2012 West Lothian Council election

The 2012 West Lothian Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of West Lothian Council. The election will use the 9 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 form of proportional representation, with 33 Councillors being elected. The Bathgate Ward gained an additional seat for the 2012 elections. The election saw Labour remain the largest party on the Council as they gained 2 seats. The Scottish National Party also made 2 net gains and significantly increased their vote share, outpolling Labour in terms of votes cast. The Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party retained their single seat on the Council and so to did the Independents. The Action to Save St. John's Hospital group were completely wiped out from the authority losing all of their 3 seats.

Main article: 2012 Scottish local elections
2012 West Lothian Council election
3 May 2012 (2012-05-03)
All 33 seats to West Lothian Council
17 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
 
Leader John McGinty Peter Johnston
Party Labour SNP
Leader's seat Bathgate Livingston South
Last election 14 seats, 36.6% 13 seats, 36.3%
Seats before 14 13
Seats won 16 15
Seat change Increase2 Increase2
First preference 19,909 21,083
Percentage 38.1% 40.4%
Swing Increase1.5% Increase4.1%
  Third party Fourth party
 
Leader Tom Kerr Stuart Borrowman
Party Conservative Independent
Leader's seat Linlithgow Armadale and Blackridge
Last election 1 seat, 9.4% 1 seat, 4.6%
Seats before 1 1
Seats won 1 1
Seat change Steady Steady
First preference 4,591 2,752
Percentage 8.8% 5.3%
Swing Decrease0.6% Increase0.7%
The multi-member wards
Council Leader before election

Peter Johnston
SNP

 Council Leader after election

John McGinty
Labour

Following the election the Labour formed a minority administration with the support of the Conservative and Independent Councillors. This replaced the SNP minority administration which had been supported by the Conservative and Action to Save St. John's Hospital group Councillors from 2007-2012.

Election result
West Lothian Local Election Result 2012
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 16 2 0 +2 48.48 38.1 19,909 +1.5
  SNP 15 2 0 +2 45.45 40.4 21,083 +4.1
  Conservative 1 0 0 - 3.03 8.8 4,591 -0.6
  Independent 1 0 0 - 3.03 5.3 2,752 +0.7
  Action to Save St John's Hospital 0 0 3 -3 - 6.7 3,474 +0.6
  Liberal Democrats 0 - - - - 0.4 200 -4.7
  UKIP 0 - - - - 0.1 78 New
  National Front 0 - - - - 0.2 120 New

Note: Bathgate ward is represented by four councillors, rather than three from 2012. "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

Linlithgow
  • 2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab
  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
Linlithgow - 3 seats
PartyCandidateFPv%Count
12345
Conservative Tom Kerr (incumbent) 33.18 2,112        
SNP Martyn Day (incumbent)†† 28.70 1,827        
Labour Tom Conn (incumbent) 20.30 1,292 1,453 1,478.7 1,483.2 1,627.9
SNP David Tait 13.02 829 920.3 1,101.4 1,106.9 1,186.9
Action to Save St John's Hospital Cherie Finlay 4.40 280 396.7 413.6 423.8  
National Front Ernest Wilson 0.39 25 30.2 30.6    
Electorate: 11,944   Valid: 6,365   Spoilt: 44   Quota: 1,592   Turnout: 6,409 (53.29%)  

    Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh
    • 2007: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xASSH
    • 2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
    • 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from ASSH
    Broxburn, Uphall and Winchburgh - 4 seats
    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
    123456
    SNP Diane Calder 28.21 1,551          
    Labour Tony Boyle 21.11 1,161          
    Labour Alex Davidson 19.79 1,088 1,107.2        
    Action to Save St John's Hospital Ellen Glass (incumbent) 13.93 766 791.6 816.1 818.7 996.9  
    SNP Janet Campbell (incumbent) 11.22 617 1,006.4 1,013.2 1,014.1 1,054.3 1,411.2
    Conservative George Thompson 5.75 316 320.7 324.1 324.6    
    Electorate: 13,558   Valid: 5,499   Spoilt: 99   Quota: 1,100   Turnout: 5,598 (40.56%)  

