2022 Falkirk Council election


The 2022 Falkirk Council election was held on 5 May 2022 on the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections. The election used the nine wards created following the Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland's 5th Review, with 30 councillors being elected. Each ward elected either three or four members, using the STV electoral system.
At the last election in [2017 Falkirk (UK Parliament constituency)|Falkirk Council election|2017], the Scottish National Party won the most seats and formed a minority administration.

Background

Previous election

At the previous election in 2017, the Scottish National Party became the largest party, despite losing one seat, overtaking Labour who lost five seats. Two independents were elected, one less than 2012 while the Conservatives gained five seats.
;Notes:
  • Votes are the sum of first preference votes across all council wards. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections in May 2012. This is because STV has an element of proportionality which is not present unless multiple seats are being elected. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.
  • Following boundary changes, the number of seats in Falkirk fell from 32 in 2012 to 30 in 2017. Gains and losses are represented against national results which may differ from other published sources.

Composition

Since the previous election, several changes in the composition of the council occurred. Labour councillor John McLuckie and Conservative councillor James Kerr were suspended by their respective parties after having been charged by the police following an investigation into planning irregularities in Falkirk. SNP councillor Niall Coleman resigned from the party to become an independent. Two by-elections were held and resulted in an SNP hold and an SNP gain from Labour.
Party2017 resultDissolution
SNP1212
Labour97
Conservative77
Independents24

Results

Ward summary

!rowspan=2 align="left"|Ward
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!rowspan=2|Total
Cllrs

!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|SNP
!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|Lab
!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|Conservative
!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|Green
!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|Lib Dem
!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|Ind
!colspan=2 bgcolor=""|Alba
!colspan=2 bgcolor="white"|Others
!align="left"|Total
!'''30'''

Ward results

Bo'ness and Blackness

2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab2017: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon2022: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent2017-2022 Change: Independent gain one seat from Conservative

Grangemouth

2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xIndependent2017: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent2022: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent2017-2022 Change: No change

Denny and Banknock

2012: 2xSNP; 1xLab 1xIndependent2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon2022: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent2017-2022 Change: Independent gain one seat from Conservative

Carse, Kinnaird and Tryst

2012: 2xLab; 2xSNP2017: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon2022: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon2017-2022 Change: No change

Bonnybridge and Larbert

2012: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xIndependent2017: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xIndependent2022: 1xIndependent; 1xSNP; 1xLab2017-2022 Change: Labour gain one seat from Conservative

Falkirk North

2012: 2xSNP; 2xLab2017: 2xSNP; 2xLab2022: 2xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon2017-2022 Change: Conservative gain one seat from Labour

Falkirk South

2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon2017: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon2022: 1xSNP; 1xCon; 1xLab2017-2022 Change: No change

Lower Braes

2012: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab2022: 1xLab; 1xSNP; 1xCon2017-2022 Change: No change

Upper Braes

2012: 2xLab; 1xSNP2017: 1xCon; 1xSNP; 1xLab2022: 1xSNP; 1xLab; 1xCon2017-2022 Change: No change

Aftermath

Falkirk South by-election

In July 2024, Labour councillor Euan Stainbank was elected as MP for Falkirk at the 2024 United Kingdom general election and subsequently resigned as a councillor in August 2024. A by-election was held on 17 October 2024 and was won by Labour candidate Claire Aitken.