# 2017 Scottish Borders Council election

2017 Elections to Scottish Borders Council were held on 4 May 2017, 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.
Following the 2012 election, the Scottish National Party formed a coalition with the support of the Independents and the Liberal Democrats. The Borders Party also supported this administration. This replaced the previous Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent coalition which existed from 2007-2012.
The council was the first to reveal its administration after the election, with the Conservative group forming a coalition with independents to rule the council. New Tweeddale East councillor Shona Haslam became its leader formally on 18 May. Outgoing independent leader, David Parker, become the council's new convener.

## Election results

Scottish Borders Local Election Result 2017 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 15 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 44.1 | 41.6 | 19,355 | +18.4 |
| SNP | 9 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 26.5 | 21.4 | 9,959 | +0.7 |
| Independent | 8 | 3 | 2 | +1 | 23.5 | 23.8 | 11,050 | +1.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 5.9 | 8.2 | 3,818 | -8.3 |
| Labour | 0 | - | - | - | 0.0 | 2.8 | 1,283 | -3.5 |
| Scottish Green | 0 | - | - | - | 0.0 | 2.2 | 1,030 | +1.8 |

## Ward results
### Tweeddale West

* 2012: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2017: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2012-2017 Change: No Change
Tweeddale West - 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 | Heather Anderson | 25.2% | 1,160 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Eric Small | 22.5% | 1,036 | 1,036.2 | 1,040.2 | 1,097.2 | 1,115.3 | 1,123.3 | 1,928.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kris Chapman | 16.7% | 768 | 769.2 | 783.2 | 820.2 | 891.4 | 1,073.1 | 1,192.2 |
| | Conservative | John Anderson | 21.3% | 984 | 984.2 | 987.2 | 1,003.2 | 1,018.2 | 1,030.2 | |
| | Scottish Green | Catriona Hamilton | 4.7% | 218 | 221.3 | 238.4 | 262.6 | 332.8 | | |
| | Labour | Julia Reid | 4.4% | 201 | 201.5 | 205.5 | 224.6 | | | |
| | Independent | Tommy Davidson | 3.7% | 170 | 170.6 | 190.6 | | | | |
| | Independent | Michael Needham | 1.6% | 73 | 73.1 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,167 (Est.) Valid: 4,610 Spoilt: 78 Quota: 1,153 Turnout: 4,688 (57.4%) |||||||||||

### Tweeddale East

* 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
* 2012-2017 Change: Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem
Tweeddale East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
| | Conservative | Shona Haslam | 37.6% | 1,804 | | | | |
| | SNP | Stuart Bell (incumbent) | 20% | 960 | 971.7 | 1,442.7 | | |
| | Independent | Robin Tatler | 16.5% | 793 | 970.4 | 1,013.7 | 1,093.4 | 1,701.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amanda Kubie | 13.6% | 650 | 881.7 | 931.1 | 1,003.5 | |
| | SNP | Simon Ritchie | 12.2% | 585 | 590.7 | | | |
| Electorate: 8,640 (Est.) Valid: 4,792 Spoilt: 46 Quota: 1,199 Turnout: 4,838 (56%) |||||||||

### Galashiels and District

* 2012: 2xSNP; 1xBP; 1xIndependent
* 2017: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 2xIndependent
* 2012-2017 Change: Independent and Con gain one seat from SNP and BP
Galashiels and District - 4 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Euan Jardine | 28.5% | 1,292 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Andy Anderson | 20% | 907 | | | | | | |
| | Independent | Sandy Aitchison (incumbent) | 11.9% | 539 | 612.9 | 640.3 | 732.4 | 916.2 | | |
| | Independent | Harry Scott | 10.1% | 460 | 517.8 | 532.4 | 592.4 | 753.1 | 757 | 988.3 |
| | SNP | John Mitchell (incumbent) | 11.5% | 523 | 530.4 | 558.9 | 597.7 | 647.3 | | |
| | Independent | Bill White (incumbent) | 8.7% | 396 | 441.3 | 462.1 | 522 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Caledonia Bhatia | 5.5% | 249 | 316 | 369.2 | | | | |
| | Labour | David Sharp | 3.7% | 167 | 188.5 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 10,980 (Est.) Valid: 4,533 Spoilt: 66 Quota: 907 Turnout: 4,599 (41.9%) |||||||||||

