# 2012 Scottish Borders Council election

2012 Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 3 May 2012, the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election used the 11 wards created as a result of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, with each ward electing three or four Councillors using the single transferable vote system, a form of proportional representation, with 34 Councillors elected.
The election saw the Scottish Conservative Party remain the largest party on the Council though they lost 1 seat. The Scottish National Party replaced the Scottish Liberal Democrats as the second largest party by gaining 3 seats at the expense of the latter. The Lib Dems were reduced to 6 seats. Independents increased their numbers to 7 seats while the Borders Party retained their 2 seats.
Following the election the Scottish National Party formed a coalition with the support of the Independents and the Liberal Democrats. The Borders Party are also supporting this administration. This replaced the previous Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent coalition which existed from 2007-2012.

## Election results

Scottish Borders Local Election Result 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 10 | 1 | 2 | -1 | 29.41 | 23.22 | 8,644 | -3.58 |
| SNP | 9 | 4 | 1 | +3 | 26.47 | 20.75 | 7,723 | +1.95 |
| Independent | 7 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 20.59 | 22.71 | 8,454 | -1.61 |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 17.65 | 16.49 | 6,138 | -8.11 |
| Borders | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.88 | 10.09 | 3,755 | +4.79 |
| Labour | 0 | - | - | - | - | 6.31 | 2,347 | +4.41 |
| Scottish Green | 0 | - | - | - | - | 0.44 | 161 | -0.46 |
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
### Tweeddale West

* 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Tweeddale West - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catriona Bhatia (incumbent) | 25.62 | 919 | | | | |
| | Conservative | Nathaniel Buckingham†† | 24.67 | 885 | 887.4 | 978.6 | | |
| | SNP | Willie Archibald (incumbent) | 21.75 | 780 | 782.1 | 833.4 | 839.6 | 934.3 |
| | Labour | Julia Reid | 9.37 | 336 | 337.2 | 389.3 | 393.1 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nancy Norman | 9.31 | 334 | 347.9 | 415.5 | 449.4 | 548.9 |
| | Borders | David Pye | 9.28 | 333 | 334.4 | | | |
| Electorate: 7,577 Valid: 3,587 Spoilt: 34 Quota: 897 Turnout: 3,621 (47.34%) |||||||||

### Tweeddale East

* 2007: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon
* 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Tweeddale East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | SNP | Stuart Bell | 26.41 | 990 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Gavin Logan (incumbent) | 24.78 | 929 | 934.4 | 971.8 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Graham Garvie (incumbent) | 16.38 | 614 | 622.3 | 674.5 | 686.7 | 811.9 | 1,087.9 |
| | Labour | Robin Tatler | 15.23 | 571 | 579.6 | 629.9 | 631.2 | 731.2 | |
| | Borders | Frances Pringle | 9.20 | 345 | 352.9 | 439 | 448.7 | | |
| | Independent | David Cox | 8.00 | 300 | 307.1 | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,106 Valid: 3,749 Spoilt: 32 Quota: 938 Turnout: 3,781 (46.25%) ||||||||||

### Galashiels and District

* 2007: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xBP
* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xBP; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP and Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem and Con
Galashiels and District - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Borders | Sandy Aitchison (incumbent) | 22.45 | 822 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Bill Herd * | 20.95 | 766 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Bill White | 13.69 | 501 | 522.9 | 524.6 | 590.6 | 701 | 894.8 |
| | SNP | John Mitchell (incumbent) | 13.45 | 492 | 506 | 532.5 | 593.5 | 639.9 | 762 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Rick Kenney | 11.40 | 417 | 432.9 | 434.8 | 490.3 | 609.4 | |
| | Conservative | Fiona Lackenby (incumbent) | 10.56 | 386 | 402.5 | 403.2 | 409.6 | | |
| | Labour | Robbie Tatler | 7.47 | 273 | 280.8 | 281.7 | | | |
| Electorate: 10,813 Valid: 3,657 Spoilt: 69 Quota: 732 Turnout: 3,726 (33.82%) ||||||||||
* = Outgoing Councillor from a different Ward.

### Selkirkshire

* 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from SNP
Selkirkshire - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Conservative | Michelle Ballantyne | 24.28 | 799 | 832 | | | |
| | SNP | Kenneth Gunn (incumbent) | 20.39 | 671 | 696 | 696.8 | 744.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vicky Davidson (incumbent) | 19.72 | 649 | 708 | 710.8 | 821.4 | 1,042.6 |
| | Independent | Gordon Edgar | 18.14 | 597 | 673 | 674.1 | 762.4 | 983.5 |
| | Borders | Leven Brown | 9.09 | 299 | 340 | 341.7 | | |
| | Independent | Gordon Harrison | 8.39 | 276 | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,714 Valid: 3,291 Spoilt: 36 Quota: 823 Turnout: 3,327 (42.66%) |||||||||

