Aberdeenshire Council

Aberdeenshire Council
Council logo
Leadership
Judy Whyte,
Independent
since 19 May 2022[1]
Stewart Adams
Conservative
and
Anne Stirling
Liberal Democrat
since 26 June 2025
Jim Savege
since February 2015[2]
Structure
Seats70 councillors
Political groups
Administration (41)
  Conservative (20)
  Liberal Democrats (14)
  Independent (7)
Other parties (28)
  SNP (18)
  Reform (6)
  Independent (5)
Elections
Single transferable vote
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
6 May 2027
Meeting place
Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen, AB16 5GB
Website
www.aberdeenshire.gov.uk

Aberdeenshire Council is the local authority for Aberdeenshire, one of the 32 council areas of Scotland. The council has been under no overall control since its creation in 1996. It is based at Woodhill House, which is outside its own territory in the neighbouring Aberdeen City council area.

History

The Aberdeenshire council area was created in 1996 under the Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994, which abolished the regions and districts which had been created in 1975, replacing them with single-tier council areas. Aberdeenshire covered the area of the abolished Banff and Buchan, Gordon and Kincardine and Deeside districts, all of which had been part of the Grampian region. It is named after the historic county of Aberdeenshire, but covers a larger area, also including most of the historic county of Kincardineshire and eastern parts of the historic county of Banffshire.[3]

Governance

The council is the fifth largest Scottish council by number of councillors, having 70 members.[4]

The council has devolved power to six area committees: Banff and Buchan; Buchan; Formartine; Garioch; Marr; and Kincardine and Mearns. Each area committee takes decisions on local issues such as planning applications, and the split is meant to reflect the diverse circumstances of each area.[5]

Political control

Following the 2017 election a coalition of the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and some of the independent councillors formed to run the council.[6] The same parties continued running the council in coalition following the 2022 election.[7]

The first election to the council was held in 1995. It initially operated as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new system came into force on 1 April 1996. Aberdeenshire Council has been under no overall control since its creation.[8]

Party in control Years
No overall control 1996–present

Leadership

The role of provost is largely ceremonial in Aberdeenshire. They chair full council meetings and act as the council's civic figurehead. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1996 have been:

Councillor Party From To Notes
Audrey Findlay[9][10] Liberal Democrats 1 Apr 1996 May 2007
Anne Robertson[11][12] Liberal Democrats 17 May 2007 2 May 2012
Jim Gifford[13][14] Conservative 17 May 2012 8 Jun 2015
Richard Thomson SNP 8 Jun 2015 29 Sep 2016 Co-leaders[15][16]
Martin Kitts-Hayes Independent
Richard Thomson SNP 29 Sep 2016 May 2017 Co-leaders[17][18]
Alison Evison Labour
Jim Gifford[19][20][21] Conservative 18 May 2017 Jun 2020
Independent Jun 2020 19 Nov 2020
Andy Kille[21][22] Conservative 19 Nov 2020 May 2022
Mark Findlater[1][23][24] Conservative 19 May 2022 28 Jun 2023
Gillian Owen[25][26][27] Conservative 29 Jun 2023 25 Jun 2025
Stewart Adams Conservative 26 Jun 2025 Co-leaders[28][27]
Anne Stirling Liberal Democrats

Composition

Following the 2022 election and subsequent changes of allegiance up to June 2025, the composition of the council was:[29]

Party Councillors
Conservative 20
SNP 18
Liberal Democrats 14
Reform 6
Independent 12
Total 70

Of the independent councillors, seven form the 'Administration Independents' group, which forms part of the council's administration in coalition with the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. The next election is due in 2027.[29] Two Conservative councillors who defected to Reform UK in October 2024 were the party's first representatives in Scotland.[30]

Premises

The council is based at Woodhill House in Aberdeen, outside the council's own territory. The building was completed in 1977 for the former Grampian Regional Council.[31]

Elections

Main article: Aberdeenshire Council elections

Since 2007 elections have been held every five years under the single transferable vote system, introduced by the Local Governance (Scotland) Act 2004. Election results since 1995 have been as follows:[8]

Year Seats Conservative SNP Liberal Democrats Labour Green Independent / Other Notes
1995 47 4 15 15 0 0 13 [32]
1999 68 7 23 28 0 0 10 New ward boundaries.[33]
2003 68 11 18 28 0 0 11 [34]
2007 68 14 22 24 0 0 8
2012 68 14 28 12 2 1 11
2017 70 23 21 14 1 1 10
2022 70 26 21 14 0 0 9

Wards

Map of the area's ward (2017 configuration).

