2003 Scottish local government election
Elections to the Highland Council were held on 1 May 2003; the same day as elections to the Scottish Parliament and to the 31 other councils in Scotland. 80 councillors were elected from 80 wards using the plurality system (a.k.a. 'First Past the Post'). Independent councillors retained their status as the majority group, with councillors also being elected representing the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, and Scottish National Party.
Overall result
The Highland Council elections, 2003[1][2] Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 57 | 11 | 4 | +7 | 71.3 | 69.6 | 45,405 | +12.21 |
| Liberal Democrats | 9 | 2 | 5 | −3 | 11.3 | 6.1 | 3,986 | −4.52 |
| Labour | 8 | 3 | 5 | −2 | 10.0 | 11.6 | 7,536 | −3.80 |
| SNP | 6 | 1 | 3 | −2 | 7.5 | 10.2 | 6,664 | -2.19 |
| Conservative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1.2 | 799 | −2.09 |
| Scottish Socialist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 1.1 | 730 | New |
| Countryside | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | 0.2 | 116 | New |
Caithness
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness North-West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Alastair MacDonald | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Thurso West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Eric Saxon | 543 | | |
| Independent | James Fry | 425 | | |
Majority | 118 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Thurso Central Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Donald Mackay | 636 | | |
| Labour | John Rosie | 527 | | |
Majority | 109 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Thurso East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Tom Jackson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness Central Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | David Flear | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness North-East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | John Green | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Wick Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Graeme Smith | 536 | | |
| Labour | Bill Mowat | 242 | | |
| SNP | Niall Smith | 198 | | |
Majority | 294 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Wick West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William Fernie | 469 | | |
| SNP | James Sutherland | 355 | | |
| Labour | Neil MacDonald | 225 | | |
Majority | 114 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Pulteneytown Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Katrina MacNab | 599 | | |
| Labour | Jim Oag | 301 | | |
Majority | 298 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caithness South-East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William Mowat | Unopposed | | |
Sutherland
The Highland Council election, 2003: Sutherland North-West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Francis Keith | 519 | | |
| Independent | John Forbes | 442 | | |
Majority | 77 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Tongue and Farr Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Sandy Mackay | 518 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Barbara Jardine | 376 | | |
Majority | 142 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Sutherland Central Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Alison Magee | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Golspie and Rogart Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ian Ross | 912 | | |
| Scottish Socialist | Francis Ward | 79 | | |
Majority | 833 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Brora Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Rita Finlayson | 634 | | |
| Independent | Robbie Rowantree | 602 | | |
Majority | 32 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Dornoch Firth Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Duncan Allan | 826 | | |
| Independent | Gordon Campbell | 339 | | |
Majority | 487 | | |
Ross & Cromarty
The Highland Council election, 2003: Lochbroom Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| SNP | Jean Urquhart | 393 | | |
| Independent | Kenneth MacLeod | 338 | | |
| Labour | Lauri Chilton | 239 | | |
Majority | 55 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Alness and Ardross Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| SNP | Andrew Anderson | 961 | | |
| Scottish Socialist | Jean Cadden | 88 | | |
Majority | 873 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Tain West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Alasdair Rhind | 1,025 | | |
| Scottish Socialist | Sean Robertson | 162 | | |
Majority | 863 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Tain East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Alan Torrance | 540 | | |
| Independent | James Paterson | 497 | | |
Majority | 43 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Seaboard Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Richard Durham | 554 | | |
| Independent | Linda Bruce | 232 | | |
| SNP | Andrew Currie | 232 | | |
Majority | 322 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Invergordon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | John Connell | 662 | | |
| Independent | Maxine Smith | 251 | | |
| Labour | Lou Wilkerson | 203 | | |
Majority | 371 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Rosskeen and Saltburn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Carolyn Wilson | 900 | | |
| Independent | Dot MacLennan | 292 | | |
Majority | 608 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Gairloch Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Roy Macintyre | 601 | | |
| Labour Co-op | Christine Conniff | 351 | | |
Majority | 250 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Lochcarron Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ewan Mackinnon | 746 | | |
