Elections to Aberdeenshire Council were held on 1 May 2003, on the same day as the other Scottish local government elections. This was the third election to the unitary council following the implementation of the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994.
The election used the 68 wards created by the Third Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements in 1998. Each ward elected one councillor using first-past-the-post voting.
Background
Previous election At the previous election in 1999, the Liberal Democrats won 28 seats, falling 7 short of an overall majority. The Scottish National Party (SNP) won 23 seats, falling 12 short an overall majority. Independents won 10, and the Conservatives won 7, both also falling well short of an overall majority. +1999 Aberdeenshire Council election resultPartySeatsVote shareLiberal Democrats2832.8%SNP2329.4%Independent1014.3%Conservative718.4% Source:
Composition There were several changes to the composition of the council during the 1999–2003 term. +Composition of Aberdeenshire CouncilParty1999 seatsDissolutionLiberal Democrats2827SNP2322Independent1010Conservative79 Source:
Results
Source:
Ward results
Aberchirder
Aboyne
Alford
Banchory East & Crathes
Banchory West
Banff
Banff West & Boyndie
Belhevie
Blackhouse
Boddam-Inverugie
Buchan North
Buchan North East
The Buchan North East ward had previously been uncontested at the 1999 council election.
Buchanhaven
The Buchanhaven ward had previously been uncontested at the 1999 council election.
Central Buchan
Chapel & Gadie
Clerkhill
The Clerkhill ward had previously been uncontested at the 1999 council election.
Cruden
Dales-Towerhill
Donside & Cromar
Durn
Echt
Ellon Town
Elrick
Fraserburgh East
Fraserburgh North
Fraserburgh South
Fraserburgh West
The Fraserburgh West ward had previously been uncontested at the 1999 council election.
Fyvie-Methlick
Gamrie-King Edward
Huntly East
Huntly West
Insch
Inverbevie, Gourdon & Johnshaven
Inverurie Central
Inverurie North
Inverurie South & Port Elphinstone
Kemnay
Kinellar & Westhill North
Kintore & Keithhall
Logie Buchan
Lonmay & St Fergus
Lower Deeside
Macduff
Though the number of raw votes decreased with the turnout, the percentage vote shares for both the SNP and the Liberal Democrats remained exactly as they were for the previous 1999 council election.
Mearns Central
Mearns North
Mearns South
Aftermath
By-elections
Huntly East by-election On 9 June 2005 a by-election was held in the Huntly East ward. The Scottish Conservative's Moira Ingleby held the seat.
References