### Leaderdale and Melrose

* 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem; 1xBP
* 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xBP; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Leaderdale and Melrose - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | David Parker (incumbent) | 36.34 | 1,304 | | | | | |
| | Borders | Nicholas Watson (incumbent)† | 17.31 | 621 | 705.9 | 758.9 | 929.6 | | |
| | SNP | Jim Torrance†††† | 15.55 | 558 | 632.4 | 706.8 | 742.6 | 747.6 | 969.6 |
| | Conservative | Peter Duncan | 12.29 | 441 | 488.3 | 500.2 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Paton-Day (incumbent) | 12.24 | 439 | 527.1 | 568.3 | 715.8 | 726.8 | |
| | Labour | Agnes Craig | 6.27 | 225 | 258.6 | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,292 Valid: 3,588 Spoilt: 21 Quota: 898 Turnout: 3,609 (43.27%) ||||||||||

### Mid Berwickshire

* 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
* 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | SNP | Donald Moffat (incumbent) | 31.97 | 1,133 | | | | |
| | Conservative | John Greenwell | 21.46 | 747 | 768.9 | 1,085.9 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frances Renton (incumbent) | 18.24 | 635 | 703.3 | 753.9 | 804.6 | 1,110.9 |
| | Borders | Tom Miers | 15.34 | 534 | 598.5 | 635.3 | 688.3 | |
| | Conservative | Trevor Jones (incumbent) | 12.41 | 432 | 446.6 | | | |
| Electorate: 8,209 Valid: 3,481 Spoilt: 43 Quota: 871 Turnout: 3,524 (42.4%) |||||||||

### East Berwickshire

* 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
East Berwickshire - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Independent | Michael Cook (incumbent) | 35.96 | 1,236 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Jim Fullarton (incumbent) | 21.24 | 730 | 835.9 | 875.4 | | | | |
| | SNP | Joan Umpherston Campbell | 15.74 | 541 | 583.3 | 600.9 | 602.2 | 629.5 | 699 | 906.9 |
| | Labour | Kenryck Lloyd-Jones | 12.66 | 435 | 472.1 | 485.9 | 486.6 | 521.9 | 596.9 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ken Webb | 6.58 | 226 | 263.1 | 285.9 | 289.5 | 329 | | |
| | Independent | Jack Johnston | 3.96 | 136 | 192.9 | 226.9 | 229.7 | | | |
| | Borders | Cat MacDonald-Home | 3.87 | 133 | 161.6 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,383 Valid: 3,437 Spoilt: 37 Quota: 860 Turnout: 3,474 (41%) |||||||||||

### Kelso and District

* 2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
* 2012: 2xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2007-2012 Change: Con gain from Independent
Kelso and District - 3 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 |
| | Conservative | Tom Weatherston (incumbent) | 23.98 | 777 | 777 | 794 | 824 | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alec Nicol (incumbent) | 22.5 | 729 | 756 | 791 | 832 | | | | |
| | Conservative | Simon Mountford | 14.29 | 463 | 471 | 482 | 518 | 522.6 | 529.2 | 610.1 | 703.7 |
| | SNP | Maggie Stanfield | 12.75 | 413 | 444 | 462 | 507 | 510.5 | 511.6 | 590.1 | |
| | Independent | Yvonne Huggins-Haig | 10.0 | 324 | 331 | 365 | 435 | 438.7 | 440.2 | | |
| | Borders | Diana Miers | 7.81 | 253 | 269 | 306 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Colin McGrath | 5.09 | 165 | 176 | | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Michael Scott | 3.58 | 116 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,242 Valid: 3,240 Spoilt: 24 Quota: 811 Turnout: 3,264 (39.31%) ||||||||||||

### Jedburgh and District

* 2007: 2xCon; 1xSNP
* 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
* 2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Con
Jedburgh and District - 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 | Jim Brown (incumbent) | 23.44 | 759 | 793 | 837 | | | | |
| | Conservative | Sandy Scott (incumbent) | 21.68 | 702 | 704 | 769 | 771.1 | 948.5 | | |
| | Independent | Rory Stewart | 16.95 | 549 | 580 | 642 | 650.2 | 781.1 | 801.9 | 1,050.6 |
| | Conservative | Len Wyse (incumbent) | 12.75 | 413 | 417 | 430 | 432.5 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Bathgate | 11.98 | 388 | 409 | 459 | 464.7 | 539 | 567.4 | |
| | Borders | Trevor Jackson | 7.97 | 258 | 292 | | | | | |
| | Labour | David Robert Scott Sharp | 5.22 | 169 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,242 Valid: 3,238 Spoilt: 45 Quota: 810 Turnout: 3,283 (45.24%) |||||||||||

### Hawick and Denholm

* 2007: 1xCon; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Hawick and Denholm - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Independent | Stuart Marshall (incumbent) | 56.72 | 1,734 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Zandra Elliott (incumbent)††† | 13.97 | 427 | 580.1 | 589.3 | 618.2 | 633.2 | 802.3 |
| | SNP | Alastair Cranston | 12.46 | 381 | 506.2 | 523.9 | 539.3 | 593.1 | 749.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Watson McAteer | 8.60 | 263 | 482.6 | 493.8 | 507.2 | 542.3 | |
| | Labour | Michael A Grieve | 4.81 | 147 | 191.1 | 205.9 | 215.2 | | |
| | Borders | Mary Douglas | 2.45 | 75 | 96.8 | 105.8 | | | |
| | Independent | Craig Bryson | 0.98 | 30 | 88.1 | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,183 Valid: 3,057 Spoilt: 34 Quota: 765 Turnout: 3,091 (42.56%) ||||||||||

