1995 Highland Council election

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All 72 seats to Highland Council 37 seats needed for a majority
First party Second party Third party   Party Independent SNP Labour Last election 34 seats, 55.2% 4 seats, 16.2% 8 seats, 14.5% Seats won 49 9 7 Seat change 15 5 1 Popular vote 40,358 11,441 8,043 Percentage 61.2% 17.4% 12.2% Swing 6.0% 1.2% 2.3%   Fourth party Fifth party   Party Liberal Democrats Conservative Last election 5 seats, 9.5% 2 seats, 1.6% Seats won 6 1 Seat change 1 1 Popular vote 5,041 596 Percentage 7.7% 0.9% Swing 1.8% 0.7%
Map showing results by ward
Council Convener after election Peter Peacock Independent

The 1995 Highland Council election was held on 6 April 1995; the same day as elections to the 28 other new councils in Scotland. 72 councillors were elected from 72 wards using the first-past-the-post voting system. Independent councillors retained their status as the majority group, with councillors also being elected representing the Conservative Party, Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, and Scottish National Party. The newly elected council existed in 'shadow' form until it assumed its full powers on 1 April 1996.

1995 Highland Council election result

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Independent	49	-	-	15	68.1	61.2	40,358	6.0
	SNP	9	-	-	5	12.5	17.4	11,441	1.2
	Labour	7	-	-	1	9.7	12.2	8,043	2.3
	Liberal Democrats	6	-	-	1	8.3	7.7	5,041	1.8
	Conservative	1	-	-	1	1.4	0.9	596	0.7
	Scottish Green	0	-	-		0.0	0.5	358
	Scottish Christian Democrats	0	-	-		0.0	0.1	83	New

Note: Seat/vote changes relate to the previous Highland Regional Council election on 5 May 1994. That council had only 54 seats instead of 72.

Source:^[1]

The Highland Council election, 1995: Thurso West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	EC MacDonald	759
	Independent	JH Fry	508
Majority			251

The Highland Council election, 1995: Thurso East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	DM Waters	920
	Independent	WS Smith	415
Majority			505

The Highland Council election, 1995: Wick

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	A Murray	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Pulteney

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JW Oag	579
	Independent	A Henderson	470
Majority			109

The Highland Council election, 1995: North-East Caithness

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JH Green	587
	Independent	DA Richard	476
Majority			111

The Highland Council election, 1995: South-East Caithness

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	WA Mowat	611
	Independent	P Sutherland	354
	Independent	J Smith	118
Majority			257

The Highland Council election, 1995: Central Caithness

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JM Young	919
	SNP	WD Brown	182
	Scottish Christian Democrats	N MacInnes	83
Majority			737

The Highland Council election, 1995: West Caithness

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JM Mowat	366
	Independent	AI MacDonald	291
	SNP	DA Manson	277
Majority			75

The Highland Council election, 1995: Dornoch

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JD Allan	680
	Independent	S Board	206
Majority			474

The Highland Council election, 1995: Ardgay and Bonar Bridge

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	GW Holden	426
	Independent	RE Taylor	307
Majority			119

The Highland Council election, 1995: Central Sutherland

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	AL Magee	366
	Liberal Democrats	A Murray	281
Majority			85

The Highland Council election, 1995: North-West Sutherland

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	FR Keith	405
	Independent	L MacKenzie	346
Majority			59

The Highland Council election, 1995: Tongue and Farr

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	A MacKay	341
	Liberal Democrats	EB Jardine	336
Majority			5

The Highland Council election, 1995: Golspie

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	DI MacRae	466
	Independent	HM Houston	355
Majority			111

The Highland Council election, 1995: Brora and Kildonan

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	RR McDonald	757
	Independent	M Fielding	241
Majority			516

The Highland Council election, 1995: Lochalsh

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	JF Munro	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Kyle and Sleat

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	W Fulton	320
	Independent	JA Mackay	169
	Independent	AR McKerlich	134
Majority			151

