2003 East Ayrshire Council election

2003 East Ayrshire Council election
All 32 seats to East Ayrshire Council; 17 seats needed for a majority
Registered	92,144
Turnout	51.8%
Council Leader before election; ; Labour	Council Leader after election ; ; Labour

Elections to East Ayrshire Council were held on 1 May 2003, the same day as the 31 other local government elections in Scotland and elections to the Scottish Parliament. This was the third election since the council's creation in 1995 and the last election to use first-past-the-post voting.

Labour maintained control of the council after increasing their vote share to 49.2%. The party won a majority of the seats and increased their representation on the council. The Scottish National Party (SNP) remained as the largest opposition party on the council despite a net loss of six seats and the Conservatives held their only seat on the council.

Following the introduction of the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004, local elections in Scotland would use the single transferable vote electoral system which meant this was the last election in which the 32 single-member wards created by the Third Statutory Reviews of Electoral Arrangements would be contested.

Summary

2003 East Ayrshire Council election result
Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Labour	23	7	1	6	71.9	49.2	23,480	3.5
	SNP	8	1	7	6	25.0	35.3	16,827	5.5
	Conservative	1	0	0		3.1	12.5	5,958	3.2
	Independent	0	0	0		0.0	1.7	814	0.8
	Scottish Socialist	0	0	0		0.0	1.2	561	New
	BNP	0	0	0		0.0	0.2	73	New
Total		32						47,713

Source:^[1]^[2]

Ward results

Stewarton East and Dunlop

Stewarton East and Dunlop
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Maureen McKay	579	37.1	*New*
	Conservative	Kenneth Thomson	506	32.4	0.9
	SNP	Andrew Kent	476	30.5	14.2
Majority			73	4.7	N/A
Turnout			1,561	52.7	15.9
Registered electors			2,962
	Labour gain from SNP		Swing	25.6

Source:^[1]^[2]

Stewarton Central

Stewarton Central
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	James O'Neill	565	37.9	9.9
	Independent	Ann Hay	426	28.6	New
	SNP	Ian Primrose	342	22.9	29.3
	Conservative	Tamzin Hobday	158	10.6	New
Majority			139	9.3	N/A
Turnout			1,491	49.2	16.3
Registered electors			3,029
	Labour gain from SNP		Swing	9.7

Source:^[1]^[2]

Kilmaurs and Stewarton South

Kilmaurs and Stewarton South
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	John McGhee	770	48.3	22.4
	SNP	John MacKay	516	32.3	10.4
	Conservative	Thomas Mackie	308	19.3	5.5
Majority			254	15.9	N/A
Turnout			1,594	53.2	13.7
Registered electors			2,998
	Labour gain from SNP		Swing	16.4

Source:^[1]^[2]

North Kilmarnock, Fenwick and Waterside

North Kilmarnock, Fenwick and Waterside
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Conservative	Stephanie Young	832	40.7	3.4
	SNP	George Leslie	672	32.9	0.3
	Labour	Robert Allan	541	26.5	3.0
Majority			160	7.8	3.7
Turnout			2,045	49.7	14.9
Registered electors			4,111
	Conservative hold		Swing	1.8

Source:^[1]^[2]

Crosshouse, Gatehead and Knockentiber

Crosshouse, Gatehead and Knockentiber
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Brian Reeves	660	52.2	1.2
	SNP	David Carrigan	506	40.0	1.8
	Conservative	Ahsan Mustafa	99	7.8	0.6
Majority			154	12.2	2.9
Turnout			1,265	48.9	13.7
Registered electors			2,588
	Labour hold		Swing	1.5

Source:^[1]^[2]

Altonhill, Hillhead and Longpark

Altonhill, Hillhead and Longpark
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Daniel Coffey	733	54.6	4.5
	Labour	Andrew McCann	419	31.2	0.5
	Conservative	Simon Young	116	8.6	1.6
	Scottish Socialist	Mark Scott	74	5.5	New
Majority			314	23.4	5.0
Turnout			1,342	44.3	11.3
Registered electors			3,029
	SNP hold		Swing	2.5

Source:^[1]^[2]

