First ever Sikh councillor chosen as Labour oust SNP from control of local council
The victorious Labour councillors who won control of West Dunbartonshire Council and Party members celebrate their victory with Anas Sarwar and Jackie Baillie.
By Bill Heaney
Updated on MONDAY, May 9, 2022
Jackie Baillie has congratulated her Scottish Labour colleagues as the party took control of West Dunbartonshire Council.
All Scottish Labour candidates were successfully elected meaning the party will form the administration which the SNP has held for the last five years.
The result also means that the first ever Sikh councillor for the area, Gurpreet Singh Johal has been elected and will serve in the Dumbarton ward alongside Councillor David McBride.
The number of women representing the party has also increased with four female councillors in Hazel Sorrell (Lomond), Michelle McGinty (Leven), Clare Steel (Clydebank Central) and June McKay (Clydebank Waterfront).
Martin Rooney (Lomond), John Millar (Leven), Douglas McAllister (Kilpatrick), Lawrence O’Neill (Kilpatrick), Craig Edward (Clydebank Central) and Danny Lennie (Clydebank Waterfront) make up the administration.
Jackie Baillie, Dumbarton constituency MSP said: “I am absolutely delighted for my colleagues and want to thank all of the campaign team who have worked so hard to make this victory possible.
“It is absolutely phenomenal that each and every Scottish Labour candidate in West Dunbartonshire has been returned as a councillor.”
Councillor Gurpreet Singh Johal said: “It is an absolute honour to be representing Dumbarton for Scottish Labour. I cannot wait to start work for the benefit of the community to help them through the cost of living crisis which is impacting on us all.”
West Dunbartonshire Labour Group Leader, Councillor Martin Rooney said: “I am absolutely delighted that Labour have again taken control of West Dunbartonshire Council.
“I would like to thank all of the candidates who were duly elected and the people of West Dunbartonshire who came out and voted. The hard work starts here and I guarantee we will concentrate on serving our communities over the next term.”
Outgoing leader of the council, devastated Jonathan McColl, meanwhile told journalists that the SNP would hold Labour to account in opposition.
He said: “Obviously it’s a disappointing day for the SNP. I have to say thought that I’m delighted with the quality of candidates we now have elected. We have an influx of very talented young people. There are positives to come out of this.
“We will work as an effective opposition to scrutinise the work of the Labour administration in a collegiate and worthwhile way.”
And he added that he believed it was factors outwith the control of his party that decided the result, adding: “At the last election a lot of Labour voters voted Conservative. This time they have gone back home to Labour and that’s what swung it. There’s really not a lot we can do about that.”
Observers took this with a pinch of salt given that in Dumbarton the SNP’s Chris Pollock, former owner of the coffee shop at Dumbarton Central Station, had scraped through on the sixth STV count by the narrowest of margins with his first preference votes fewer than those polled by the Conservative Brian Walker.
The Council lost its two Tory members, Cllrs Walker and Sally Page who, for mush of her time on the Council refused to comment on important local matters to The Dumbarton Democrat.
Meanwhile, the SNP are the largest party in Argyll and Bute, which includes Helensburgh, Cardross and Lomond.
All votes are counted in Argyll and Bute. Our councillors are: Independent = 7 Scottish Conservative and Unionist = 10 Scottish Greens – Think Global Act Local Local = 1 Scottish Labour Party = 1 Scottish Liberal Democrats = 5 Scottish National Party = 12.
Top of page picture: Gurpreet Singh Johal with Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar and veteran Labour councillor David McBride, who is being tipped to lead the new Labour administration in West Dunbartonshire. Above: John Millar and Michelle McGinty with Anas Sarwar, Martin Rooney, Ian Dickson, Danny Lennie, Karen Conaghan and Jim Bollan, Jonathan McColl and Lawrence O’Neill.
Ward 1 – Lomond
There are 3 Councillors to be elected.
The electorate was 9,111 and the number of ballot papers received was 4,401 giving a percentage turnout of 48.3%. There were 75 rejected ballot papers. The quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 1,082. The number of first preference votes for each of the candidates was:
Candidate Name Affiliation Number of First Preference Votes
Drew MACEOGHAINN West Dunbartonshire Community Party 509
Jonathan MCCOLL Scottish National Party (SNP) 1,494
Sally PAGE Scottish Conservative and Unionist 666
Martin ROONEY Scottish Labour Party 938
Hazel SORRELL Scottish Labour Party 719
Total 4,326
After application of the Election Rules, I declare that the following are elected as Councillors for the Ward 1 – Lomond:
Candidate Name Affiliation Stage at which
Candidate was Elected
Jonathan MCCOLL Scottish National Party (SNP) 1
Martin ROONEY Scottish Labour Party 3
Hazel SORRELL Scottish Labour Party 5
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Ward 2 – Leven
There are 4 Councillors to be elected.
