Argyll and Bute Council
Argyll and Bute Council is one of the 32 local authorities of Scotland, covering the Argyll and Bute council area.
Thirty-six representative members make up the council, elected, since 2007, by single transferable vote and, before that, by the first-past-the-post system. The council has been under no overall control since 2007. In 2024 a coalition of the Scottish National Party, Liberal Democrats, Labour, Scottish Greens and some of the independent councillors took control of the council. It is based at Kilmory Castle at Lochgilphead. The council has been a member of the Islands Forum since 2022.
Political control
The council has been under no overall control since 2007. Following the 2017 election a coalition of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and some of the independent councillors took control of the council. The same coalition continued following the 2022 election, but was replaced in 2024 by an SNP-led coalition.The first election to Argyll and Bute District Council was held in 1974, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 16 May 1975. A shadow authority was again elected in 1995 ahead of the change to council areas which came into force on 1 April 1996. Political control of Argyll and Bute since 1975 has been as follows:
Argyll and Bute District Council
'''Argyll and Bute Council'''
Leadership
The role of provost is largely ceremonial in Argyll and Bute. They chair full council meetings and act as the council's civic figurehead. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1996 have been:Composition
Following the 2022 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to August 2025, the composition of the council was:Four of the independent councillors are members of the 'Administration Partnership' with the SNP, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Greens, which forms the council's administration. The Conservatives and one of the independent councillors sit together as 'The Argyll, Lomond and the Isles Group', which forms the main opposition group. The next election is due in 2027.
Premises
The council is based at Kilmory Castle in Lochgilphead, which had been built as a large country house in the 1820s. It was bought in 1974 and converted to become the headquarters of the Argyll and Bute District Council.NeverSeconds
In June 2012, the council was criticised for banning a local primary student, Martha Payne, from taking photographs of her school dinners for her online blog. The blog, NeverSeconds, had been praised by the celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver, had attracted over two million visits, and at the time of the ban had raised nearly £2,000 for a food charity. On the day the story broke, the blog had raised over £40,000. After an initial statement from the council defending the decision, the ban was subsequently overturned by council leader, Roddy McCuish.In November 2012 a book written by David Payne, Martha's father, revealed the background to the council's attempt to censor and bully a 9-year-old girl. The book reads: "My anger and frustration at Argyll and Bute Council was not being soothed by time. Thinly veiled attacks on our parenting on national radio and an abusive phonecall stood out as examples of a public body sick to the very top. Complaints via the proper procedures and through elected councillors had brought no visible changes. Far from being contrite, they seemed to take a pride in being untouchable."
Elections
Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:| Year | Seats | SNP | Conservative | Liberal Democrat | Labour | Green | Independent / Other | Notes |
| Year | Seats | Notes | ||||||
| 1995 | 33 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 21 | |
| 1999 | 36 | 5 | 4 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 20 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2003 | 36 | 3 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 22 | |
| 2007 | 36 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 0 | 0 | 16 | New ward boundaries. |
| 2012 | 36 | 13 | 4 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 15 | |
| 2017 | 36 | 11 | 9 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 10 | |
| 2022 | 36 | 12 | 10 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 7 | |