Fife Council

Fife Council is the local authority for the Fife area of Scotland and is the third largest Scottish council,[2] with 75 elected council members.

Fife Council
Full council election every 5 years.
Coat of arms
Council logo
Type
Type
Leadership
Jim Leishman MBE, Labour
since 18 May 2017 [1]
Leader of the Council
David Ross, Labour
since 18 May 2017 [1]
Structure
Seats75
Political groups
Administration (20)
  •   Labour (20)

Opposition (55)

Elections
Single transferable vote
Last election
5 May 2022
Next election
5 May 2027
Meeting place
Fife House, Glenrothes
Website
www.fife.gov.uk

Councillors are generally elected every five years. At the 2012 election there were 78 councillors elected, but this was reduced to 75 by the time of the 2017 election, after a review by the Boundary commission for Scotland. The number of wards was reduced from 23 to 22.[3]

Councillors make decisions at its regular Council meetings, or at those of its nine other general committees (covering for example Tourism and transportation, Education, Environment, Housing, Licensing etc.), two planning committees, and seven area committees.[4]

Following the May 2017 council elections no party was in overall control, resulting in a Power Sharing Agreement being drawn up between the Scottish National Party (SNP) and the Labour group to share control equally. David Alexander (SNP) and David Ross (Labour) were agreed as co-leaders of the council.[1]

A Provost of Fife is elected every five years, who chairs the full council meetings and acts in a ceremonial capacity on behalf of the council.[5] The current Provost is former football manager Jim Leishman MBE, who was first elected in May 2012.[1][6]

Political composition
Map of Fife's wards, using 2017 boundaries

Since the May 2017 election there have been several changes to the composition of the council, although the joint SNP-Labour administration has remained.

  • Lesley Laird (Labour) resigned in June 2018,[7] replaced by Dave Coleman (Conservative) in a September 2018 by-election.[8]
  • Alan Craig (Conservative) resigned in 2019, replaced by Derek Glen (SNP) in a November 2019 by-election.[9]
  • Samantha Steele (SNP) resigned in 2019, replaced by Sharon Green Wilson (SNP) in a November 2019 by-election.[10]
  • Linda Holt resigned from the Conservatives in December 2019 and now sits as an independent.[11]
Party2017 Election[12]August 2020[13] 2022 Election[14]
SNP2930 (1) 34 (4)
Labour2423 (1) 20 (3)
Liberal Democrat77 (0) 13 (6)
Conservative1514 (1) 8 (6)
Independent01 (1) 0 (1)

The 2017 election saw the Conservatives make significant gains and, while the SNP lost its leader on the council, Neale Hanvey, it ended up as the largest party.[15] The SNP and Labour agreed to govern in coalition, with joint council leaders.[12]

Wards

References
  1. "Fife Council agree to SNP and Labour joint partnership". Dunfermline Press. 18 May 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  2. "Fife News : Fife Welcomes Cllr Lizz Mogg as Fife Deputy Provost". City Local. 20 December 2007. Retrieved 7 January 2017.
  3. "Local Government Boundary Commission for Scotland's 5th Electoral Review" (PDF). Scottish Government. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  4. "Committees". Fife Council. Retrieved 5 May 2022.
  5. "The Provost and his role". Fife Council. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  6. "Jim Leishman elected as Fife's provost". BBC News. 17 May 2012. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  7. Clark, Leeza. "Fife MP resigns as Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay councillor". The Courier. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  8. Smith, Craig. "Tory candidate Dave Coleman wins Inverkeithing and Dalgety Bay by-election". The Courier. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  9. Henderson, Neil. "Fife Council by-election: Nationalists take Dunfermline Central". The Courier. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  10. Smith, Craig. "Fife Council by-election: SNP secure comfortable win in Rosyth". The Courier. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  11. Henderson, Neil. "Prominent Fife Tory councillor resigns amid claims party is dysfunctional". The Courier. Retrieved 2 September 2020.
  12. "Breakthrough as SNP and Labour agree to share Fife Council control", Fife Today, 17 May 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2018.
  13. "Politicians and committees". Fife Council. Archived from the original on 2 August 2020. Retrieved 2 August 2020.
  14. "Fife Result - Scottish Council Elections 2022 - BBC News". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2022.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. "Local Elections: Latest results updated...", Fife Today, 5 May 2017. Retrieved 6 January 2017.
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