| Countryside | Neveille-Suzanette MacDonald-Rolfe | 116 | | |
Majority | 630 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ferindonald Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Val MacIver | 531 | | |
| Independent | Mike Finlayson | 492 | | |
| Independent | Dennis Dunbar | 173 | | |
Majority | 39 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Strathpeffer and Strathconon Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Douglas Briggs | 812 | | |
| Conservative | John Scott | 219 | | |
Majority | | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Dingwall South Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| SNP | Margaret Paterson | 470 | | |
| Labour | Marilyn Ross | 439 | | |
Majority | 31 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Dingwall North Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Michael MacMillan | 576 | | |
| Independent | Andrew Paterson | 532 | | |
Majority | 44 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Muir of Ord Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | David Chisholm | 806 | | |
| Independent | Tom Davis | 380 | | |
Majority | 426 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Conon and Maryburgh Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Angela MacLean | 786 | | |
| Independent | David Philip | 519 | | |
Majority | 267 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Knockbain and Killearnan Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Isobel McCallum | 980 | | |
| Conservative | Andrew Duncan | 226 | | |
Majority | 754 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Black Isle North Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | David Alston | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Avoch and Fortrose Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Billy Barclay | 598 | | |
| Independent | Okain McLennan | 584 | | |
| Independent | Morris Downie | 496 | | |
| Labour | Leslie Hood | 136 | | |
Majority | 14 | | |
Skye & Lochalsh
The Highland Council election, 2003: Snizort and Trotternish Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Iain MacDonald | 547 | | |
| SNP | Rod Liddon | 306 | | |
| Independent | Ben Palmer | 87 | | |
Majority | 241 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Skye West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | John Laing | 538 | | |
| Independent | William Sutherland | 330 | | |
Majority | 208 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Portree Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Drew Millar | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Skye Central Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Hamish Fraser | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kyle and Sleat Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William Fulton | 529 | | |
| Independent | Audrey Sinclair | 450 | | |
Majority | 79 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kinlochshiel Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Isabelle Campbell | Unopposed | | |
Inverness
The Highland Council election, 2003: Beauly and Strathglass Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Garry Coutts | 555 | | |
| Independent | Helen Carmichael | 549 | | |
Majority | 9 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kirkhill Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Jack Shiels | 572 | | |
| Independent | Graham Cross | 407 | | |
| Independent | Hamish Wood | 312 | | |
Majority | 165 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Scorguie Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Jimmy MacDonald | 452 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Shanea Fraser | 227 | | |
| Independent | Christine Forbes | 195 | | |
| Labour | Mark Grant | 179 | | |
Majority | 225 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Muirtown Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Christine Cumming | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Merkinch Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Peter Corbett | 642 | | |
| Scottish Socialist | Simon Cann | 92 | | |
Majority | 550 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Inverness Central Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Eilidh MacDonald | 319 | | |
| Independent | Jim Alexander | 316 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Daniel Farthing | 174 | | |
| Independent | Hector MacDonald | 170 | | |
| Independent | Donald MacKay | 116 | | |
Majority | 3 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Culloden Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | John Ford | 434 | | |
| SNP | James McCreath | 377 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Michael Perrin | 187 | | |
Majority | 57 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ardersier, Croy, and Petty Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Roderick Balfour | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Loch Ness West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Margaret Davidson | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Inverness West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ronald Lyon | 546 | | |
| Independent | Joan Stewart | 280 | | |
Majority | 266 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Canal Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | William Smith | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ballifeary Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Alistair Milne | 625 | | |
| Labour | Jim Thomson | 465 | | |
Majority | 160 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Lochardil Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Margaret MacLennan | 712 | | |
| Independent | Michael Gimson | 377 | | |
| Labour | Andrew Ingram | 211 | | |
