The Liberal Democrats claimed their first ever seat on West Lothian Council in a shocking first result for the local Conservatives group fighting to retain the the seats they won in 2017.
Local bookshop owner Sally Pattle was elected alongside Labour veteran Tom Conn and Pauline Orr for the SNP.
Tory candidate Chris Horne, a councillor for Broxburn for the last five years and an active local resident, who had hoped for a majority of retiring Provost Tom Kerr’s 3,000 votes, was slowly eased out of the frame after a strong initial showing in first preference.
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He was soon followed by Bathgate's Charles Kennedy and Whitburn's Bruce Fairbairn after promising starts.
Bruce Fairbairn lost by two votes after the SNP secured two of the four seats in that ward, with Jim Dickson re-elected and his wife, Mary, a former councillor, returning to the chambers after five years absence.
In East Livingston and East Calder Frank Anderson, the council’s longest serving member, lost out to long time friend and fellow SNP councillor Carl John who was joined by Veronica Smith for the party. Tory group leader Damian Doran-Timson was returned as was Angela Doran-Timson in the Broxburn ward and Peter Heggie for the Conservatives in Livingston South.
Labour group leader and depute Lawrence Fitzpatrick and Kirsteen Sullivan were both re-elected.
Bathgate’s Conservative Charles Kennedy was the third Conservative to see his seat disappear, by only 10 votes as his vote was squeezed by a strong showing from the SNP's Pauline Stafford and preference voting for Labour’s Tony Pearson. Mr Kennedy’s first preference votes were over 1,000. Harry Cartmill, easily re-elected for Labour, with more than 2,000 votes paid tribute to Mr Kennedy’s work as a councillor in the last five years.
Mr Doran-Timson said he was disappointed by the numbers but said that the results showed that the "Boris factor" had not really been an issue, as Conservative councillors had received strong support as first choice candidiates.
Newly returned SNP group leader Janet Campbell was delighted at the strong showing of the party and said that she was keen to talk with progressive parties.
Turnout across the wards was a healthy 40% or above. The poll leaves the SNP with 15 seats. Labour has 12 seats, the Tories four seats, Lib Dems one, Independent one.
First Preference votes for those councillors elected, by ward:
Linlithgow
Tom Conn, Labour: 1,391
Sally Pattle, Lib Dem: 1,447
Pauline Orr, SNP: 1,869
Broxburn Uphall and Winchburgh
Diane Calder, SNP: 1990
Janet Campbell, SNP: 880
Ann Davidson, Labour: 1,305
Angela Doran-Timson Conservative: 1,215
Livingston North
Robert De Bold, SNP: 2,133
Andrew Miller SNP: 1,380
Ann McMillan, Labour: 1,347
Alison Adamson, Conservative: 1,256
Livingston South
Lawrence Fitzpatrick, Labour: 2,028
Maria MacAulay, SNP: 2,252
Peter Heggie, Conservative: 884
Moira McKee Shemilt, SNP: 698
East Livingston and East Calder
Carl John, SNP: 1,741
Damian Doran-Timson, Conservative:1,205
Veronica Smith, SNP: 622
Danny Logue, Labour: 1,079
Fauldhouse and the Breich Valley
Pauline Clark, SNP: 1,292
Cathy Muldoon, Labour: 1,113
Craig Meek, Labour: 924
Whitburn and Blackburn
Jim Dickson, SNP: 1,734
Mary Robertson Dickson, SNP: 636
George Paul, Labour: 1,237
Kirsteen Sullivan, Labour:1,055
Bathgate
William Hannah Boyle, SNP: 1,806
Harry Cartmill, Labour: 2,496
Tony Pearson, Labour: 375
Pauline Stafford, SNP: 1,190
Armadale and Blackridge
Stuart Borrowman, Independent: 2,571
Lynda Kenna, SNP: 1,159
Andrew McGuire, Labour: 742