The Highland Council election, 1995: Broadford

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	FM MacLennan	331
	Independent	E MacKenzie	279
	Independent	T Rayner	119
Majority			52

The Highland Council election, 1995: Portree

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	AM Millar	248
	Independent	DM Burd	210
	Labour	V Samuels	133
Majority			38

The Highland Council election, 1995: Staffin

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	GC Moncrieff	322
	Liberal Democrats	D Grant	260
	Independent	D MacDonald	175
Majority			62

The Highland Council election, 1995: Dunvegan

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	AM Beaton	447
	Labour	LS Shurmer	134
Majority			313

The Highland Council election, 1995: Tain

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	JH Stone	1,079
	Independent	A Rhind	653
	SNP	DW Louden	412
Majority			426

The Highland Council election, 1995: Fearn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JW Paterson	627
	Labour	JK Boocock	472
	Liberal Democrats	AD Scobbie	257
Majority			155

The Highland Council election, 1995: Invergordon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	I Rhind	663
	SNP	R Gibson	490
	Independent	G Kelman	308
	Labour	AM Byron	199
Majority			173

The Highland Council election, 1995: Black Isle East

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	DJ McPherson	1,127
	Liberal Democrats	IJ MacLeod	736
Majority			391

The Highland Council election, 1995: Black Isle West

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	B Beattie	627
	Labour	M MacMillan	459
	Independent	T Anderson	346
Majority			168

The Highland Council election, 1995: Alness and Ardross

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	A Anderson	666
	Independent	JE MacInnes	314
	Independent	R Mardon	137
Majority			352

The Highland Council election, 1995: Ferindonald

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	V MacIver	713
	Independent	DL Dunbar	453
	Labour	ME MacDonald	282
Majority			260

The Highland Council election, 1995: Dingwall

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	MB Paterson	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Ord and Conon

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	DY Philip	654
	Independent	H Fraser	548
	SNP	S MacKenzie	407
	Independent	N McWhinney	39
Majority			106

The Highland Council election, 1995: Maryburgh

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	DW Briggs	896
	Conservative	J Scott	448
	Scottish Green	E Scott	136
Majority			448

The Highland Council election, 1995: Lochbroom

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	DR Green	443
	SNP	J Urquhart	201
	Labour	L Chilton	78
Majority			242

The Highland Council election, 1995: Gairloch and Garve

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	HR MacIntyre	616
	Independent	GJ Harvey	286
Majority			330

The Highland Council election, 1995: Lochcarron

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	DN Cameron	478
	Independent	AI MacArthur	150
Majority			328

The Highland Council election, 1995: Strathnairn and Strathdearn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	KG Matheson	443
	SNP	DA Cunningham	253
	Independent	CM Thomson	167
Majority			190

The Highland Council election, 1995: East Loch Ness

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	E MacRae	483
	SNP	LA MacRae	184
Majority			299

The Highland Council election, 1995: Fort Augustus

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	PC Paterson	415
	Independent	HM Cary	290
	Independent	AW MacKenzie	217
	SNP	PJ Findlay	171
Majority			125

The Highland Council election, 1995: Drumnadrochit

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	MC Davidson	251
	SNP	AK MacPherson	236
Majority			15

The Highland Council election, 1995: Beauly

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	JS Munro	611
	Independent	JA Sellar	297
Majority			314

The Highland Council election, 1995: Kirkhill

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	SJ Shiels	360
	Independent	M Doyle	263
	Conservative	CF Spencer-Nairn	148
Majority			97

The Highland Council election, 1995: Scorguie

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	JT MacDonald	639
	Liberal Democrats	RJ Mackay	237
	SNP	S MacKenzie	168
Majority			402

The Highland Council election, 1995: Merkinch

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	AD MacLean	813
	SNP	IA MacIllechiar	640
Majority			173

The Highland Council election, 1995: Muirtown

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	CM Cumming	788
	Independent	A Chisholm	382
	SNP	NG Will	172
	Liberal Democrats	J Horne	124
Majority			406

