Contents

Overall 2022 Result

Council-Wide Results

The only islands council to avoid having an uncontested wards, it was also the one with the least partisan presence. Independents therefore won almost every seat, up one to a total of 19. Only one party, the Greens, stood any candidates at all. Although they lost the ward they’d won in 2017 due to the incumbent retiring, they picked up a seat in both Kirkwall wards. One of those was an Independent who’d joined the party during the term, and the other was a completely fresh face.

Notable by their absence were the Orkney Manifesto Group, who’d elected two councillors last time. A specific, local-issue party is an interesting concept, but it appears not to have worked out here. One of the councillors was re-elected as an Independent, and the other stood down. 

Administration

As a majority-Independent council, it can be assumed an Independent administration will be formed. The following chart does not necessarily reflect the actual composition of that administration, and simply treats Independents as a single bloc.

Interactive Map

Overview

The more southernly of the two Northern Isles archipelagos, Orkney are just a stones throw from the Scottish mainland. Scots used to the Central Belt and borders focus of much of our history may be surprised by just how important these islands have often been, home as they are to some truly spectacular remnants of a 5,000 year old culture. The capital at Kirkwall is also home to the no less imposing St Magnus Cathedral, which wouldn’t feel out of place in a major city. Combined with Stromness, roughly half of Orkney’s population lives in the biggest towns, with most of the rest spread across the rolling main island, and smaller portions across other isles.

Politically speaking, Orkney is part of a dual Westminster constituency with Shetland, and that has been Lib Dem (or Liberal before that) for many decades. So solid is that support for the party here that myself and many other election observers in Scotland would consider their losing it a sign of the end times. Holyrood has a separate constituency for each island group, and there Orkney has been similarly solidly Lib Dem.

At the local level, Orkney follows the clear tradition of islands Independents, though in 1982 and 1986 there was a single Orkney Movement councillor. That is the sum and total of non-Independent representation for almost the entire recent history of the council.

Previous STV Elections

2007
2012
2017

Individual Ward Results

Kirkwall East (Ward 1)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟢Green: John Ross Scott
Independent: Steven Heddle
Independent: Gwenda Shearer
Independent: David Dawson
Change vs 2017: +1 Green, -1 Independent (John Ross Scott elected as an Independent in 2017)
Turnout: 45.9%
Electorate: 3700
Valid: 1694 (99.6%)
Spoiled: 6 (0.4%)
Quota: 327

Candidates

Independent: David Dawson
Independent: Steven Heddle
Independent: Graham MacDonald
🟢Green: John Ross Scott
Independent: Gwenda Shearer

Kirkwall East: First Preferences
Kirkwall East: Transfers
Kirkwall East: Results by Polling District

This ward consists of a single polling district. As such, this chart simply shows the separate totals for in person and postal votes.

Kirkwall East: Second Preferences
Kirkwall East: Two-Candidate Preferred

Kirkwall West and Orphir (Ward 2)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
Independent: Leslie Manson
Independent: Sandy Cowie
Independent: Ivan Taylor
🟢Green: Kristopher Leask
Change vs 2017: +1 Green, -1 Orkney Manifesto Group (Ivan Taylor defeats Barbara Foulkes)
Turnout: 42.8%
Electorate: 3630
Valid: 1543 (99.4%)
Spoiled: 10 (0.6%)
Quota: 309

Candidates

Independent: Beverly Clubley
Independent: Sandy Cowie
Independent: Barbara Foulkes
🟢Green: Kristopher Leask
Independent: Leslie Manson
Independent: Leslie Sinclair
Independent: Ivan Taylor
Independent: Cameron Whittle

Kirkwall West and Orphir: First Preferences
Kirkwall West and Orphir: Transfers
Kirkwall West and Orphir: Results by Polling District
Kirkwall West and Orphir: Second Preferences
Kirkwall West and Orphir: Two-Candidate Preferred

