2017 Moray Council election

Previous election At the previous election in 2012, the Scottish National Party saw their seat count increase by 1, and became the largest grouping on the council by vote share. The Independent group lost 2 seats and the Conservatives held all of their seats. Labour increased their representation on the council by 1. Due to the SNP not having enough seats to form an administration, the previous coalition between the Conservatives and the Independents group stayed as the Council's administration. Source: ==Results==

Note: "Votes" are the first preference votes. The net gain/loss and percentage changes relate to the result of the previous Scottish local elections in 2012. This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils. Source: ==Ward results==

Speyside Glenlivet • 2012: 2 X SNP & 1 X Independent • 2017: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Independent • 2012-2017: Conservative gain one seat from SNP Source: Keith and Cullen • 2012: 2 X Independent & 1 X SNP • 2017: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Independent • 2012-2017: Conservative gain one seat from Independent Source: Buckie • 2012: 2 X Independent & 1 X SNP • 2017: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Independent • 2012-2017: Conservative gain one seat from Independent Source: Fochabers Lhanbryde • 2012: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Labour • 2017: 2 X SNP & 1 X Conservative • 2012-2017: SNP gain one seat from Labour Source: Heldon & Laich • 2012: 2 X Independent, 1 X SNP & 1 X Conservative • 2017: 2 X Independent, 1 X SNP & 1 X Conservative • 2012-2017: No change Source: Elgin City North • 2012: 2 X SNP & 1 X Labour • 2017: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Independent • 2012-2017: Conservative & Independent each gain one seat from SNP & Labour Source: Elgin City South • 2012: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Labour • 2017: 1 X SNP, 1 X Conservative & 1 X Labour • 2012-2017: No change Source: Forres • 2012: 3 X Independent & 1 X SNP • 2017: 2 X Independent, 1 X SNP & 1 X Conservative • 2012-2017: Conservative gain from Independent Source: ==Aftermath==

As no single party was able to form an administration on its own, a coalition administration between the Conservatives and the Independent group was formed, which was a continuation of the coalition administration since 2007. An independent councillor was appointed council leader and a Conservative councillor was appointed Convenor. However, in May 2018, the Conservative-Independent administration collapsed. After negotiations with other groups, the SNP formed a minority administration in June 2018, with SNP co-leaderGraham Leadbitter taking on the role of Council Leader and SNP co-leader Shona Morrison being appointed Convenor. On 21 October 2017, Speyside Glenlivet Conservative councillor Walter Wilson resigned from the party group following disagreements with colleagues in the party group. He sat as an Independent. Elgin City North by-election On 10 May 2017, independent councillor Sandy Cooper resigned his seat less than a week after being elected in the 2017 elections. A by-election took place in the Elgin City North ward on 13 July 2017. The seat was won by Conservative candidate Maria Mclean. Source: Keith and Cullen by-election On 24 October 2019, independent councillor Ron Shepherd retired due to ill-health. A by-election was held in the Keith and Cullen ward on 21 November 2019 and it was won by the Conservative candidate Laura Powell. Source: ==References==