### Selkirkshire

* 2012: 1xCon; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
* 2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
* 2012-2017 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem
Selkirkshire - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 |
| | Conservative | Michelle Ballantyne† (incumbent) | 27% | 1,081 | | | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Elaine Thornton-Nicol | 22.2% | 888 | 889 | 941 | 956 | 983 | 1,031 | | | |
| | Independent | Gordon Edgar (incumbent) | 12.8% | 514 | 524 | 531 | 569 | 607 | 646 | 652 | 847 | 1,083 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Adams | 15.1% | 606 | 661 | 663 | 675 | 694 | 713 | 713 | 763 | |
| | Independent | Kenneth Gunn | 9.8% | 392 | 396 | 403 | 417 | 429 | 456 | 464 | | |
| | Labour | Scott Redpath | 3.7% | 147 | 148 | 165 | 176 | 219 | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nancy Norman | 3.3% | 134 | 136 | 163 | 171 | | | | | |
| | Independent | David Black | 3.1% | 123 | 124 | 125 | | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Barbra Harvie | 3% | 122 | 123 | | | | | | | |
| Electorate: 7,752 (Est.) Valid: 4,007 Spoilt: 86 Quota: 1,002 Turnout: 4,093 (52.8%) |||||||||||||

### Leaderdale and Melrose

* 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xBP; 1xSNP
* 2017: 1xIndependent; 1xCon; 1xSNP
* 2012-2017 Change: Con gain one seat from BP
Leaderdale and Melrose - 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 | David Parker (incumbent) | 25.2% | 1,149 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Tom Miers | 20.5% | 934 | 934.9 | 950.9 | 1,014 | 1,476.5 | | |
| | SNP | Kevin Drum†† | 17.8% | 811 | 812.4 | 832.5 | 903.7 | 910.8 | 915.5 | 1,105.3 |
| | Independent | Iain Gillespie (incumbent) | 11.2% | 510 | 513.3 | 585.7 | 720.2 | 744.4 | 871.1 | |
| | Conservative | Diana Findlay | 11.5% | 523 | 523.6 | 543.7 | 529.8 | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Paton-Day | 9.4% | 426 | 427.5 | 473.6 | | | | |
| | Independent | Rebecca Fraser | 4.4% | 202 | 202.7 | | | | | |
| Electorate: 8,673 (Est.) Valid: 4,555 Spoilt: 78 Quota: 1,139 Turnout: 4,633 (53.4%) |||||||||||

### Mid Berwickshire

* 2012: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
* 2017: 2xCon; 1xSNP
* 2012-2017 Change: Con gain one seat from Lib Dem
Mid Berwickshire - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| | Conservative | John Greenwell (incumbent) | 35.1% | 1,592 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Mark Rowley | 24.1% | 1,096 | 1,434.3 | | | | |
| | SNP | Donald Moffat (incumbent) | 21.2% | 962 | 983.2 | 995.3 | 1,022.9 | 1,124.7 | 1,435.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Frances Renton (incumbent) | 11.9% | 539 | 576.5 | 665 | 728.6 | 816.2 | |
| | Scottish Green | Pauline Stewart | 3.9% | 177 | 181 | 201 | 249 | | |
| | Labour | David Smith | 3.9% | 175 | 180.4 | 199.8 | | | |
| Electorate: 8,494 (Est.) Valid: 4,541 Spoilt: 96 Quota: 1,136 Turnout: 4,637 (54.6%) ||||||||||

### East Berwickshire

* 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
* 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative gain from Independent
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 |
| | Conservative | Jim Fullarton (incumbent) | 35.6% | 1,505 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Carol Hamilton | 23.1% | 979 | 1,357 | | | | | |
| | SNP | Helen Laing | 19.6% | 831 | 835 | 841 | 893 | 932 | 1,001 | 1,203 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Danny Robertson | 6.5% | 276 | 296 | 352 | 398 | 475 | 627 | |
| | Labour | Eddy Coulson | 7.1% | 301 | 309 | 328 | 359 | 408 | | |
| | Independent | Michael Clift | 4.2% | 178 | 185 | 233 | 259 | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Kate Duncan | 3.8% | 162 | 166 | 178 | | | | |
| Electorate: TBC Valid: 4,232 Spoilt: 66 Quota: 1,059 Turnout: 49.0% |||||||||||

### Kelso and District

* 2012: 2 x Conservative, 1 x Liberal Democrat
* 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x Liberal Democrat
* 2012-2017 Change: No Change
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) | 28% | 1,212 | | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Simon Mountford (incumbent) | 25% | 1,083 | | | | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Euan Robson | 14.7% | 636 | 675 | 675 | 700 | 741 | 788 | 955 | 1,370 |
| | SNP | Alison Lamond | 16.5% | 713 | 715 | 715 | 731 | 749 | 809 | 850 | |
| | Independent | Ian Aitchison | 7.7% | 333 | 362 | 362 | 389 | 401 | 424 | | |
| | Scottish Green | Colin Shaughnessy | 3% | 129 | 133 | 133 | 144 | 164 | | | |
| | Labour | Sally Prentice | 2.7% | 116 | 119 | 119 | 124 | | | | |
| | Independent | Colin McGrath | 2.4% | 104 | 114 | 114 | | | | | |
| Electorate: TBC Valid: 4,326 Spoilt: 89 Quota: 1,082 Turnout: 53.1% ||||||||||||