The Highland Council election, 1995: Columba

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	JW Thomson	547
	Independent	A Milne	524
	SNP	G Totten	121
Majority			23

The Highland Council election, 1995: Drummond

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	MA MacLennan	708
	Independent	WA Fraser	495
	SNP	JM Murgatroyd	190
Majority			213

The Highland Council election, 1995: Alt na Sgitheach

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	CL Goodman	667
	Independent	HH Sutherland	442
	SNP	A Begbie	337
Majority			225

The Highland Council election, 1995: Hilton

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	A Darlington	643
	SNP	SA Brogan	496
Majority			147

The Highland Council election, 1995: Old Edinburgh

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	A Sellar	1,027
	SNP	AJ Paterek	247
Majority			780

The Highland Council election, 1995: Canal

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	WJ Smith	621
	Labour	CM Grant	502
	SNP	CM Forbes	223
Majority			119

The Highland Council election, 1995: Raigmore

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Labour	DR Munro	722
	Independent	M Bernardi	321
	SNP	C Brogan	138
Majority			401

The Highland Council election, 1995: Inshes

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JN Home	633
	Liberal Democrats	DW Fraser	440
	SNP	I Cameron	231
	Labour	A Watson	189
	Scottish Green	MT Falconer	100
	Independent	TM Honnor	96
Majority			193

The Highland Council election, 1995: Culloden

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	JC Cole	680
	SNP	R Wynd	564
	Labour	W McGarrity	284
Majority			116

The Highland Council election, 1995: Ardersier

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	PJ Peacock	971
	Independent	J Cattell	257
	SNP	WJ Reynolds	208
Majority			714

The Highland Council election, 1995: East Nairn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	W Shand	370
	Independent	D McDonald	360
Majority			10

The Highland Council election, 1995: North Nairn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	JN Matheson	303
	Independent	PL Gordon	279
	Independent	T Crane	85
Majority			24

The Highland Council election, 1995: Auldearn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	AS Park	411
	SNP	E MacDonald	311
Majority			100

The Highland Council election, 1995: Cawdor

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Conservative	NJ Graham	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: West Nairn

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	D Fraser	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Laggan, Dalwhinnie and Newtonmore

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	AJ Russell	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Kingussie and Kincraig

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	TR Wade	324
	Independent	S Paton	280
	Independent	WD MacKenzie	228
	SNP	A Lindsay	140
Majority			44

The Highland Council election, 1995: Aviemore

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	I Glen	385
	Independent	CA Haggerty	326
Majority			59

The Highland Council election, 1995: Carrbridge and Nethy Bridge

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	FD Black	565
	Independent	D Ritchie	186
Majority			379

The Highland Council election, 1995: Dulnain Bridge

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	A Gordon	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Grantown

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	BM Dunlop	367
	Independent	G McCulloch	363
Majority			4

The Highland Council election, 1995: Mallaig and the Small Isles

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	C King	434
	SNP	FM Dickson	251
Majority			183

The Highland Council election, 1995: Ardnamurchan and Morvern

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Liberal Democrats	ME Foxley	Unopposed

The Highland Council election, 1995: Kilmallie and Invergarry

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	E Harper	660
	Independent	EH Wallace	194
Majority			466

The Highland Council election, 1995: Caol

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	O Macdonald	657
	Labour	JK MacKay	492
Majority			165

The Highland Council election, 1995: North Fort William and Inverlochy

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	IJ MacDonald	660
	Scottish Green	DL Tayar	122
Majority			538

The Highland Council election, 1995: Claggan and Glen Spean

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	SNP	I MacDonald	320
	Independent	J Anderson	207
	Independent	M Fraser	167
	Independent	A Mackin	104
Majority			113

The Highland Council election, 1995: Fort William South

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	N Clark	436
	Independent	RW Morgan	294
	Independent	IM Chisholm	154
Majority			142

The Highland Council election, 1995: Glencoe and Nether Lochaber

Party		Candidate	Votes	%
	Independent	AR MacFarlane-Slack	Unopposed