Stromness and South Isles (Ward 3)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
Independent: James Stockan
Independent: Graham Bevan
Independent: Lindsay Hall
Change vs 2017: No partisan change (Graham Bevan and Lindsay Hall defeat Rob Crichton and Magnus Thomson)
Turnout: 51.8%
Electorate: 2233
Valid: 1150 (99.4%)
Spoiled: 7 (0.6%)
Quota: 288

Candidates

Independent: Graham Bevan
🟢Green: Maia Brodie
Independent: Rob Crichton
Independent: Lindsay Hall
Independent: James Stockan
Independent: Magnus Thomson

Stromness and South Isles: First Preferences
Stromness and South Isles: Transfers
Stromness and South Isles: Results by Polling District
Stromness and South Isles: Second Preferences
Stromness and South Isles: Two-Candidate Preferred

West Mainland (Ward 4)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
Independent: Owen Tierney
Independent: Rachael King
Independent: Jean Stevenson
Independent: Duncan Tullock
Change vs 2017: +1 Independent, -1 Orkney Manifesto Group (Rachael King elected as OMG in 2017, Jean Stevenson replaces retiring Harvey Johnston)
Electorate: 3633
Turnout: 50.9%
Valid: 1833 (99.0%)
Spoiled: 18 (1.0%)
Quota: 367

Candidates

Independent: Rachael King
Independent: Sean Lewis
Independent: Jean Stevenson
Independent: Owen Tierney
Independent: Duncan Tullock
🟢Green: Helen Woodsford-Dean

West Mainland: First Preferences
West Mainland: Transfers
West Mainland: Results by Polling District
West Mainland: Second Preferences
West Mainland: Two-Candidate Preferred

East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray (Ward 5)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
Independent: Raymie Peace
Independent: Gillian Skuse
Independent: James Moar
Change vs 2017: +1 Independent, -1 Green (no incumbents re-contested)
Turnout: 50.7%
Electorate: 2664
Valid: 1344 (99.5%)
Spoiled: 7 (0.5%)
Quota: 337

Candidates

Independent: James Moar
🟢Green: Eric Page
Independent: Raymie Peace
Independent: Julie Rickards
Independent: Gillian Skuse

East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray: First Preferences
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray: Transfers
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray: Results by Polling District
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray: Second Preferences
East Mainland, South Ronaldsay and Burray: Two-Candidate Preferred

North Isles (Ward 6)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
Independent: Heather Woodbridge
Independent: Stephen Clackson
Independent: Mellissa Thomson
Change vs 2017: No partisan change (Stephen Clackson only 2017 Independent to re-contest, Heather Woodbridge succeeded her late father in a 2020 by-election)
Turnout: 56.1%
Electorate: 1853
Valid: 1029 (99.0%)
Spoiled: 10 (1.0%)
Quota: 358

Candidates

Independent: Stephen Clackson
Independent: Sebastian Hadfield-Hyde
Independent: Paul Rendall
Independent: Mellissa Thomson
Independent: Heather Woodbridge

North Isles: First Preferences
North Isles: Transfers
North Isles: Results by Polling District

Due to the nature of this ward’s geography, the overwhelming majority of votes are cast by post. Not only is it therefore not possible to disaggregate polling districts, it also isn’t possible to disaggregate in person and postal votes given the 200 vote rule governing box mergers.

North Isles: Second Preferences
North Isles: Two-Candidate Preferred

Data Notes

By-Elections

Stromness and South Isles (Ward 3) - 28th of March 2024

Stromness and South Isles By-Election: Context

Independent councillor and Orkney Islands Council Leader James Stockan announced his retirement after just over two decades on the council. More information is available on the Orkney Islands Council website.
Read the BBS pre-election preview here (TBC).
Read the BBS results analysis here (TBC).

Key dates:

  • 26th of February – Close of nominations
  • 12th of March – Deadline to register to vote
  • 13th of March – Deadline for postal vote applications
  • 28th of March – Polling Day
  • 28th of March – Count