# 2003 South Ayrshire Council election

The 2003 South Ayrshire Council election was held on 1 May 2003, alongside elections to the Scottish Parliament. All 30 seats were up and this was the final election to the council using First Past the Post. Whilst the Scottish Conservative Party were able to achieve more votes than any other party in the council area, they only received 15 seats - no majority administration was formed with the Scottish Labour Party also holding 15 council seats. Labour continued to run the council after the election following a "cut of the cards" to decide which party would run the administration.

## Results

2003 South Ayrshire Council election result :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 15 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 50.0 | 41.5 | 20,657 | 6.1 |
| Labour | 15 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 50.0 | 36.7 | 18,296 | 4.4 |
| SNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 17.3 | 8,623 | 6.0 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 2.9 | 1,447 | 2.7 |
| Scottish Socialist | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.3 | 654 | New |
Source:

## Ward results
### Troon

Troon North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alistair Kerr | 919 | 49.28 | +4.42 |
| | Labour | Philip Saxton | 512 | 27.45 | −3.38 |
| | SNP | John Sawers | 434 | 23.27 | −1.07 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 407 | 21.83 | +7.80 |
Troon West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gordon McKenzie | 844 | 48.65 | −0.50 |
| | SNP | Agnes McFarlane | 460 | 26.51 | +0.68 |
| | Conservative | Paul Gregory | 378 | 21.79 | −3.24 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 384 | 22.14 | −1.18 |
Troon East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William McIntosh | 704 | 38.96 | −3.24 |
| | Independent | Patricia Brown | 519 | 28.72 | New |
| | Labour | Stewart Wakelam | 373 | 20.64 | −13.53 |
| | SNP | Agnes McFarlane | 211 | 11.68 | −11.93 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 185 | 10.24 | +2.18 |
Troon South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Convery | 1,296 | 70.67 | +2.37 |
| | Labour | Henry Wilson | 285 | 15.54 | −1.72 |
| | SNP | Robert Inglis | 253 | 13.79 | −0.65 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,011 | 55.13 | +4.09 |

### Prestwick and Monkton

Prestwick St Ninian's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Margaret Toner | 989 | 59.54 | +11.68 |
| | Labour | Patricia McLellan | 458 | 27.57 | −4.04 |
| | SNP | Alan Stewart | 214 | 12.88 | −7.65 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 531 | 31.97 | +15.72 |
Prestwick St Cuthbert's and Monkton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hugh Hunter | 1,006 | 53.14 | +11.99 |
| | Labour | Angela Glen | 572 | 30.22 | −5.73 |
| | SNP | Isabella Wallace | 315 | 16.64 | −6.26 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 434 | 22.92 | +17.72 |
Prestwick St Nicholas' :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Helen Moonie | 777 | 47.55 | −2.53 |
| | Conservative | Thomas McGillivray | 488 | 29.87 | +6.95 |
| | SNP | James McGibbon | 369 | 22.58 | −4.42 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 289 | 17.68 | −5.40 |
Prestwick Kingcase :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pamela Patterson | 1,007 | 55.00 | +12.62 |
| | Labour | Michael O'Brien | 572 | 31.24 | −8.52 |
| | SNP | Marie Taylor | 252 | 13.76 | −4.11 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 435 | 23.76 | +21.14 |
Prestwick Toll :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | George Watson | 778 | 47.41 | −4.90 |
| | Conservative | Peter Smith | 403 | 24.56 | +1.07 |
| | SNP | John Allan | 346 | 21.08 | −3.11 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Annette Johnston | 114 | 6.95 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 375 | 22.86 | −5.26 |

### Ayr

Ayr Newton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Stewart | 748 | 44.58 | −1.21 |
| | Conservative | John Fisher | 560 | 33.37 | +7.13 |
| | SNP | Thomas Slider | 370 | 22.05 | −5.92 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 188 | 11.21 | −16.91 |
Ayr Lochside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Douglas Campbell | 722 | 58.70 | −2.01 |
| | SNP | John Wallace | 220 | 17.89 | −12.07 |
| | Conservative | George Wade | 184 | 14.96 | +5.63 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Amanda McFarlane | 104 | 8.46 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 502 | 40.81 | +10.07 |
Ayr Whitletts :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alexander Cairns | 880 | 68.59 | +2.62 |
| | SNP | Alex Taylor | 217 | 16.91 | −12.06 |
| | Scottish Socialist | William Tyrie | 113 | 8.81 | New |
| | Conservative | Donald Reece | 73 | 5.69 | +0.63 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 663 | 51.68 | +14.68 |
Ayr Craigie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ian Cavana | 868 | 60.40 | +3.35 |
| | SNP | James McNae | 286 | 19.90 | −4.44 |
| | Conservative | Alice Mitchell | 283 | 19.69 | +1.08 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 582 | 40.50 | +7.79 |
Ayr Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Campbell | 629 | 44.96 | −0.23 |
| | Conservative | Kenneth MacPherson | 477 | 34.10 | +10.20 |
| | SNP | Alister Poole | 293 | 20.94 | −2.65 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 10.86 | −10.43 |
Ayr Fort :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gibson T MacDonald | 1,149 | 68.35 | +3.87 |
| | Labour | Margaret McKenzie | 297 | 17.67 | −14.17 |
| | SNP | Thomas Crozier | 235 | 13.98 | −0.82 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 852 | 50.68 | +16.91 |
Ayr Old Belmont :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Winifred Sloan | 1,211 | 64.90 | +9.26 |
| | Labour | Dennis McLellan | 402 | 21.54 | −7.27 |
| | SNP | Ian Douglas | 253 | 13.56 | −1.99 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 809 | 43.36 | +16.54 |
Ayr Forehill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gerry Crawley | 748 | 46.98 | −2.13 |
| | SNP | Albany McKay | 359 | 22.55 | −6.87 |
| | Conservative | Garry Clark | 332 | 20.85 | −0.62 |
| | Independent | Kenneth Conway | 153 | 9.62 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 389 | 24.43 | +2.96 |
Ayr Masonhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mary Kilpatrick | 1,014 | 53.31 | +8.38 |
| | Labour | Bill Cormie | 536 | 28.18 | −3.66 |
| | SNP | David Forbes | 352 | 18.51 | −4.72 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 478 | 25.13 | +12.04 |
Ayr Belmont :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Edward Bulik | 799 | 50.09 | −7.65 |
| | SNP | Alexander Oattes | 374 | 23.45 | −6.62 |
| | Scottish Socialist | James Stewart | 214 | 13.42 | New |
| | Conservative | James Grindlay | 208 | 13.04 | +0.85 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 425 | 26.64 | −1.03 |
Ayr Doonfoot and Seafield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Cherry Young | 1,624 | 77.63 | +8.96 |
| | Labour | George Hodge | 293 | 14.01 | −4.11 |
| | SNP | James Speirs | 175 | 8.37 | −4.84 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,331 | 63.62 | +13.07 |
Ayr Rozelle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Robert Reid | 1,314 | 69.34 | +11.68 |
| | Labour | Agnes Davies | 321 | 16.94 | −6.89 |
| | SNP | Andrew Niven | 260 | 13.72 | −4.79 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 993 | 52.40 | +18.57 |

