2022 Dundee City Council election
Dundee City Council election
The 2022 Dundee City Council election took place on 5 May 2022, the same day as the 31 other Scottish local government elections .[ 1] Each ward elected three or four councillors using the single transferable vote system, a form of proportional representation used since the 2007 election and according to the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004 .[ 1]
The election resulted in the SNP gaining a majority, winning 15 seats after gaining a seat from Labour in the West End. Labour came second with no seat change from the last election, the Liberal Democrats gained two seats, rounding their total up to four and the Conservatives fell to fourth place, losing two seats making Derek Scott, the group leader, the sole councillor elected to the council. The sole Alba Party councillor, Alan Ross, who defected from the SNP, failed to retain his seat.
After the election, the SNP's Bill Campbell and Kevin Cordell were appointed Lord Provost and Deputy Lord Provost on 20 May 2022.[ 2]
Background
Previous election
At the previous election in 2017 , the Scottish National Party (SNP) won 14 seats and as a result, was the largest party. Despite two losses, the SNP continued to govern however, they no longer held a majority after the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats made gains.[ 3] Labour was the second-largest party on the council with 9 seats, the Conservatives won 3 seats, up two and the Liberal Democrats won 2 seats, up one.
Source:[ 4]
Composition
After the 2017 election , there were several changes to the composition of the council. Most were changes to the political affiliation of councillors including North East councillor Gregor Murray who resigned from the SNP in May 2019 after accusing the party of being transphobic[ 5] and Lochee councillor Alan Ross who first left the SNP to become an independent before defecting to Alba in February 2022.[ 6] A single by-election was held during the 2017-22 term which resulted in an SNP gain from Labour.[ 7]
Retiring councillors
There were four councillors elected at the 2017 election which will depart ahead of the 2022 election.
Debates and hustings
Ahead of the election, a series of debates and hustings were held throughout the campaign period. DC Thomson hosted an election debate on 21 April 2022 which was moderated by Derek Healey, the political editor of The Courier . The debate featured only leaders and representatives of the five parties on the council and an appeal for questions to be considered were featured.[ 8] [ 9] It was announced shortly after that the debate would be streamed on The Courier 's social media pages on 25 April 2022.
A husting took place on 27 April 2022 which was organised and moderated by the Dundee Social Enterprise Network. The hustings featured representatives of the four parties on the council along with the inclusion of the Scottish Greens but not the Alba Party.[ 10]
Results
Votes summary
↓
15
9
4
1
SNP
Labour
LD
Conservative
First preference vote share
SNP
41.4%
Labour
22.0%
Liberal Democrats
16.5%
Conservative
11.0%
Green
5.7%
Other
3.3%
Council seats
SNP
51.7%
Labour
31.0%
Liberal Democrats
13.8%
Conservative
3.5%
Ward summary
2022 Dundee City Council election by ward
Ward
%
Seats
%
Seats
%
Seats
%
Seats
%
Seats
%
Seats
Total
SNP
Lab
Conservative
Lib Dem
Green
Others
Strathmartine
45.4%
2
22.8%
1
5.9%
0
18.7%
1
3.3%
0
3.2%
0
4
Lochee
43.2%
2
35.8%
2
8.4%
0
3.1%
0
3.1%
0
5.3%
0
4
West End
31.3%
2
10.9%
0
6.7%
0
40.3%
2
9.4%
0
1.4%
0
4
Coldside
44.5%
2
31.1%
2
7.9%
0
3.1%
0
9.9%
0
3.4%
0
4
Maryfield
47.4%
2
22.6%
1
8.8%
0
4.7%
0
10.6%
0
5.9%
0
3
North East
56.5%
2
26.6%
1
8.3%
0
2.6%
0
3.3%
0
2.6%
0
3
East End
52.8%
2
26.0%
1
10.7%
0
2.8%
0
4.1%
0
3.7%
0
3
The Ferry
27.6%
1
10.0%
1
23.0%
1
34.7%
1
3.0%
0
1.7%
0
4
Total
41.39%
15
22.03%
9
10.99%
1
16.54%
4
5.74%
0
3.29%
0
29
Incumbents defeated
Ward results
Strathmartine
Lochee
Lochee - 4 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
SNP
Roisin Smith (incumbent )
37.2
2,174
Labour
Charlie Malone (incumbent )
28.7
1,678
Conservative
Gavin MacKenzie
8.0
488
492
505
531
543
543
603
623
Labour
Wendy Scullin
7.0
412
448
820
846
872
876
935
1,085
SNP
Siobhan Tolland
6.0
351
1,128
1,137
1,144
1,204
Scottish Green
Kate Treharne
4.0
244
308
318
326
369
383
438
Liberal Democrats
Jonathan Bremner
3.1
184
196
221
244
255
256
Alba
Alan Ross (incumbent )
3.1
184
208
220
230