### Hawick and Hermitage

* 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon
* 2007-2012 Change: No change
Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Independent | Davie Paterson (incumbent) | 44.93 | 1,302 | | | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ron Smith (incumbent) | 18.12 | 525 | 676.1 | 687.7 | 706.4 | 785.2 | | |
| | Conservative | George Turnbull (incumbent) | 17.70 | 513 | 614 | 616.5 | 641.2 | 657.6 | 686.3 | 779.9 |
| | SNP | Tommy Stevenson | 8.25 | 239 | 300.2 | 309.5 | 323.9 | 368.9 | 377.2 | |
| | Labour | Bill Cumming | 6.59 | 191 | 246.8 | 258.4 | 270.3 | | | |
| | Borders | Frank Little | 2.83 | 82 | 115.2 | 124.8 | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Kevin Ferguson | 1.59 | 46 | 65.5 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,041 Valid: 2,898 Spoilt: 34 Quota: 725 Turnout: 2,932 (41.16%) |||||||||||

## Post Election Changes

* † On 4 February 2012 Leaderdale and Melrose Borders Party Cllr Nicholas Watson resigned his seat on the Council to pursue employment in Cumbria. The by-election was won by Iain Gillespie, also of the Borders Party, on 2 May 2013. Borders Party's Iain Gillespie wins Leaderdale and Melrose by-election
* †† On 29 July 2013 Tweedale West Conservative and Unionist Party Cllr Nathaniel Buckingham resigned his seat on the Council due to work pressures and family commitments. The by-election was held on 10 October 2013 and was held by the Conservatives Keith Cockburn. Tweeddale West by-election result 2013 - Scottish Borders Council
* ††† On 22 February 2014 Hawick and Denholm Conservative and Unionist Cllr Zandra Elliot died.Hawick 'ambassador' Zandra Elliot dies A by-election was held to fill the vacancy and was won by the Independent Watson McAteer.
* †††† On 2 June 2016 Leaderdale and Melrose SNP Cllr Jim Torrance resigned from the party and became an Independent citing lack of support from Christine Grahame MSP over the Council's plans to house the Great Tapestry of Scotland at Tweedbank.SBC Councillor quits over tapestry

## By-elections since 2012

Leaderdale and Melrose By-election (2 May 2013) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Conservative | Rachael Hamilton | 27.57 | 956 | 975 | 982 | 1,038 | 1,283 | |
| | Borders | Iain Gillespie | 23.48 | 814 | 844 | 900 | 1,118 | 1,444 | 2,066 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Paton-Day | 21.46 | 744 | 756 | 816 | 983 | | |
| | SNP | Harry Cummings | 17.68 | 613 | 623 | 666 | | | |
| | Labour | Robin Tatler | 6.78 | 235 | 238 | | | | |
| | UKIP | Sherry Fowler | 3.03 | 105 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,386 Valid: 3,467 Spoilt: 20 Quota: 1,734 Turnout: 3,487 (41.58%) ||||||||||
Tweeddale West By-election (10 October 2013) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Keith Cockburn | 42.65 | 1,155 | 1,165 | 1,176 | 1,193 | 1,255 | 1,288 | 1,616 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nancy Norman | 25.0 | 677 | 682 | 690 | 759 | 858 | 1,034 | |
| | SNP | Morag Kerr | 13.26 | 359 | 369 | 373 | 409 | 444 | | |
| | Borders | David Pye | 8.4 | 228 | 237 | 245 | 272 | | | |
| | Labour | Veronica McTernan | 7.5 | 203 | 204 | 207 | | | | |
| | UKIP | Mars Goodman | 1.56 | 43 | 44 | | | | | |
| | Independent | David Cox | 1.56 | 43 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,707 Valid: 2,708 Spoilt: 21 Quota: 1,355 Turnout: 2,729 (35.41%) |||||||||||
Hawick and Denholm By-election (22 May 2014) - 1 Seat :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Independent | Watson McAteer | 25.5 | 732 | 750 | 803 | 900 | 1,010 | 1,222 | 1,505 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Adams | 21.6 | 622 | 627 | 638 | 665 | 692 | 798 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Turnbull | 15.7 | 450 | 455 | 485 | 545 | 637 | | |
| | SNP | Harry Stoddart | 14.6 | 419 | 423 | 461 | 505 | | | |
| | Independent | Marion Short | 11.3 | 326 | 334 | 385 | | | | |
| | Independent | Davie Paterson | 8.7 | 250 | 269 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Craig Bryson | 2.6 | 74 | | | | | | |
| Valid: 2,873 Spoilt: 47 Quota: 1,437 Turnout: 2,920 (%) |||||||||||