Contents

Overall 2022 Result

Council-Wide Results

One of the biggest shocks of the day came from where I grew up, as Labour swept the board with four extra councillors, giving them 12 and an unexpected majority. Although the SNP did increase their vote share, they lost one of their seats to finish with 9. The Conservatives meanwhile were completely wiped out, losing both of their seats, and making this their only council on the mainland with no representation and with a vote share below 10%.

With the one remaining Independent retiring, the only other representation on the council comes in the form of West Dunbartonshire Community Party, and their stalwart local councillor Jim Bollan. Interestingly enough however, this is the first time in the STV era Bollan hasn’t been elected on first preferences alone and needed transfers. Smaller parties had basically no presence, with only a single candidate from the Greens, and no Lib Dem or Alba candidates at all.

Administration

Labour were elected as a majority administration.

Interactive Map

Overview

If it wasn’t for my general dislike of how large Scotland’s councils are, I’d say this was the best in the country. However, I long for the day the Vale of Leven is free of Dumbarton’s tyrannical reign. And yes, the town is Dumbarton but county is Dunbarton. I’m afraid the good people of my home shire live to confuse. Being faintly silly about my homeland aside, this is one of many classic Central Belt councils, bringing together a string of formerly industrial towns along the rivers Clyde and Leven. Despite the name, this isn’t actually the westernmost portion of classical Dunbartonshire, as the Helensburgh and Lomond area opted to join Argyll & Bute in the 90’s reorganisation.

That naturally gave the area a strong Labour bent for most of the 20th Century. At the Scottish Parliament that has continued to the present day, with the (Helensburgh inclusive) Dumbarton constituency one of just two that remain in Labour’s hands, whilst the Clydebank end is covered by a seat that went to the SNP in 2011. As with almost everywhere else the SNP also picked up the Westminster constituency in 2015.

Despite lack of parliamentary impact pre-2011, the SNP did have enough of a base here that I have very strong childhood memories of their election placards festooning streets around the Vale in the 90’s and early 00’s. Labour nonetheless were typically the largest party in both districts that became West Dunbartonshire, though in 1977 the SNP took the lead in Clydebank and Labour came third in Dumbarton. Labour would go on to hold clear majorities through the final FPTP years in the new council.

Previous STV Elections

2007
2012
2017

Individual Ward Results

Lomond (Ward 1)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Jonathan McColl
🔴Labour: Martin Rooney
🔴Labour: Hazel Sorrell
Change vs 2017: +1 Labour, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 48.3%
Electorate: 9111
Valid: 4326 (98.3%)
Spoiled: 75 (1.7%)
Quota: 1082

Candidates

🟤West Dunbartonshire Community: Drew MacEoghainn
🟡SNP: Jonathan McColl
🔵Conservative: Sally Page
🔴Labour: Martin Rooney
🔴Labour: Hazel Sorrell

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

Leven (Ward 2)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Ian Dickson
🔴Labour: John Millar
🟤West Dunbartonshire Community: Jim Bollan
🔴Labour: Michelle McGinty
Change vs 2017: +1 Labour, -1 SNP
Turnout: 43.1%
Electorate: 13820
Valid: 5822 (97.8%)
Spoiled: 129 (2.2%)
Quota: 1422

Candidates

🟢Green: Paula Baker
🟤West Dunbartonshire Community
: Jim Bollan
🟡SNP: Ian Dickson
🔵Conservative: Matthew Dillon
🟡SNP: Ronnie McColl
🔴Labour: Michelle McGinty
🔴Labour: John Millar
Independent: Sian Wilkie

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

Dumbarton (Ward 3)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Karen Conaghan
🔴Labour: David McBride
🔴Labour: Gurpreet Singh Johal
🟡SNP: Chris Pollock
Change vs 2017: +1 Labour, -1 Conservative
Turnout: 50.1%
Electorate: 13336
Valid: 6524 (97.6%)
Spoiled: 162 (2.4%)
Quota: 1305

Candidates

🟡SNP: Karen Conaghan
🔴Labour: Gurpreet Singh Johal
🔴Labour: David McBride
🟤TUSC: Lynda McEwan
🟣Family: Andrew Muir
🟡SNP: Chris Pollock
🟤Libertarian: Jonathan Rainey
🔵Conservative: Brian Walker
🟤Sovereignty: Kelly Wilson

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

Kilpatrick (Ward 4)

Councillors and Key Stats

3 Councillors, in order elected:
🔴Labour: Douglas McAllister
🟡SNP: Gordon Scanlan
🔴Labour: Lawrence O’Neill
Change vs 2017: No change
Electorate: 8987
Turnout: 45.2%
Valid: 3876 (95.5%)
Spoiled: 183 (4.5%)
Quota: 970

Candidates

🔵Conservative: David Jardine
🔴Labour: Douglas McAllister
🔴Labour: Lawrence O’Neill
🟡SNP: Gordon Scanlan
🟡SNP: Marina Scanlan

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

Clydebank Central (Ward 5)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: Diane Docherty
🔴Labour: Craig Edward
🟡SNP: Sophie Traynor
🔴Labour: Clare Steel
Change vs 2017: +1 Labour, -1 Independent (Denis Agnew retired)
Turnout: 41.0%
Electorate: 11820
Valid: 4644 (95.8%)
Spoiled: 204 (4.2%)
Quota: 929

Candidates

🟡SNP: Diane Docherty
🔴Labour: Craig Edward
🔴Labour: Clare Steel
🟡SNP: Sophie Traynor
🔵Conservative: Liam Wilson

Clydebank Central: First Preferences
Clydebank Central: Transfers
Clydebank Central: Results by Polling District
Clydebank Central: Second Preferences
Clydebank Central: Two-Candidate Preferred

Clydebank Waterfront (Ward 6)

Councillors and Key Stats

4 Councillors, in order elected:
🟡SNP: James McElhill
🔴Labour: Daniel Lennie
🟡SNP: Lauren Oxley
🔴Labour: June McKay
Change vs 2017: No change
Turnout: 42.1%
Electorate: 11537
Valid: 4696 (96.7%)
Spoiled: 158 (3.3%)
Quota: 940

Candidates

🟣Family: Brian Lally
🔴Labour: Daniel Lennie
🟡SNP: James McElhill
🔴Labour: June McKay
🔵Conservative: Holly Moscrop
🟡SNP: Lauren Oxley
🟡SNP: Jacob Toland

Clydebank Waterfront: First Preferences
Clydebank Waterfront: Transfers
Clydebank Waterfront: Results by Polling District
Clydebank Waterfront: Second Preferences
Clydebank Waterfront: Two-Candidate Preferred

Data Notes

Changes in Affiliation

Craig Edward (Clydebank Central) from 🔴Labour to ⚪Independent; expelled from the party in September 2022 following charges of possessing indecent images. He subsequently pled guilty to those charges.

Diane Docherty (Clydebank Central) from 🟡SNP to ⚪Independent; left party in January 2023 in opposition to Gender Recognition Reform Bill.