### Jedburgh and District

* 2012: 1 x SNP, 1 x Conservative, 1 x Independent
* 2017: 2 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Conservative from Independent
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 |
| | Conservative | Sandy Scott (incumbent) | 28.5% | 1,094 | | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Scott Hamilton | 26.8% | 1,026 | | | | | | |
| | SNP | Jim Brown (incumbent) | 19.7% | 755 | 759 | 760 | 768 | 795 | 877 | 1,150 |
| | Independent | Rory Stewart (incumbent) | 15.6% | 600 | 633 | 657 | 708 | 747 | 801 | |
| | Scottish Green | Charles Strang | 4.5% | 171 | 179 | 183 | 185 | 218 | | |
| | Labour | Kenryck Lloyd-Jones | 3.1% | 119 | 128 | 133 | 135 | | | |
| | Independent | Harvey Oliver | 1.8% | 70 | 82 | 90 | | | | |
| Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,835 Spoilt: 56 Quota: 959 Turnout: 54.4% |||||||||||

### Hawick and Denholm

* 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
* 2017: 1 x Independent, 1 x Conservative, 1 x SNP
* 2012-2017 Change: No Change
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) | 63.3% | 2,283 | | | | | |
| | Conservative | Neil Richards | 16.5% | 596 | 952 | | | | |
| | SNP | Clair Ramage | 13.3% | 478 | 696 | 697 | 738 | 764 | 905 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Turnbull | 3.9% | 140 | 393 | 410 | 432 | 471 | |
| | Labour | David Byrne | 1.6% | 57 | 98 | 101 | 114 | | |
| | Scottish Green | Kevin Ferguson | 1.4% | 51 | 93 | 95 | | | |
| Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,605 Spoilt: 26 Quota: 902 Turnout: 50.9% ||||||||||

### Hawick and Hermitage

* 2012: 1 x Independent, 1 x Liberal Democrat, 1 x Conservative
* 2017: 2 x Independent, 1 x Conservative
* 2012-2017 Change: 1 x Independent gain from Liberal Democrats
Hawick and Hermitage - 3 seats :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 |
| | Independent | Watson McAteer * | 43.2% | 1,496 | |
| | Conservative | George Turnbull (incumbent) | 26.4% | 912 | |
| | Independent | Davie Paterson (incumbent) | 19.2% | 665 | 936 |
| | SNP | Iain Whyte | 11.2% | 386 | 482 |
| Electorate: TBC Valid: 3,459 Spoilt: 53 Quota: 865 Turnout: 50.3% ||||||
* Sitting Councillor from Hawick and Denholm Ward.

## Changes since 2017

* † On 4 December 2017, Selkirkshire Conservative Cllr Michelle Ballantyne resigned her seat upon her election to the Scottish Parliament. A by-election was held on 22 February 2018 and the seat was won by Independent candidate, Caroline Penman.
* †† On 9 March 2020, it was announced that Leaderdale and Melrose SNP Cllr Kevin Drum had died over the weekend. A by-election took place a year later in March 2021 and was won by the Scottish Conservatives.

## By-elections since 2017

Selkirkshire By-election (22 February 2018) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Trevor Adams | 39.9 | 1,380 | 1,251 | 1,262 | 1,276 | 1,307 | 1,342 | |
| | Independent | Caroline Penman | 29.7 | 1,040 | 1,049 | 1,080 | 1,125 | 1,231 | 1,522 | 2,028 |
| | SNP | John Mitchell | 19.8 | 691 | 717 | 729 | 758 | 797 | | |
| | Independent | Kenneth Gunn | 6.3 | 219 | 226 | 238 | 249 | | | |
| | Labour | Scott Redpath | 3.8 | 134 | 144 | 158 | | | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jack Clark | 2.7 | 95 | 103 | | | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Barbra Harvie | 2.0 | 70 | | | | | | |
| Valid: 3,496 Spoilt: 44 Quota: 1,749 Turnout: 3,536 (45.1%) |||||||||||
Leaderdale and Melrose By-election (11 March 2021) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count | Count |
| Party | Party | Candidate | FPv% | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 |
| | Conservative | Jenny Linehan | 39.9 | 1,380 | 1,389 | 1,399 | 1,406 | 1,451 | 1,653 | 1,969 |
| | SNP | John Paton-Day | 30.2 | 1,042 | 1,051 | 1,069 | 1,120 | 1,156 | 1,297 | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonny Adamson | 15.6 | 538 | 542 | 566 | 615 | 682 | | |
| | Independent | Mary Douglas | 4.6 | 159 | 177 | 194 | 224 | | | |
| | Scottish Green | Michael Needham | 4.4 | 152 | 155 | 175 | | | | |
| | Labour | Scott Redpath | 3.3 | 115 | 120 | | | | | |
| | Independent | Karen Wilks | 2.0 | 69 | | | | | | |
| Electorate: TBC Quota: 1,728 Turnout: (38.2%) |||||||||||