Argyll and Bute

Comhairle Earra Ghàidheal is Bhòid
Coat of arms or logo
Coat of arms
Logo
Council logo
Leadership
Maurice Corry,
Conservative
since 19 May 2022[1]
Robin Currie,
Liberal Democrats
since 24 September 2020[2]
Pippa Milne
since January 2020[3]
Structure
Seats36 councillors
Political groups
Administration (18)
  Conservative (9)
  Liberal Democrats (5)
  Independent (4)
Other parties (18)
  SNP (12)
  Independent (4)
  Green (1)
  Labour (1)
Elections
Single transferable vote
Last election
6 May 2022
Next election
2027
Meeting place
Kilmory Castle, Lochgilphead, PA31 8RT
Website
www.argyll-bute.gov.uk

Argyll and Bute Council (Scottish Gaelic: Comhairle Earra Ghàidheal is Bhòid) 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 2017 election saw the SNP become the largest group. This was the first time since the creation of the modern authority that the representatives of a political party had outnumbered Independents in holding the largest number of seats on the council; nevertheless, it was a coalition of Independents, Conservatives, and Liberal Democrats who would go on to form an administration following the election.

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.

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:[4]

Argyll and Bute District Council

Party in controlYears
Independent1975–1996

Argyll and Bute Council

Party in controlYears
Independent1996–2007
No overall control2007–

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 1996 have been:[5]

CouncillorPartyFromToNotes
Dick Walsh Independent1 Apr 1996May 1999
Alison Hay Liberal Democrats13 May 199922 Mar 2001
Allan Macaskill Independent22 Mar 20013 May 2007
Dick Walsh Independent17 May 2007May 2012
Roddy McCuish SNP22 May 201214 Feb 2013
James Robb SNP14 Feb 201323 May 2013
Roddy McCuish Independent23 May 201326 Sep 2013
Dick Walsh Independent26 Sep 20134 May 2017
Aileen Morton Liberal Democrats18 May 201724 Sep 2020
Robin Currie Liberal Democrats24 Sep 2020

Composition

Following the 2022 election and a subsequent by-election in September 2022 and changes of allegiance up to April 2023, the composition of the council was:

Party Councillors
SNP12
Conservative9
Independent8
Liberal Democrats5
Scottish Green1
Labour1
Total 36

The Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and four of the independent councillors sit together as "The Argyll, Lomond and the Isles Group" (TALIG), which forms the council's administration. Two of the other independents form the "Argyll First" group, whilst the other two independent councillors do not form part of a group.[6] 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 and had been bought in 1974 and converted to become the headquarters of the Argyll and Bute District Council.[7]

NeverSeconds

In June 2012, the council was criticised for banning a local primary student, Martha Payne (aged 9), from taking photographs of her school dinners for her online blog.[8] The blog, NeverSeconds, had been praised by the celebrity chef, Jamie Oliver,[9] had attracted over two million visits, and at the time of the ban had raised nearly £2,000[10] for a food charity.[11] On the day the story broke, the blog had raised over £40,000.[12] After an initial statement from the council defending the decision,[13] the ban was subsequently overturned by council leader, Roddy McCuish.[14] 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 says: "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."[15]

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:[4]

Year Seats SNP Conservative Liberal Democrat Labour Green Independent / Other Notes
1995334332021
1999365461020New ward boundaries.[16]
2003363380022
20073610370016New ward boundaries.[17]
20123613440015
20173611960010
20223612105117

    Wards

    Map of the area's wards in use since 2007

    Eleven multi-member wards were created for the 2007 election, replacing 36 single-member wards which had been in place since 1999 (adjusted up from 33 in the 1990s):[17]

    See also

    References

    1. ↑ "Council minutes, 19 May 2022" (PDF). Argyll and Bute Council. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
    2. ↑ "Council minutes, 24 September 2020" (PDF). Argyll and Bute Council. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
    3. ↑ McPhee, David (8 January 2020). "New council chief executive says 'we can make Agryll and Bute the very best it can be'". Oban Times. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
    4. 1 2 "Compositions calculator". The Elections Centre. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
    5. ↑ "Council minutes". Argyll and Bute Council. Retrieved 27 February 2023.
    6. ↑ "Council report, 27 April 2023" (PDF). Argyll and Bute Council. Retrieved 15 July 2023.
    7. ↑ Historic Environment Scotland. "Kilmory Castle (Category B Listed Building) (LB11039)". Retrieved 21 December 2018.
    8. ↑ Hough, Andrew (2012-06-15). "School Dinner Blog Banned By Council". Telegraph.co.uk. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    9. ↑ "NeverSeconds blogger Martha Payne school dinner photo ban lifted". Bbc.co.uk. 2012-06-15. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    10. ↑ VEG (2012-06-14). "Goodbye". Neverseconds.blogspot.co.uk. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    11. ↑ "Mary's Meals and NeverSeconds' Martha Payne". Marysmeals.org.uk. Archived from the original on 2013-01-27. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    12. ↑ Mary's Meals. "Veg from NeverSeconds". Justgiving.com. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    13. ↑ "Statement on school meals from Argyll and Bute Council". Argyll-bute.gov.uk. 2012-06-15. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    14. ↑ Peterkin, Tom (2012-06-16). "Food blogger Martha Payne enjoys taste of victory". Scotsman.com. Retrieved 2012-11-25.
    15. ↑ Neverseconds, The Incredible Story of Martha Payne. Payne, Martha; Payne, David., Cargo Publishing, 2012. ISBN 978-1908885166
    16. ↑ "The Argyll and Bute (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1998/3244, retrieved 27 February 2023
    17. 1 2 Scottish Parliament. The Argyll and Bute (Electoral Arrangements) Order 2006 as made, from legislation.gov.uk.
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