Break through

Labour gains in Aberdeen while Nationalists triumph in shire

The battle for control of Moray Council was still in the balance last night after the SNP’S aggressive election strategy backfired.

The Nationalists fielded two hopefuls in each of the council’s eight wards – but several experienced members ended up being replaced by party colleagues.

Although it remains the largest group on the local authority, the SNP’S 10 seats only match what it had after the 2007 poll.

Ten Independent candidates were also returned to the council chamber – and Labour and the Conservatives were both left with three members.

Meanwhile, a resurgent Labour capitalised on a collapse in support for the Liberal Democrats to become the largest group on Aberdeen City Council.

But the make-up of the local authority’s newruling administration is unlikely to take shape until after the weekend – with rival parties starting negotiations in earnest last night.

Labour made significant gains, picking up 17 seats compared with 10 in 2007, while the SNP took 15, an improvement from the last election but no change from the group’s position going into polling day after three by-election victories during the last term.

The Lib Dems suffered heavy losses, with 18-year veteran and former council leader Kate Dean the most high-profile casualty.

Conservative group leader Alan Donnelly narrowly held on to his Torry andferryhill seat, while colleagues Fraser Forsyth and Ross Thomson were elected to give the Tories three seats on the new council.

A controversial plan to redevelop the city’s Union Terrace Gardens – which the Labour group opposed – was hailed by campaigners as a key factor in the election result.

The SNP has become the biggest party in Aberdeenshire for the first time after support for the Liberal Democrats collapsed.

But the surge in support for the Nationalists fell short of delivering the 35 seats required to take control of the local authority.

The Conservatives secured a shock second place, with 14 councillors, while Labour and the Green Partywontheir first seats at Woodhill House.

The SNP now have 28 members – seven more than last term.

The Lib Dems lost nine seats, returning just 12 members and have gone from being the region’s biggest party to third. Football club director Jim Leishman has been elected a Labour councillor in Fife.

Mr Leishman, director of football at Dunfermline Athletic, was elected at the first stage of counting in the Dunfermline Central ward. The former footballer won the highest number of first preference votes, with 1,608.

Mr Leishman was

Lib Dem Kate Dean, seen with husband Brian, is ousted