose :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Morris Downie | 865 |
| | Independent | Duncan McPherson | 502 |
| | Conservative | Celia Stewart | 383 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 363 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Snizort and Trotternish :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | SNP | Gavin Scott Moncrief | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Skye West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Allan Beaton | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Portree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Drew Millar | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Skye Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Angus Sutherland | 715 |
| | SNP | Farquhar MacLennan | 322 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 393 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Kyle and Sleat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | William Fulton | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Kinlochshiel :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Isabelle Campbell | 832 |
| | Labour | Patricia Shaw | 171 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 661 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Beauly and Strathglass :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Garry Coutts | 734 |
| | Independent | John Sellar | 577 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 157 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Kirkhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Jack Shiels | 906 |
| | Independent | Molly Doyle | 595 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 311 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Scorguie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bernard Salmon | 815 |
| | Labour | Jimmy MacDonald | 622 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 193 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Muirtown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Christine Cumming | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Merkinch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Peter Corbett | 701 |
| | SNP | Donnie Kerr | 238 |
| | Labour | Alexander MacLean | 234 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 463 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Inverness Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Eilidh MacDonald | 514 |
| | Independent | Jim Alexander | 392 |
| | SNP | Joerg Macthearlaich-Wiench | 300 |
| | Conservative | Moray MacDonald | 190 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 122 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Culloden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Cole | 667 |
| | SNP | James McCreath | 381 |
| | Labour | John Ford | 285 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 286 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Ardersier, Croy, and Petty :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Roderick Balfour | 612 |
| | SNP | Derek MacDonald | 461 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glynis Sinclair | 353 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 151 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Loch Ness West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Margaret Davidson | 1,018 |
| | Independent | Patrick Paterson | 483 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 535 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Inverness West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Ronald Lyon | 708 |
| | Labour | Debra Lake | 452 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 256 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Canal :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | William Smith | 941 |
| | Labour | Mark Grant | 453 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 488 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Ballifeary :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Jim Thomson | 820 |
| | SNP | Robert McLennan | 479 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 341 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Lochardil :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Margaret MacLennan | 1,037 |
| | Labour | Andrew Ingram | 546 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 491 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Hilton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Angus Dick | 541 |
| | SNP | Stuart Dickson | 431 |
| | Labour | Alison Watson | 273 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 110 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Clive Goodman | 834 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Horne | 602 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 232 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Crown :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dick Simpson | 636 |
| | Independent | Patricia Hayden | 434 |
| | Labour | John Ward | 335 |
| | Conservative | Peter Saggers | 191 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 202 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Raigmore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Munro | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Loch Ness East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ella MacRae | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Culduthel :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Norrie Donald | 817 |
| | Labour | Kenneth Thomson | 638 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Inshes :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Janet Home | 639 |
| | SNP | Ian Brown | 464 |
| | Independent | John Holden | 339 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 175 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Drumossie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Kathleen Matheson | 919 |
| | SNP | Robert Chalmers | 518 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 401 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Westhill and Smithton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Gillian McCreath | 442 |
| | Labour | Malcolm Jack | 425 |
| | Independent | George Davidson | 290 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jermaine Allison | 240 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 17 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Balloch :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Robert Wynd | 596 |
| | Labour | Walter McGarrity | 512 |
| | Conservative | William Cameron | 445 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 84 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Nairn Alltan :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | John Matheson | 662 |
| | Independent | Andrew Gardiner | 425 |
| | Conservative | Tony Lister | 312 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 237 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Nairn Ninian :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Elizabeth MacDonald | 450 |
| | Independent | William Shand | 409 |
| | Independent | Duncan McDonald | 312 |
| | Conservative | Mark Conway | 98 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 41 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Nairn Cawdor :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | David Fraser | 583 |
| | Independent | Laurie Fraser | 513 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Alford | 133 |
| | Independent | John MacKenzie | 81 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 70 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Nairn Auldearn :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Alexander Park | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Badenoch West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alexander Russell | 882 |
| | Conservative | David Spry | 251 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 631 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Badenoch East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | SNP | Robert Severn | 351 |
| | Independent | Susan Paton | 328 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gregor Rimell | 303 |
| | Independent | George Gibson | 159 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Strathspey South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Angus Gordon | 657 |
| | SNP | Karen Lawrie | 498 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 159 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Strathspey North-East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Francis Black | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Grantown-on-Spey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Basil Dunlop | 852 |
| | Independent | Arthur Durance | 302 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 550 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Mallaig and Small Isles :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Charles King | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Kilmallie and Invergarry :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | George Bruce | 754 |
| | Labour | Susan Carstairs | 258 |
| | Independent | Donald Lawrie | 166 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 496 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Claggan and Glen Spean :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | William MacLachlan | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Ardnamurchan and Morvern :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Foxley | 571 |
| | Independent | Iain Thornber | 387 |
| | Conservative | Jonathan Slater | 197 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 184 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Caol :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Olwyn Macdonald | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Fort William North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Labour | Brian Murphy | 699 |
| | SNP | Iain Macdonald | 559 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 140 |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Fort William South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Neil Clark | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 1999: Glencoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes |
| | Independent | Andrew McFarlane-Slack | 770 |
| | Labour | William Spence | 428 |
| | SNP | David Ingham | 257 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 342 |