Onthank

Onthank
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Willie Coffey	714	56.3	2.1
	Labour	Robert Milby	506	39.9	0.6
	Scottish Socialist	Hugh Ferguson	36	2.8	New
	Conservative	Thomas Donald	13	1.0	New
Majority			208	16.4	2.7
Turnout			1,269	51.5	9.8
Registered electors			2,462
	SNP hold		Swing	1.3

Source:^[1]^[2]

Kilmarnock Central West

Kilmarnock Central West
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Douglas Reid	737	51.5	2.0
	Labour	Robert Keohone	569	39.8	2.2
	Conservative	Fredrick McMeekin	125	8.7	0.2
Majority			168	11.7	4.2
Turnout			1,431	51.5	12.0
Registered electors			2,727
	SNP hold		Swing	2.1

Source:^[1]^[2]

Kilmarnock Central East

Kilmarnock Central East
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Cree	719	46.3	8.0
	SNP	Lilian MacLean	646	41.6	2.7
	Conservative	Leonard Freeman	189	12.2	0.2
Majority			73	4.7	N/A
Turnout			1,554	55.0	10.9
Registered electors			2,826
	Labour gain from SNP		Swing	2.6

Source:^[1]^[2]

North New Farm Loch and Dean

North New Farm Loch and Dean
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	John Weir	637	44.3	3.7
	Labour	John Blaney	466	32.4	1.2
	Independent	Matthew Donnelley	220	15.3	4.7
	Conservative	Thomas Johnson	116	8.1	0.1
Majority			171	11.9	2.5
Turnout			1,439	50.7	13.0
Registered electors			2,838
	SNP hold		Swing	1.2

Source:^[1]^[2]

South New Farm Loch

South New Farm Loch
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Andrew MacIntyre	953	62.5	4.0
	SNP	Matthew Connelly	487	32.0	9.5
	Conservative	Alexander Park	84	5.5	New
Majority			466	30.6	13.7
Turnout			1,524	57.2	12.3
Registered electors			2,664
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	6.7

Source:^[1]^[2]

Crookedholm, Moscow, Galston West and Hurlford North

Crookedholm, Moscow, Galston West and Hurlford North
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Isabella MacRae	801	55.2	3.5
	SNP	Francis Dawson	528	36.4	1.8
	Conservative	Moira McLean	122	8.4	1.7
Majority			273	18.8	2.6
Turnout			1,451	51.8	10.8
Registered electors			2,802
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	2.6

Source:^[1]^[2]

Newmilns

Newmilns
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Henry Wilson	805	58.0	5.5
	Labour Co-op	Janice Spiers	409	29.5	18.0
	Conservative	George Park	174	12.5	New
Majority			396	28.5	23.6
Turnout			1,388	52.7	13.0
Registered electors			2,633
	SNP hold		Swing	11.7

Source:^[1]^[2]

Grange and Howard

Grange and Howard
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Iain Linton	765	42.0	4.4
	Conservative	Thomas Cook	604	33.2	0.2
	Labour Co-op	John Goodwin	452	24.8	3.2
Majority			161	8.8	4.2
Turnout			1,821	59.8	10.7
Registered electors			3,044
	SNP hold		Swing	2.1

Source:^[1]^[2]

Kilmarnock Central South

Kilmarnock Central South
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	John Campbell	706	43.3	5.2
	Labour Co-op	Alexander Walsh	654	40.1	0.3
	Conservative	Henry McCall	269	16.5	2.3
Majority			52	3.2	N/A
Turnout			1,629	52.0	9.8
Registered electors			3,132
	SNP gain from Labour Co-op		Swing	2.7

Source:^[1]^[2]

Riccarton

Riccarton
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Ray Murray	711	51.2	11.4
	SNP	John Keast	497	35.8	9.4
	Conservative	Rose-Ann Fergusson-Cuninghame	181	13.0	5.3
Majority			214	15.4	N/A
Turnout			1,389	48.3	14.0
Registered electors			2,877
	Labour Co-op gain from SNP		Swing	10.4

Source:^[1]^[2]

