2012 Aberdeenshire Council election

Elections to Aberdeenshire Council were held on 3 May 2012, on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. The election used the 19 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 68 Councillors being elected.
The 2007 election saw the Liberal Democrats form a coalition on the Council with the [Scottish Scottish Conservatives|Conservative and Unionist Party|Scottish Conservatives].
The 2012 election saw the SNP gain an additional 6 seats and become the largest party on the Council, supplanting the Lib Dems. The Tories retained their 14 seats on the Council and as a result became the second largest party. The Lib Dems lost half their Councillors falling from 24 to 12 seats. Independents also increased their overall numbers to 11 seats while [Scottish Scottish Labour Party|Labour Party|Labour] and the Scottish Green Party won seats in Aberdeenshire for the first time.
Following the election a Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent administration was formed. However, on 8 June 2015, a new administration was formed by the SNP and a 'Progressive Alliance' between Scottish Labour and 2 Progressive Independent councillors, who had been members of the previous administration.

Background

Previous election

At the previous election in 2007 the Liberal Democrats won 24 seats, falling 11 seats short of an overall majority. The SNP won 22 seats, falling 13 seats short of an overall majority. Both the Conservative and Independent groups fell well short of an overall majority.

Party	Seats	Vote share
Liberal Democrats	24	25.2%
SNP	22	34.5%
Conservative	14	20.8%
Independent	8	12.7%

Source:

Composition

There were 2 by-elections in the 2007-12 term. One was in the Troup ward, which was held by the SNP. The other by-election was in the Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside ward, which resulted in a Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative.

Party	2007 election	Dissolution
Liberal Democrats	24	21
SNP	22	21
Conservative	14	13
Independent	8	11
Scottish Greens	0	2

Results

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.
Source:

Ward results

Banff and District

2007: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon
2007-2012: SNP and Con gain one seat from Independent and Lib Dem

Troup

2007: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
2012: 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xCon
2007-2012 Change: No change

Fraserburgh and District

2007: 3xSNP; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xSNP; 2xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from SNP

Central Buchan

2007: 2xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent
2007-2012: Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent

Peterhead North and Rattray

2007: 2xSNP; 1xInd; 1xCon
2012: 2xSNP; 2xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Con

Peterhead South and Cruden

2007: 2xSNP; 1xLib Dem
2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem

Turriff and District

2007: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
2012: 1xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: No change

Mid-Formartine

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 2xSNP; 1xIndependent; 1xCon
2007-2012 Change: SNP and Independent gain one seat from Lib Dem

Ellon and District

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem

West Garioch

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP
2012: 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xCon
2007-2012 Change: Con gain from Lib Dem

Inverurie and District

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Lib Dem

East Garioch

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP
2012: 1xSNP; 1xGRN; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: GRN gain from Lib Dem

Westhill and District

2007: 1xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent
2012: 2xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Independent

Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: Independent gain from Lib Dem

Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside

2007: 2xCon; 1xLib Dem
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: SNP gain one seat from Con

Banchory and Mid-Deeside

2007: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: No change

North Kincardine

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: Lab gain one seat from Lib Dem

Stonehaven and Lower Deeside

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xCon; 1xSNP
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xLib Dem
2007-2012 Change: Lab gain one seat from Lib Dem

Mearns

2007: 2xLib Dem; 1xSNP; 1xCon
2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLib Dem; 1xIndependent
2007-2012 Change: Independent gain from Lib Dem

Aftermath

As no single party group on the council had the required 35 seats for an overall majority, a Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent administration was formed. In 2013, the 2 Labour councillors joined the administration. However, on 8 June 2015, a new administration was formed by the SNP, Scottish Labour and 2 Progressive Independent councillors, who had been members of the previous administration.
East Garioch Cllr Fergus Hood defected from the SNP and joined the Liberal Democrats on 3 May 2013.
West Garioch Cllr Sheena Lonchay and Inverurie and District Cllr Martin Kitts-Hayes both defected from the Liberal Democrats and became Independents on 25 April 2014.
Troup Independent Cllr Mark Findlater ceased to be an Independent and joined the Conservatives on 23 February 2016.
Troup SNP Cllr Hamish Partridge resigned from the party on 17 June 2016 and became an Independent citing curtailments to his freedom of speech.
Banff and District SNP Cllr John Cox resigned from the party and became an Independent on 20 February 2017.

By-elections

Troup by-election

On 27 November 2014 a by-election was held after the death of Conservative councillor John Duncan on 4 September 2014. The SNP candidate Ross Cassie gained the seat from the Conservatives.

Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford by-election

On 5 November 2015 a by-election was held after the death of SNP councillor Joanne Strathdee on 23 August 2015, and the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Alastair Ross on 1 September 2015. It was won by both Conservative candidate Margo Stewart, gaining a seat for her party, and SNP candidate Gwyneth Petrie, who held the seat for her party.

Banff by-election

On 3 November 2016 a by-election was held after the death of SNP councillor Ian Gray on 27 August 2016. It was won by the Conservative candidate Iain Taylor, gaining the seat for his party.

Inverurie and District by-election

On 3 November 2016 a by-election was held after the resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Martin Kitts-Hayes. It was won by Conservative candidate Colin Clark, gaining the seat for his party.