The electorate was 13,820 and the number of ballot papers received was 5,951 giving a percentage turnout of 43.1%. There were 129 rejected ballot papers. The quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 1,165. The number of first preference votes for each of the candidates was:
Candidate Name Affiliation Number of First
Preference Votes
Paula BAKER Scottish Green Party 206
Jim BOLLAN West Dunbartonshire Community Party 953
Ian DICKSON Scottish National Party (SNP) 1,494
Matthew DILLON Scottish Conservative and Unionist 420
Ronnie MCCOLL Scottish National Party (SNP) 653
Michelle Marie MCGINTY Scottish Labour Party 956
John Kelly MILLAR Scottish Labour Party 1,089
Sian WILKIE Independent 51
Total 5,822
After application of the Election Rules, the following are elected for the Ward 2 – Leven:
Candidate Name Affiliation Stage at which
Candidate was Elected
Jim BOLLAN West Dunbartonshire Community Party 7
Ian DICKSON Scottish National Party (SNP) 1
Michelle Marie MCGINTY Scottish Labour Party 7
John Kelly MILLAR Scottish Labour Party 5
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Ward 3 – Dumbarton
There are 4 Councillors to be elected.
The electorate was 13,336 and the number of ballot papers received was 6,686 giving a percentage turnout of 50.1%. There were 162 rejected ballot papers. The quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 1,305. The number of first preference votes for each of the candidates was:
Candidate Name Affiliation Number of First Preference Votes
Karen CONAGHAN Scottish National Party (SNP) 2,171
Gurpreet Singh JOHAL Scottish Labour Party 930
David MCBRIDE Scottish Labour Party 2,045
Lynda MCEWAN Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 73
Andrew Joseph MUIR Scottish Family Party Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage,
Pro-Life 100
Chris POLLOCK Scottish National Party (SNP) 529
Jonathan RAINEY Scottish Libertarian Party 45
Brian WALKER Scottish Conservative and Unionist 601
Kelly WILSON Sovereignty 30
Total 6,524
After application of the Election Rules, the following are elected as Councillors for the Ward 3 – Dumbarton:
Candidate Name Affiliation Stage at which Candidate was Elected
Karen CONAGHAN Scottish National Party (SNP) 1
Gurpreet Singh JOHAL Scottish Labour Party 3
David MCBRIDE Scottish Labour Party 1
Chris POLLOCK Scottish National Party (SNP) 6
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Ward 5 – Clydebank Central
There are 4 Councillors to be elected.
The electorate was 11,820 and the number of ballot papers received was 4,848 giving a percentage turnout of 41.0%. There were 204 rejected ballot papers. The quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 929.
The number of first preference votes for each of the candidates was:
Candidate Name Affiliation Number of First Preference Votes
Diane DOCHERTY Scottish National Party (SNP) 1,903
Craig EDWARD Scottish Labour Party 1,199
Clare STEEL Scottish Labour Party 645
Sophie TRAYNOR Scottish National Party (SNP) 531
Liam WILSON Scottish Conservative and Unionist 366
Total 4,644
The following are elected as Councillors for the Ward 5 – Clydebank Central:
Candidate Name Affiliation Stage at which
Candidate was Elected
Diane DOCHERTY Scottish National Party (SNP) 1
Craig EDWARD Scottish Labour Party 1
Clare STEEL Scottish Labour Party 4
Sophie TRAYNOR Scottish National Party (SNP) 2
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Ward 6 – Clydebank Waterfront
There are 4 Councillors to be elected.
The electorate was 11,537 and the number of ballot papers received was 4,854 giving a percentage turnout of 42.1%. There were 158 rejected ballot papers. The quota of votes for a candidate to be elected was 940.
The number of first preference votes for each of the candidates was:
Candidate Name Affiliation Number of First Preference Votes
Brian Michael LALLY Scottish Family Party Pro-Family, Pro-Marriage,
Pro-Life 121
Daniel LENNIE Scottish Labour Party 1,217
James MCELHILL Scottish National Party (SNP) 1,493
June MCKAY Scottish Labour Party 540
Holly MOSCROP Scottish Conservative and Unionist 362
Lauren OXLEY Scottish National Party (SNP) 767
Jacob TOLAND Scottish National Party (SNP) 196
Total 4,696
The following are elected as Councillors for the Ward 6 – Clydebank
Waterfront:
Candidate Name Affiliation Stage at which
Candidate was Elected
Daniel LENNIE Scottish Labour Party 1
James MCELHILL Scottish National Party (SNP) 1
June MCKAY Scottish Labour Party 6
Lauren OXLEY Scottish National Party
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So, the Gold Plated Turds are back as the Judas Brits in Kilts fail to get the Independence bampots out to vote. What did the SNP expect? They literally spent the last term in hiding. Anyway I don’t see any cavalry coming to the rescue here. It’s another win for the capitalist living dead.
An erudite eloquent, charming, and oft allegorical analysis of the merits of the respective party candidates and the electors.
Methinks a Pulitzer prize for literary prowess beckons for you James.