Electorate: 14,912 Valid: 5,843 Spoilt: 179 Quota: 1,169 Turnout: 40.4%
West End
West End - 4 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
Liberal Democrats
Fraser MacPherson (incumbent )
37.4
2,146
SNP
Nadia El-Nakla
16.1
924
961
964
974
978
1,127
SNP
Bill Campbell (incumbent )
15.2
872
922
923
939
946
1,058
1,119
Labour
Richard McCready (incumbent )
10.9
624
731
734
740
831
928
931
Scottish Green
Ted Booth
9.4
536
565
566
577
593
Conservative
Donald Hay (incumbent )
6.7
386
453
453
547
Liberal Democrats
Michael Crichton
2.9
165
821
823
836
1,021
1,102
1,105
Alba
Annie Jenkins
1.1
54
68
72
ISP
Brooke Labagh
0.3
14
17
Electorate: 14,626 Valid: 5,732 Spoilt: 104 Quota: 1,147 Turnout: 39.9%
Coldside
Coldside - 4 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SNP
Heather Anderson
31.1
1,737
Labour
George McIrvine (incumbent)
17.2
960
970
982
987
1,011
1,044
1,155
Labour
Helen Wright (incumbent)
13.9
777
785
797
812
822
854
937
SNP
Mark Flynn (incumbent)
13.4
751
1,275
Scottish Green
Tanya Jones
9.9
551
584
636
656
702
764
808
Conservative
Naveed Ali
7.9
444
446
448
450
463
485
Liberal Democrats
Jenny Blain
3.1
176
179
183
185
195
Alba
Scott Agnew
2.5
141
150
164
165
TUSC
Wayne Scott
0.9
52
52
56
Electorate: 14,893 Valid: 5,589 Spoilt: 238 Quota: 1,118 Turnout: 39.1%
Maryfield
Maryfield - 3 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
SNP
Ken Lynn (incumbent )
24.6
1,037
1,037
1,042
1,093
SNP
Lynne Short (incumbent )
22.8
960
962
974
1,005
Labour
Georgia Cruickshank (incumbent )
22.6
956
957
1,017
1,062
Scottish Green
Martha Smart
10.6
446
453
493
517
Conservative
Danielle Marr
8.8
371
376
414
430
Alba
Sundas Kamran
5.1
214
218
226
Liberal Democrats
Rebecca Dewar
4.7
198
202
Sovereignty
Ewan Gurr
0.8
34
Electorate: 12,749 Valid: 4,213 Quota: 1,054 Turnout: 33.9%
North East
2022 Dundee City Council election: North East (3 seats)
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
SNP
Steven Rome (incumbent )
30.4
1,150
Labour
Jax Finniegan
26.6
1,007
SNP
Willie Sawers (incumbent )
26.2
991
Conservative
Lisa Franchi
8.3
313
Scottish Green
Stuart White
3.3
126
Alba
Heather McLean
2.7
102
Liberal Democrats
Mark Smith
2.7
100
Electorate: 11,792 Valid: 3,789 Spoilt: 96 Quota: 948 Turnout: 32.9%
East End
The Ferry
The Ferry - 4 seats[ 11]
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
Liberal Democrats
Craig Duncan (incumbent )
34.7
3,112
SNP
Kevin Cordell (incumbent )
20.1
1,806
Conservative
Derek Scott (incumbent )
18.5
1,661
2,064
Labour
Pete Shears
10.0
899
1,150
1,156
1,157
1,168
1,180
1,292
1,462
SNP
Qaiser Habib
7.5
674
819
820
829
832
867
1,030
1,043
Conservative
Philip Scott (incumbent )
4.5
407
459
706
706
730
745
763
Scottish Green
Mark Parsons
3.0
269
398
400
401
413
423
Alba
Thomas Byrne
1.0
92
109
109
109
113
Scottish Family
Carole Smith
0.7
59
87
88
88
Electorate: 16,211 Valid: 8,979 Quota: 1,796 Turnout: 56.3%
Aftermath
Lochee & Strathmartine by-elections
In July 2024 Lochee Labour councillor Charlie Malone died aged 63.[ 12] [ 13] This was followed in August by Strathmartine SNP councillor & Council Leader John Alexander deciding to leave politics to take up a new job at SSEN; he subsequently resigned as a councillor.[ 14] By-elections to elect their replacements were scheduled for 3 October 2024.[ 15] SNP candidate Lee Mills won the Lochee by-election while SNP candidate Jimmy Black won the Strathmartine by-election.[ 16] [ 17]
Lochee by-election (3 October 2024) - 1 seat
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
SNP
Lee Mills
37.3
1,203
1,211
1,226
1,292
1,369
1,390
1,742
Labour
Marty Smith
35.6
1,148
1,167
1,211
1,236
1,285
1,357
Conservative
Calum Walker
6.8
219
230
258
268
284
Alba
Alan Ross
5.5
178
204
212
Scottish Green
Katie Treharne
5.5
176
190
217
238
Liberal Democrats
Outi Bourke
4.8
156
171
Workers Party
John Reddy
4.4
143
Electorate: 15,237 Valid: 3,223 Spoilt: 31 Quota: 1,612 Turnout: 21.4%
Source:[ 18] [ 19]
Strathmartine by-election (3 October 2024) - 1 seat
Party
Candidate
FPv%
Count
1
2
3
4
5
6
SNP
Jimmy Black
35.0
1,188
1,205
1,260
1,274
1,426
1,835
Liberal Democrats
Jenny Blain
26.9
912
932
963
1,016
1,394
Labour
Richard McCready
26.9
911
929
947
972
Conservative
Naveed Ali
4.2
143
145
150
Scottish Green
Callum Baird
3.6
121
134
TUSC
Donald Macleod
3.4
116
Electorate: 15,403 Valid: 3,432 Spoilt: 41 Quota: 1,696 Turnout: 22.3%
Source:[ 20] [ 21]
Notes
^ Originally elected as a Scottish National Party candidate
^ Denotes a main invitee attending the event.