Majority | 335 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Hilton Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Angus Dick | 547 | | |
| Independent | Thomas Lamont | 368 | | |
Majority | 179 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Milton Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | Clive Goodman | 494 | | |
| SNP | Ian Brown | 429 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Ruth Hunt | 199 | | |
Majority | 65 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Crown Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | James Gray | 734 | | |
| Independent | Hamish McKenzie | 622 | | |
Majority | 112 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Raigmore Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Labour | David Munro | 521 | | |
| SNP | Scott MacKenzie | 217 | | |
| Independent | Donald Robertson | 89 | | |
| Independent | David Gallant | 81 | | |
Majority | 304 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Loch Ness East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Ella MacRae | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Culduthel Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Norrie Donald | 1,061 | | |
| Independent | Ralph Sauer | 245 | | |
Majority | 816 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Inshes Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Janet Home | 746 | | |
| Independent | John Holden | 540 | | |
Majority | 206 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Drumossie Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Kathleen Matheson | 754 | | |
| Independent | Farquhar Forbes | 482 | | |
Majority | 272 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Westhill and Smithton Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| SNP | Gillian McCreath | 461 | | |
| Labour | Malcolm Jack | 397 | | |
| Conservative | Peter Saggers | 152 | | |
| Independent | George Davidson | 107 | | |
Majority | 64 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Balloch Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| SNP | Robert Wynd | 647 | | |
| Liberal Democrats | Glynis Sinclair | 409 | | |
| Conservative | Tony Lister | 202 | | |
Majority | 238 | | |
Nairn
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Alltan Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | John Matheson | 363 | | |
| Independent | Jim Lennon | 300 | | |
| Independent | Bill Shand | 297 | | |
| SNP | June Gordon | 217 | | |
| Independent | Nigel Hanlin | 53 | | |
Majority | 63 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Ninian Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| SNP | Elizabeth MacDonald | 606 | | |
| Independent | Andrew Brown | 330 | | |
| Independent | Duncan McDonald | 310 | | |
Majority | 276 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Cawdor Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Laurie Fraser | 766 | | |
| Independent | Graham Marsden | 242 | | |
Majority | 524 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Nairn Auldearn Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Alexander Park | 837 | | |
| Independent | James Young | 394 | | |
Majority | 443 | | |
Badenoch & Strathspey
The Highland Council election, 2003: Badenoch West Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Sheena Slimon | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Badenoch East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Gregor Rimell | 348 | | |
| SNP | Robert Severn | 309 | | |
| Independent | Hendy Pollock | 285 | | |
Majority | 39 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Strathspey South Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Angus Gordon | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Strathspey North-East Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Francis Black | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Grantown-on-Spey Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Basil Dunlop | Unopposed | | |
Lochaber
The Highland Council election, 2003: Mallaig and Small Isles Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Charles King | Unopposed | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Kilmallie and Invergarry Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Bill Clark | 582 | | |
| Independent | George Bruce | 411 | | |
Majority | 171 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Claggan and Glen Spean Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Thomas MacLennan | 449 | | |
| Independent | William MacLachlan | 325 | | |
| Independent | Alistair MacGregor | 168 | | |
Majority | 124 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Ardnamurchan and Morvern Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Liberal Democrats | Michael Foxley | 545 | | |
| Independent | Iain Thornber | 468 | | |
Majority | 77 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Caol Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Olwyn Macdonald | 656 | | |
| Independent | Edward Hunter | 627 | | |
Majority | 29 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Fort William North Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Brian Murphy | 733 | | |
| Scottish Socialist | Douglas Nolan | 309 | | |
Majority | 424 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Fort William South Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Neil Clark | 450 | | |
| Independent | May Alexander | 238 | | |
| Independent | Euan Harper | 187 | | |
Majority | 212 | | |
The Highland Council election, 2003: Glencoe Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Independent | Andrew McFarlane-Slack | 722 | | |
| SNP | David Ingham | 486 | | |
Majority | 236 | | |
References
- ^ "Scottish Council Elections 2003 Results and Statistics" (PDF). The Elections Centre. Retrieved 20 February 2024.
- ^ "Local Election Results 2003 - Highland". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 20 February 2024.