The council has 70 councillors, elected by single transferable vote in 19 multi-member wards:

Ward number Ward Members
1 Banff and District 3
2 Troup 3
3 Fraserburgh and District 4
4 Central Buchan 4
5 Peterhead North and Rattray 4
6 Peterhead South and Cruden 3
7 Turriff and District 4
8 Mid Formartine 4
9 Ellon and District 4
10 West Garioch 3
11 Inverurie and District 4
12 East Garioch 4
13 Westhill and District 4
14 Huntly, Strathbogie and Howe of Alford 4
15 Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside 3
16 Banchory and Mid Deeside 3
17 North Kincardine 4
18 Stonehaven and Lower Deeside 4
19 Mearns 4

References

  1. ^ a b "Council minutes, 19 May 2022" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  2. ^ "Jim Savege named new Aberdeenshire Council chief executive". BBC News. 19 November 2014. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  3. ^ "Local Government etc. (Scotland) Act 1994", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1994 c. 39, retrieved 21 February 2023
  4. ^ "Aberdeenshire Council, Elections and voting, Who represents you". Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  5. ^ "Aberdeenshire Council - Statistics by Area". 2007-06-07. Archived from the original on 2007-06-07. Retrieved 2024-05-28.
  6. ^ "Conservatives and Lib Dems form Aberdeenshire coalition". BBC News. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  7. ^ "Aberdeenshire Council 2022". Ballot Box Scotland. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 21 May 2025. (Put "Aberdeenshire" in search box to see specific results.)
  9. ^ "The changing face of Scotland". The Scotsman. Edinburgh. 27 March 1996. p. 5. Retrieved 18 August 2025.
  10. ^ "North east locals receive honours". BBC News. 15 June 2007. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  11. ^ "Council minutes, 17 May 2007" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  12. ^ Hind, Sally (3 April 2012). "Lib Dem steps down as leader of Aberdeenshire Council". Daily Record. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  13. ^ "Council minutes, 17 May 2012" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  14. ^ Russell, Greg (9 June 2015). "Aberdeenshire Council: SNP chief takes provost job as Tory-led alliance is ousted". The National. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  15. ^ "Council minutes, 8 June 2015" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  16. ^ "Legoland trip Aberdeenshire councillor Martin Kitts-Hayes resigns". BBC News. 30 August 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  17. ^ "Council minutes, 29 September 2016" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  18. ^ "Aberdeenshire Council elects Alison Evison as new co-leader after 'Legogate'". BBC News. 29 September 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  19. ^ "Council minutes, 18 May 2017" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  20. ^ Beattie, Kieran (28 September 2020). "Changing Aberdeenshire Council leadership would be 'perverse' game of 'political musical chairs' in midst of pandemic, argues former SNP councillor". Press and Journal. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  21. ^ a b "Council minutes, 19 November 2020" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  22. ^ Durham, Thomas (4 May 2022). "Aberdeenshire election 2022: 135 candidates hoping to represent the region's 19 wards". Aberdeen Live. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  23. ^ "Aberdeenshire Council leader ousted as head of Conservative group". BBC News. 22 May 2023. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  24. ^ "Council minutes, 29 June 2023" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  25. ^ Renton, Dawn (29 June 2023). "Change in leadership at Aberdeenshire Council". The Scotsman. Retrieved 13 July 2023.
  26. ^ "Council report, 26 June 2025" (PDF). Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  27. ^ a b "Former council leader says she felt 'betrayed'". BBC News. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  28. ^ "Aberdeenshire Council co-leaders appointed". Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 28 August 2025.
  29. ^ a b "Aberdeenshire". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 29 August 2025.
  30. ^ Johnson, Simon (24 October 2024). "Three Tory councillors defect to Reform UK after Farage urges them to join party". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 4 November 2024.
  31. ^ "Council Offices". Aberdeenshire Council. Retrieved 29 December 2022.
  32. ^ Bochel, H. M.; Denver, D. T. (1995). Scottish Council Elections 1995: Results and Statistics (PDF) (Report). Election Studies. p. 95. ISBN 1-869820-35-5. Retrieved 11 April 2024.
  33. ^ "The Aberdeenshire (Electoral Arrangements) Order 1998", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1998/3239, retrieved 2024-04-11
  34. ^ Local Election Results 2003: Aberdeenshire
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