Ex Tory councillor beats SNP as an independent

A long-serving South Kintyre councillor has lost his seat on Argyll and Bute Council in the local authority elections.

 

Liberal Democrat Rory Colville, first elected in 2007, was the only candidate not to be elected to the ward when the public went to the polls on Thursday, May 5.

 

"attachment_469081" "" "263"] Long-serving South Kintyre councillor Rory Colville failed to be re-elected for the Scottish Liberal Democrats in the 20220 local election.

 

The SNP’s John Armour, a councillor since 2014, and independent Donald Kelly, a councillor from 2001 to 2007 and again since 2012, have been re-elected.

 

And they have been joined on the council by a newcomer, Conservative candidate Tommy MacPherson.

 

The decision by the Conservatives to stand a party candidate in the ward, instead of Donald Kelly as 'Independent Conservative’, saw a shift in voting patterns.

 

Councillor Kelly, who has been a councillor continuously since 2001, said: 'I thought it was quite apparent during the election that Argyll and Bute Council could take a stand on encouraging more young people to vote.

 

'There was a distinct lack of young people voting yesterday and if democracy will continue in Argyll and Bute, we need to engage with the youth.'

 

Councillor Armour said: 'I would like to thank my wife and daughters for their support and all my supporters in South Kintyre.

 

'This council will be a far poorer place without Rory Colville.'

 

Councillor MacPherson submitted apologies.

 

The election took place under the single transferrable vote system. The result, with first preference votes listed for every candidate, was:

 

 

John Armour (SNP) – 773

 

Rory Colville (Scottish Liberal Democrat) – 206

 

Donald Kelly (Independent) – 848

 

Tommy MacPherson (Scottish Conservatives) – 531

 

 

The turnout in the ward was 46.9 per cent.