Scottish Conservatives win all three Aberdeenshire council by-elections in emphatic victory

The Scottish Conservatives have won all three Aberdeenshire council by-elections, gaining Central Buchan, Fraserburgh and District and Mearns from the SNP.

Peter Chapman, Tracey Smith, and Iain Sutherland have become the party’s newest councillors on Aberdeenshire Council after defeating the SNP, who were second in each seat.

Mr Chapman, a farmer from Mintlaw and a former north-east MSP, won more than 41% of the first preference votes cast – a rise of 8% on the 2022 election result.

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Mrs Smith, the co-founder of the Save Our Mearns group, which has 3,200 members, clinched 39% of the first preference votes cast, with the party’s vote share increasing by 7.5%.

Fraserburgh and District winner Iain Sutherland, who owns A Special Treat coffee shop in Peterhead, won 36% of the first preferences, up 3.9% on 2022.

The results come just a month after Russell Findlay was elected leader of the Scottish Conservatives.

New Scottish Conservative Central Buchan councillor, Peter Chapman, said: "I'm delight to win the Central Buchan seat from the SNP and it is an honour to represent my local area.

“I want to strengthen our public services, improve our roads, enhance our schools and support industries such as oil and gas, farming and fishing.

“At a time when the SNP government is continuing to inflict huge cuts on our council, I will always focus on the priorities that matter to people by best serving their interests on a range of key issues.”

New Scottish Conservative councillor for Means, Tracey Smith, said: "It is a privilege to have been elected to serve the Mearns - an area I have lived in for almost 25 years.

“For the last 18 months, I have worked tirelessly for Save Our Mearns group and I want to ensure the voices of residents are heard at all levels of government.

“Aberdeenshire Council remains one of the lowest funded local authority’s per head in Scotland which is why I will ensure that getting a fair deal for residents is always at the heart of what I do.”

New Scottish Conservative Fraserburgh and District councillor Iain Sutherland said: “It is an honour to have been elected to serve Fraserburgh and District.

“Together, with my colleagues, we will make sure the Scottish Conservatives have a strong voice in leading Aberdeenshire Council, focussing on the issues that really matter to people.”