Stirling

The SNP score an easy win in a ward they’d already beaten Labour in last year, giving them every seat in the ward and almost certainly control of the council.

As Labour are floundering and the SNP won a by-election here last year, the SNP seem likely favourites. A win would give them every councillor in the ward, and potentially flip the administration; real oddities of by-elections under STV.

Labour go fully into reverse, resulting in the first genuine SNP gain in a very long time, and surely calling time on a local administration now consisting of just 4 members.

The sad passing of a Labour stalwart with 44 years experience leaves Labour at risk of being left with a credibility-stretching 4 (of 23) councillor administration.

Labour’s recent struggles to deliver big swings after transfers see the SNP getting a breather with a currently rare by-election victory.

A Labour vacancy in a ward the SNP won in 2022 will prove a much tougher ask for them to hold on compared to many other recent results, but the balance of transfers is likely to favour them.

The Conservatives fail to score a hat-trick in the third by-election of the term in this ward, as Labour sweep to victory. Meanwhile, Green (re)growth continues to come at the SNP’s expense.

A third by-election in the ward of this term comes from yet more grim circumstances, with the councillor’s failure to resign earlier to allow a double adding insult to injury.

In what is hopefully the last vote in Dunblane and Bridge of Allan until 2027, the Conservatives emerge with an expected victory, whilst Labour surge to their second best share yet.

A third vote in less then two years for this ward, the Conservatives won a March 2023 by-election here so it’s hard to envision them not winning a January 2024 one.