Shortlees

Shortlees
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Jane Danbrough	680	51.6	2.5
	SNP	William McCulloch	511	38.8	1.1
	Scottish Socialist	Colin Rutherford	72	5.5	New
	Conservative	Peter Houison-Craufurd	55	4.2	1.8
Majority			169	12.8	1.4
Turnout			1,318	44.7	13.5
Registered electors			2,951
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	0.7

Source:^[1]^[2]

Bellfield

Bellfield
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	John Knapp	999	62.9	15.2
	SNP	Stephen McCluskey	406	25.6	16.2
	Scottish Socialist	Colin Berry	118	7.4	New
	Conservative	Robert Yuill	64	4.0	0.5
Majority			596	37.4	21.5
Turnout			1,227	56.5	14.1
Registered electors			2,811
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	15.7

Source:^[1]^[2]

Hurlford

Hurlford
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	James Raymond	998	70.6	9.0
	SNP	Arthur Sharp	328	23.2	15.2
	Conservative	Alice McCall	88	6.2	New
Majority			670	47.3	24.2
Turnout			1,414	47.0	12.1
Registered electors			3,006
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	17.1

Source:^[1]^[2]

Galston East

Galston East
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Stuart Finlayson	744	51.2	16.4
	SNP	Finlay MacLean	553	38.0	6.8
	Conservative	Sara Donald	157	10.8	7.0
Majority			191	13.1	N/A
Turnout			1,454	54.8	6.0
Registered electors			2,651
	Labour Co-op gain from SNP		Swing	11.6

Source:^[1]^[2]

Darvel

Darvel
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Robert McDill	1,110	69.7	6.0
	Labour Co-op	Graham Mitchell	364	22.8	4.8
	Conservative	Elizabeth Murray	119	7.5	1.2
Majority			746	46.8	10.6
Turnout			1,593	54.7	13.5
Registered electors			2,914
	SNP hold		Swing	5.4

Source:^[1]^[2]

Mauchline

Mauchline
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Jackson	867	53.3	2.1
	SNP	David Shankland	455	28.3	2.9
	Conservative	Martin Nicholas	297	18.5	0.9
Majority			402	25.0	5.0
Turnout			1,609	56.0	4.6
Registered electors			2,875
	Labour hold		Swing	2.5

Source:^[1]^[2]

Catrine, Sorn and Mauchline East

Catrine, Sorn and Mauchline East
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	George Smith	779	51.4	3.3
	SNP	Jacqueline Todd	500	33.0	6.5
	Conservative	Kenneth Stirling	238	15.7	3.4
Majority			279	18.4	9.8
Turnout			1,517	52.3	9.5
Registered electors			2,898
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	4.9

Source:^[1]^[2]

Muirkirk, Lugar and Logan

Muirkirk, Lugar and Logan
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	James Kelly	975	69.2	0.5
	SNP	Helen Kelso	269	19.1	11.2
	Scottish Socialist	Mark Gilroy	91	6.5	New
	Conservative	Peter Smith	73	5.2	New
Majority			706	50.1	10.7
Turnout			1,408	55.3	10.2
Registered electors			2,544
	Labour hold		Swing	5.3

Source:^[1]^[2]

Drongan, Stair and Rankinston

Drongan, Stair and Rankinston
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	Thomas Farrell	982	65.1	8.5
	SNP	John MacAulay	251	16.6	9.8
	Conservative	James Hume	180	11.9	New
	Independent	Robert Shennan	96	6.4	New
Majority			731	48.4	1.1
Turnout			1,509	49.0	11.9
Registered electors			3,079
	Labour Co-op hold		Swing	0.6

Source:^[1]^[2]

Ochiltree, Skares, Netherthird and Craigens

Ochiltree, Skares, Netherthird and Craigens
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour Co-op	William Menzies	772	49.2	9.0
	SNP	Julie Faulds	657	41.8	5.8
	Conservative	Ian Waller	141	9.0	3.2
Majority			115	7.3	N/A
Turnout			1,570	54.0	8.3
Registered electors			2,908
	Labour Co-op gain from SNP		Swing	7.4

Source:^[1]^[2]

Auchinleck

Auchinleck
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil McGhee	924	62.9	8.5
	SNP	Iain Robb	343	23.4	22.2
	Scottish Socialist	Gareth Jenkins	89	6.1	New
	BNP	Stephen Burns	73	5.0	New
	Conservative	Primpton Sword	39	2.7	New
Majority			581	39.6	30.8
Turnout			1,468	52.6	9.7
Registered electors			2,790
	Labour hold		Swing	15.3