^ Denotes a main invitee not attending the event, sending a surrogate in their place.
^ Political editor of The Courier
^ Richard McCready, Labour
^ Phillip Scott, Scottish Conservative group leader at Dundee City Council, councillor in The Ferry ward
^ Fraser MacPherson, Scottish Liberal Democrat group leader at Dundee City Council, councillor in the West End ward
^ Tanya Jones, Scottish Green candidate for the Coldside ward
^ Alan Ross, Alba Party sole representative at Dundee City Council, councillor for Lochee ward
^ Lynne Short, SNP councillor for the Maryfield ward
^ Richard McCready, Labour
^ Gavin MacKenzie, Conservative
^ Michael Crichton, Liberal Democrats
^ Tanya Jones, Scottish Green candidate for the Coldside ward
References
^ a b "Local Elections 2022" . Dundee City Council . Retrieved 18 March 2022 .
^ Hamilton, Lindsey (20 May 2022). "Dundee's new Lord Provost and other top council posts revealed" . The Courier . Retrieved 20 May 2022 .
^ Teale, Andrew. "Local Elections Results 2017 Dundee" . Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 27 April 2022 .
^ Teale, Andrew. "Local Election Results 2017" . Local Elections Archive Project . Retrieved 16 August 2024 .
^ Morkis, Stefan. "EXCLUSIVE: Dundee councillor Gregor Murray quits SNP over party's 'institutional transphobia' " . The Courier . Retrieved 18 March 2022 .
^ "Former SNP city development chief unveiled as latest defector to Alba party" . HeraldScotland . Retrieved 18 March 2022 .
^ "North East By Election - Election Results" . Retrieved 7 May 2019 .
^ a b Healy, Derek (19 April 2022). "Here's who we have lined up for our Dundee City Council debate" . Twitter .
^ Healey, Derek. "Courier election debate: How you can put questions to local leaders" . The Courier . Retrieved 22 April 2022 .
^ a b DESN, DESN. "We are pleased to be hosting a Council Election Hustings - come along put your questions to the parties ahead of elections on 5th May 2022" .
^ a b c d e f g "Local Elections 2022 - Results" . Dundee City Council. Retrieved 8 May 2022 .
^ Elliards, Xander (29 July 2024). "Tributes pour in after Dundee councillor Charlie Malone dies aged 63" . The National . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .
^ Rutherford, Liam (2 October 2024). "Lochee by-election: who are the candidates and what are their key issues?" . The Courier . Retrieved 3 October 2024 .
^ "Dundee City Council leader stepping down" . BBC . 9 August 2024. Retrieved 3 October 2024 .
^ Bowie, Justin; Clark, Alasdair (24 September 2024). "SNP spooked in Dundee as Labour targets double by-election win" . The Courier . Retrieved 3 October 2024 .
^ Jackson, Lucy (4 October 2024). "SNP win two by-elections on Dundee City Council" . The National . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .
^ Devlin, Laura (4 October 2024). "Dundee Double by-election joy for SNP as Labour suffer disappointing night" . The Courier . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .
^ "Declaration of Results Report" . Dundee City Council . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .
^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report" (PDF) . Dundee City Council . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .
^ "Declaration of Results Report" . Dundee City Council . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .
^ "Candidate Votes Per Stage Report" (PDF) . Dundee City Council . Retrieved 4 October 2024 .