1990 Highland Regional Council election

The 1990 Highland Regional Council election to the Highland Regional Council was held on 3 May 1990 as part of the wider 1990 Scottish regional elections. The election saw Independents win control of 36 of the councils 52 seats.

1990 Highland Regional Council election

3 May 1990 (1990-05-03)
All 52 seats to Highland Regional Council 27 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	42.9%
First party Second party Third party   Party Independent Labour SLD Last election 36 seats, 73.0% 7 seats, 14.4% 3 seats, 2.6% Seats won 34 10 3 Seat change 2 3 Popular vote 19,359 3,994 1,941 Percentage 56.9% 11.7% 5.7% Swing 16.1% 2.7% 3.1%   Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party   Party SNP Green Conservative Last election 3 seat, 6.4% Did Not Stand 2 seats, 2.2% Seats won 2 1 1 Seat change 1 1 1 Popular vote 3,994 3,560 946 Percentage 11.7% 10.5% 2.8% Swing 5.3% 0.6%   Seventh party   Party Independent Liberal Last election Did Not Stand Seats won 1 Seat change 1 Popular vote 0 Percentage 0.0% Swing
Council Control before election Independent Council Control after election Independent

Turnout was 42.9% in contested electoral districts. Just over half of the region's electoral districts were contested, with 27 of the regions 52 electoral districts seeing contests.

The result of the election

Aggregate results

Highland Regional election, 1990[1]
Turnout: 42.1%

Party		Seats	Gains	Losses	Net gain/loss	Seats %	Votes %	Votes	+/−
	Independent	34			2	65.4	57.0	19,359	16.1
	Labour	10			3	19.2	11.8	3,994	2.7
	Liberal Democrats	3				5.8	5.7	1,941	3.1
	SNP	2			2	3.8	11.8	3,994	5.3
	Green	1			1	1.9	10.5	3,560	New
	Conservative	1			1	1.9	2.8	946	0.6
	Independent Liberal	1			1	1.9	0.0	0	New
	Independent Labour	0			1	0.0	0.6	217	0.7

Ward results

Highland Regional election, 1990[2]
	Ward	Councillor	Result
1	Thurso West	J. H. Fry		Independent hold
2	Thurso East	W. S. Smith		Independent hold
3	Wick	A. Murray		Independent hold
4	Pulteney	J. W. Oag		Independent hold
5	Caithness North East	W. Mowat		Independent hold
6	Caithness South East	W. A. Mowat		SLD hold
7	Caithness Central	D. Coghill		Independent hold
8	Caithness West	R. E. Godfrey		Independent hold
9	Dornoch/Creich etc.	A. M. Gilmour		Independent hold
10	Fleet	A. Murray		Independent hold
11	Sutherland North West	F. R. M. Keith		Independent hold
12	Sutherland East	R. R. McDonald		Independent hold
12A	Toungue/Farr	A. MacKay		Independent hold
13	Lochbroom/Conon Valley	D. R. Green		Independent hold
14	Wester Ross	D. N. Cameron		Independent hold
15	Seaforth	M. J. Nicolson		Independent hold
16	Dingwall	M. McKechnie		Independent hold
17	Black Isle West	H. Fraser		Independent hold
18	Black Isle East	D. J. McPherson		Independent hold
19	Ferindonald	V. MacIver		Independent hold
19A	Alness	J. MacInnes		Independent hold
20	Invergordon	I. C. Rhind		Independent hold
21	Easter Ross	E. D. Wilkerson		Independent hold
22	Tain	A. Rhind		Independent hold
23	Ross South West	W. M. Fulton		Independent hold
24	Skye South & East	F. M. MacLennan		Independent hold
25	Skye North & West	D. Grant		SLD gain from Independent
26	Fort William	I. J. Macdonald		Labour gain from Independent
27	Caol/Inverlochy	M. J. MacKay		Labour hold
28	Nevis	J. K. MacKay		Labour gain from Independent
29	Mallaig/Ardnamurchan	M. E. M. Foxley		Independent Liberal hold
30	Glencoe/Nether Lochaber	A. S. Robertson		Labour hold
31	Merkinch	J. M. Henry		Labour hold
32	Dalneigh/Muirtown	W. J. Smith		Independent gain from Labour
33	Ballifeary/Columba	A. Milne		Independent hold
34	Ness Central	C. M. Cumming		Labour gain from Independent
35	Crown/Raigmore	C. L. Goodman		Labour hold
36	Old Edinburgh	A. G. Sellar		Independent hold
37	Drummond	W. A. E. Fraser		Independent hold
38	Hilton	T. Mackenzie		Labour hold
39	Ardersier/Petty etc.	P. J. Peacock		Independent hold
39A	Inverness East	W. McGarrity		Labour gain from Independent
40	Strathdearn	Mack of Mackintosh		Independent hold
41	Aird South	A. W. Mackenzie		Labour gain from Independent
41A	Charleston	J. T. MacDonald		Labour hold
42	Aird North	J. S. Munro		SNP hold
43	Strathspey	B. M. S. Dunlop		Independent gain from SNP
44	Cairngorm	A. I. M. Glen		SNP hold
45	Badenoch	A. J. Russell		SLD hold
46	Ninian	W. Shand		Independent gain from Conservative
47	Nairn County	M. J. O. Graham		Conservative hold
47A	Alltan	R. E. Winter		Green gain from Independent

References

1. pp.42-45
2. Bochel, JM; Denver, DT. "Scottish Regional Elections, 1990" (PDF). The Elections Centre. p. 1-3. Retrieved 22 April 2020.