Council election results

The results of The Highland Council elections resulted in the Independents securing 35 seats; Scottish National Party, 22, Liberal Democrat 15, and Labour 8.

The first meeting of the new Council will be held on Thursday 17 May when the office-bearers will be confirmed.

The average turn out across the 22 wards was 41%.  The highest turn out was 51.92 per cent at Black Isle Ward, where the four councillors were all returned. 66% return on postal votes.

A total of 13 councillors did not seek re-election while 8 lost their seats. They were Councillors Robbie Rowantree (Lib Dem), East Sutherland and Edderton; , Graeme Smith (Ind Members Group), Wick; Richard Durham (Ind) Tain and Easter Ross;  Peter Cairns (SNP) Dingwall and Seaforth; David Chisholm (Ind Members Group) Dingwall and Seaforth; Pauline Munro (SNP) Inverness; Bob Wynd (SNP) Culloden and Ardersier;  Graham Marsden (Lib Dem) Nairn.

The 21 new councillors include the youngest councillor to serve on the Council – 19-year-old Alex MacLeod (SNP), Landward Caithness.

The others are: Hugh Morrison (Ind), North West and Central Sutherland; Roger Saxon (Lab), Thurso; Neil MacDonald (Lab), Wick; Graham Philips (SNP), East Sutherland and Edderton; Ian Cockburn (SNP), Wester Ross Strathpeffer and Lochalsh;  Jamie Stone (Lib Dem), Tain and Easter Ross; Graham Mackenzie (SNP), Dingwall and Seaforth), Alister Mackinnon (Ind), Dingwall and Seaforth; John Gordon (Ind), Eilean a’Cheo.

Allan Duffy (SNP), Inverness West; Graham Ross (Ind), Inverness West;  Richard Laird (SNP), Inverness Central;  Jean Slater (SNP), Inverness Ness-side; Kate Stephen (Lib Dem), Culloden and Ardersier; Michael Green (Ind), Nairn; Colin MacAulay (SNP), Nairn; Ken Gowans (SNP), Inverness South; Bill Lobban (SNP), Badenoch and Strathspey; Thomas MacLennan (Ind) Fort William and Ardnamurchan; and Andrew Baxter (Ind), Fort William and Ardnamurchan.

There are 59 male and 21 female members on the council.