Source:^[1]^[2]

Cumnock West

Cumnock West
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	William Crawford	839	59.4	4.8
	SNP	Katherine Smith	303	21.4	14.4
	Conservative	Gary Smith	141	10.0	New
	Scottish Socialist	James Monaghan	130	9.2	New
Majority			536	37.9	9.6
Turnout			1,413	48.7	11.9
Registered electors			2,903
	Labour hold		Swing	4.8

Source:^[1]^[2]

Cumnock East

Cumnock East
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Eric Ross	961	78.4	8.2
	SNP	James Kelso	215	17.5	12.3
	Conservative	Craig Allison	50	4.1	New
Majority			746	60.8	20.4
Turnout			1,226	46.3	10.6
Registered electors			2,650
	Labour hold		Swing	13.2

Source:^[1]^[3]

Patna and Dalrymple

Patna and Dalrymple
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Elaine Dinwoodie	1,039	71.5	4.3
	Conservative	Sophie Brodie	215	14.8	New
	SNP	Alexander MacKenzie	200	13.8	19.0
Majority			824	56.7	22.3
Turnout			1,454	47.7	7.0
Registered electors			3,051
	Labour hold		Swing	11.6

Source:^[1]^[2]

Dalmellington

Dalmellington
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Elaine Stewart	789	52.7	1.1
	SNP	Andrew Filson	645	43.1	25.2
	Conservative	James Boswell	40	2.7	New
	Scottish Socialist	Anne Baker	23	1.5	New
Majority			144	9.6	11.5
Turnout			1,497	58.6	2.5
Registered electors			2,555
	Labour hold		Swing	12.0

Source:^[1]^[2]

New Cumnock

New Cumnock
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	James Carmichael	1,004	67.7	6.2
	SNP	Michael Lopez	314	21.2	4.3
	Conservative	Walter Young	165	11.1	New
Majority			690	46.5	25.4
Turnout			1,483	52.3	8.8
Registered electors			2,836
	Labour hold		Swing	0.9

Source:^[1]^[2]

By-elections (2003–07)

Altonhill, Hillhead and Longpark by-election, 18 May 2006
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	SNP	Helen Coffey	715	59.0	4.4
	Labour	Matthew McLaughlin	296	24.4	6.8
	Conservative	James Adams	178	14.7	6.1
	Scottish Socialist	Colin Rutherford	23	1.9	3.6
Majority			419	34.6	11.2
Turnout			1,212	42.2	2.1
Registered electors			2,869
	SNP hold		Swing	5.6

Source:^[4]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2003). Local Elections Handbook 2003 (PDF). Plymouth: Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth. ISBN 0-948858-35-4. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (1999). Local Elections Handbook 1999 (PDF). Plymouth: Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth. ISBN 0-948858-25-7. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
^ "East Ayrshire Council minutes 13 May 1999" (PDF). East Ayrshire Council. 13 May 1999. Retrieved 12 January 2023.
^ Teale, Andrew. "Local Elections Archive Project - Altonhill, Hillhead and Longpark Ward". Retrieved 8 November 2022.

[LEH2003-1] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af ^ag Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2003). Local Elections Handbook 2003 (PDF). Plymouth: Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth. ISBN 0-948858-35-4. Retrieved 7 November 2022.

[LEH1999-2] ^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e ^f ^g ^h ⁱ ^j ^k ^l ^m ⁿ ^o ^p ^q ^r ^s ^t ^u ^v ^w ^x ^y ^z ^aa ^ab ^ac ^ad ^ae ^af Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (1999). Local Elections Handbook 1999 (PDF). Plymouth: Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth. ISBN 0-948858-25-7. Retrieved 10 November 2022.

[EA1999-3] "East Ayrshire Council minutes 13 May 1999" (PDF). East Ayrshire Council. 13 May 1999. Retrieved 12 January 2023.

[4] Teale, Andrew. "Local Elections Archive Project - Altonhill, Hillhead and Longpark Ward". Retrieved 8 November 2022.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

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