      Livingston North
      • 2007: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xASSH
      • 2012: 2xSNP; 2xLab
      • 2007-2012 Change: Lab gain one seat from ASSH
      Livingston North - 4 seats
      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
      12345678
      SNP Robert De Bold (incumbent) 25.30 1,551              
      Labour Anne McMillan 21.95 1,346              
      SNP Andrew Miller (incumbent) 18.14 1,112 1,353.5            
      Labour Angela Moohan 11.27 691 700.2 710.2 813.9 839.3 944.7 1,101.9 1,222.6
      Conservative Alison Adamson 7.81 479 486.9 490.4 493.9 523.6 607.5    
      SNP Annmargaret Watson 7.01 430 457.8 550.9 552 562 642.7 678.9  
      Action to Save St John's Hospital Claire Lynch 6.36 390 405.2 412.9 415.9 453.5      
      Liberal Democrats Caron Marianne Howden 2.15 132 139.1 141.5 143.1        
      Electorate: 16,271   Valid: 6,131   Spoilt: 90   Quota: 1,227   Turnout: 6,221 (37.68%)  

        Livingston South
        • 2007: 2xLab; 2xSNP
        • 2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
        • 2007-2012 Change: No change
        Livingston South - 4 seats
        PartyCandidateFPv%Count
        123456
        Labour Lawrence Fitzpatrick (incumbent) 34.89 2,395          
        SNP Peter Johnston (incumbent) 24.34 1,671          
        Labour Danny Logue (incumbent) 13.01 893 1,631.7        
        SNP John Muir (incumbent) 11.92 818 867.1 966.2 986 1,015.6 1,534.4
        SNP John Lindsay 5.84 401 444.9 603.8 622.1 648.5  
        Conservative Nick Davis 5.45 374 425.2 428.8 448.9    
        Action to Save St John's Hospital Derreck Allen McCullough 4.55 312 376.9 392.4 458.9 679.3 731.3
        Electorate: 16,441   Valid: 6,864   Spoilt: 73   Quota: 1,373   Turnout: 6,937 (41.75%)  

          East Livingston and East Calder
          • 2007: 2xLab; 2xSNP
          • 2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
          • 2007-2012 Change: No change
          East Livingston and East Calder - 4 seats
          PartyCandidateFPv%Count
          12345
          Labour Dave King (incumbent) 32.14 1,914        
          SNP Frank Anderson (incumbent) 19.26 1,147 1,161.7 1,164.8 1,180.9 1,398.6
          SNP Carl John (incumbent) 16.89 1,006 1,058.4 1,061.2 1,094.1 1,304.3
          Labour Frank Toner 11.45 682 1,237.6      
          SNP Lis Bardell 7.62 454 462.3 464.5 485.9  
          Action to Save St John's Hospital Jean Ann Finch 6.38 380 407.9 419.3 607.3 637.3
          Conservative Evelyn Stirling 6.25 372 386.7 389.9    
          Electorate: 14,346   Valid: 5,955   Spoilt: 92   Quota: 1,192   Turnout: 6,047 (41.51%)  

            Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley
            • 2007: 2xLab; 1xSNP
            • 2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP
            • 2007-2012 Change: No change
            Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley - 3 seats
            PartyCandidateFPv%Count
            123456
            Labour David Dodds 33.30 1,713          
            SNP Garry Knox 17.57 904 929.6 949.1 1,023.6 1,039.2  
            Labour Cathy Muldoon (incumbent) 17.53 902 1,235.7 1,264.5 1,423.6    
            SNP Greg McCarra (incumbent) 17.42 896 905.7 931.2 1,063.7 1,085.5 1,999.8
            Action to Save St John's Hospital Jim Warnock 10.34 532 557.4 647.6      
            Conservative Alastair Lowrie 3.83 197 202.5        
            Electorate: 11,239   Valid: 5,144   Spoilt: 106   Quota: 1,287   Turnout: 5,250 (45.77%)  

              Whitburn and Blackburn
              • 2007: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xASSH
              • 2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
              • 2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from ASSH
              Whitburn and Blackburn - 4 seats
              PartyCandidateFPv%Count
              12345678
              Labour George Paul (incumbent) 32.59 1,896              
              SNP Jim Dickson (incumbent) 27.68 1,610              
              Labour Barry Robertson 11.96 696 1,356.2            
              Action to Save St John's Hospital George Beurskens (incumbent) 10.64 619 639.8 668.9 712.4 729.7 760.3 886.4  
              SNP Mary Dickson 9.66 562 575.1 964 986.7 996.9 1,012.3 1,058.5 1,317.4
              Conservative Stuart Martin 4.66 271 273.3 277.5 287.6 312.2 337.1    
              National Front Neil McIvor 1.63 95 98.5 100.7 104.5 108.6      
              Liberal Democrats Robert Durie Howden 1.17 68 72.2 75.8 83.7        
              Electorate: 11,239   Valid: 5,817   Spoilt: 108   Quota: 1,164   Turnout: 5,925 (41.75%)  