### Kyle

Dundonald and Loans :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | William McNally | 910 | 53.40 | +13.34 |
| | Labour | Alexander Skilling | 468 | 27.46 | −7.67 |
| | SNP | Susan May Jones | 326 | 19.13 | −5.68 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 447 | 25.94 | +21.01 |
Tarbolton Symington Craigie :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hywel Davies | 627 | 33.95 | +0.34 |
| | Labour | Alexandra Marshall | 576 | 31.19 | −14.54 |
| | Independent | Sam Gardiner | 447 | 24.20 | New |
| | SNP | John Hendrie | 152 | 8.23 | −12.42 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Martin Gilmartin | 45 | 2.44 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 51 | 2.76 | +14.88 |
Annbank Mossblown St Quivox :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Duncan | 837 | 55.39 | −0.57 |
| | SNP | James Cumming | 308 | 20.38 | −8.26 |
| | Conservative | Zoe Montgomerie | 298 | 19.72 | +4.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 529 | 35.01 | +7.69 |
Coylton and Minishant :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Lewis | 753 | 44.29 | +12.39 |
| | Labour | Alexandra Lewis | 663 | 39.00 | −8.12 |
| | SNP | Joseph Robertson | 284 | 16.71 | −4.27 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 90 | 5.29 | +20.51 |

### Carrick

North Carrick and Maybole West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Murray | 661 | 41.13 | +3.02 |
| | Conservative | Alan Shearing | 495 | 30.80 | −5.48 |
| | SNP | James Cumming | 283 | 17.61 | −8.00 |
| | Independent | Alison Wild | 168 | 10.46 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 166 | 10.33 | +8.50 |
North Carrick and Maybole East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andrew Hill | 648 | 46.92 | −2.00 |
| | Conservative | Christopher McCulloch | 386 | 27.95 | +4.07 |
| | SNP | Roderick Cochran | 283 | 20.49 | −6.71 |
| | Scottish Socialist | Luan Johnston | 64 | 4.64 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 262 | 18.97 | −2.75 |
South Carrick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Torrance | 940 | 51.82 | +2.49 |
| | Conservative | Frances Dupuy | 629 | 34.67 | −0.43 |
| | SNP | Martha Wheelan | 245 | 13.51 | −2.07 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 311 | 17.15 | +2.92 |
Girvan Ailsa :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ian Fitzsimmons | 740 | 47.83 | +11.66 |
| | Labour | Moira Davidson | 497 | 32.13 | −3.98 |
| | Independent | William O'Hara | 160 | 10.34 | New |
| | SNP | Marion Low | 150 | 9.70 | −18.02 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 243 | 15.70 | +15.64 |
Girvan Glendoune :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | John McDowall | 592 | 52.11 | +0.39 |
| | SNP | Neil Ferguson | 344 | 30.28 | −5.72 |
| | Conservative | Anne Hastie | 200 | 17.61 | +5.32 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 248 | 21.83 | +6.11 |

## By-election

The North Carrick and Maybole East by-election was called following the resignation of South Ayrshire Labour Party leader Andy Hill on health grounds. In the election Independent candidate Brian Connolly won by a single vote. The loss of the ward for Labour allowed for the Conservatives to take control of the South Ayrshire Council area, governing with a 15-14 majority.
North Carrick and Maybole East by-election, 2006 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Brian Connolly | 408 | 27.70 | New |
| | Conservative | Ann Galbraith | 407 | 27.63 | −0.32 |
| | Labour | Sandra Goldie | 342 | 23.22 | −23.70 |
| | SNP | William McCubbin | 316 | 21.45 | +0.96 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1 | 0.07 | |