                Bathgate
                • 2007: 2xSNP; 1xLab
                • 2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP
                • 2007-2012 Change: No change Lab gain extra seat
                Bathgate - 4 seats
                PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                1234567
                Labour John McGinty (incumbent) 22.59 1,314            
                SNP Jim Walker (incumbent) 22.04 1,282            
                Labour Harry Cartmill 19.56 1,138 1,231.1          
                SNP William H. Boyle (incumbent) 18.69 1,087 1,094.8 1,123.8 1,127.9 1,135.2 1,174.7 1,215.1
                Independent Jamie Firth 6.63 453 214.7 218.4 222.3 236.9 293.7  
                Conservative Charles Kennedy 5.93 345 347.5 349.9 352.8 371 405.4 455.9
                SNP Calum Laurie 5.14 299 303.6 347.8 349.7 355.2 371.1 397.4
                Action to Save St John's Hospital Douglas Banks 3.35 195 198.5 201.9 207.8 224.3    
                UKIP Alistair Forrest 1.34 78 79 79.8 80.8      
                Electorate: 13,933   Valid: 5,817   Spoilt: 108   Quota: 1,164   Turnout: 5,925 (41.75%)  

                  Armadale and Blackridge
                  • 2007: 1xIndependent; 1xLab; 1xSNP
                  • 2012: 1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xLab
                  • 2007-2012 Change: No change
                  Armadale and Blackridge - 3 seats
                  PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                  12
                  Independent Stuart Borrowman (incumbent) 56.68 2,541  
                  SNP Isabel Hutton (incumbent)† 19.21 861 1,217.5
                  Labour Jim Dixon (incumbent) 17.58 788 1,283.1
                  SNP Dean Williamson 3.75 168 229.5
                  Conservative Marion Kerr 2.79 125 246.8
                  Electorate: 11,247   Valid: 4,483   Spoilt: 49   Quota: 1,121   Turnout: 4,532 (39.86%)  

                    Post-election Changes
                    • † Armadale and Blackridge SNP Cllr Isabel Hutton was disqualified for non-attendance on 16 February 2015. The by-election was held on 26 March 2015 and the seat was won by the SNP's Sarah King.
                    • †† Linlithgow SNP Cllr Martyn Day was elected MP for Linlithgow and East Falkirk on 7 May 2015. He resigned his Council seat in July 2015 and a by-election was held on 1 October 2015 and the seat was held by the party's David Tait.

                    By Elections since 2012
                    Armadale and Blackridge by-election (26 March 2015) - 1 Seat[1]
                    PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                    1234
                    SNP Sarah King 43.4% 1,620 1,647 1,676 1,874
                    Labour Andrew McGuire 27.0% 1,009 1,018 1,074 1,382
                    Independent Scott Mackay 20.3% 756 786 868  
                    Conservative Ian Burgess 6.8% 255 264    
                    Scottish Green Jenny Johnson 2.4% 90      
                    Electorate: 12,315   Valid: 3,730   Spoilt: 46   Quota: 1,866   Turnout: 3,776 (30.7%)  
                      Linlithgow by-election (1 October 2015) - 1 seat[2]
                      PartyCandidateFPv%Count
                      12345
                      SNP David Tait 43.1% 2,049 2,061 2,099 2,234 2,325
                      Labour David Manion 22.9% 1,088 1,131 1,175 1,279 1,644
                      Conservative Ian Burgess 20.5% 973 992 1,056 1,070  
                      Scottish Green Maire McCormack 5.9% 282 303 346    
                      Independent Brenda Galloway 4.8% 230 246      
                      Liberal Democrats Caron Lindsay 2.8% 133        
                      Electorate: 12,516   Valid: 4,755   Spoilt: 28   Quota: 2,378   Turnout: 4,783 (38.2%)  

                        References
                        1. Hope, Graham. "Armadale and Blackridge By-Election 26 March 2015 Results" (PDF). westlothian.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 June 2021.
                        2. "Linlithgow By-Election Results - West Lothian Council". westlothian.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 3 October 2015.
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