Elections to the Zetland County Council were held on 8 May 1973 as part of Scottish local elections. This was the last election for the County Council before its incorporation along with the Lerwick Town Council into the Shetland Islands Council in 1975. Elections were held in every part of Shetland except Lerwick to elect 24 landward members to the County Council, who would be joined by six nominated members from the Lerwick Town Council.
The election saw an unusually partisan competition between supporters and opponents of the County Council's policy on North Sea oil. The Shetland Democratic Group was formed to oppose the council's attempts to gain private legislation to exert direct control over oil developments in Shetland, objecting to proposals that would allow the council to take equity in industrial development and gain compulsory purchase powers.[1]
The Shetland Democratic Group gained 11 seats and defeated incumbent Convener Edward Thomason but failed to win enough support to gain control of the Zetland County Council. Supporters of the council's policy elected George Blance, a nominated member from the Lerwick Town Council, as the council's final Convener, defeating Shetland Democratic Group member John Jamieson by 18 votes to 12. The council's continued support for private legislation led to the passage of the Zetland County Council Act 1974, providing the council with powers to become a harbour authority, control harbour developments, invest in securities of bodies corporate, implement compulsory purchases in specified areas relating to oil developments and to establish a reserve fund from oil revenues.[2] These powers would be inherited by the Shetland Islands Council in 1975.
13 seats were uncontested, including seven of the Shetland Democratic Group's 11 gains.[3]
Ward results
Aithsting
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Iain Caldwell |
151 |
54.9% |
|
Independent |
Robert Garrick (Incumbent) |
124 |
45.1% |
| Majority |
27 |
9.8% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Cunningsburgh
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Joan McLeod (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Delting North
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Fraser Peterson (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Delting South
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Clem Robb (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Dunrossness North
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
James Leask (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Gulberwick and Quarff
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Independent |
Arthur Irvine (Incumbent) |
45 |
51.4% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Alistair Leask |
43 |
48.6% |
| Majority |
2 |
2.8% |
|
Independent hold |
Northmavine North
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Robert Balfour |
46 |
55.4% |
|
Independent |
Andrew Cromarty (Incumbent) |
37 |
44.6% |
| Majority |
9 |
10.8% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Northmavine South
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
John Jamieson (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Sandness
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Independent |
Peter Garriock |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Independent hold |
Sandwick
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Thomas Stove (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Unst North
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
William Thomson |
249 |
70.5% |
|
Independent |
Edward Thomason (Incumbent) |
104 |
29.5% |
| Majority |
145 |
41.0% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Unst South
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
Alan Fraser (Incumbent) |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Whalsay and Skerries
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Independent |
Frederick Dainty |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Independent hold |
Whiteness and Weisdale
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group |
John Johnson |
77 |
37.0% |
|
Independent |
John Rae (Incumbent) |
67 |
32.2% |
|
Independent |
George Morrison |
64 |
30.8% |
| Majority |
10 |
4.8% |
|
Shetland Democratic Group gain from Independent |
Yell South
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Independent |
Robert Gray |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Independent hold |
By-elections since 1973
1974 Yell North by-election
| Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
|
Independent |
David Johnson |
unopposed |
unopposed |
| Majority |
unopposed |
unopposed |
|
Independent hold |
References
- ↑ "Pro-Bill Members Retain Control". The Shetland Times. 24 May 1973.
- ↑ Nevis Institute (1978). The Shetland Report: A constitutional study prepared for the Shetland Islands Council by The Nevis Institute under the Chairmanship of Lord Kilbrandon. Edinburgh. p. 63.
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- ↑ "Landslide for "Democrats"". The Shetland Times. 11 May 1973.
- ↑ Stewart, James. "County Council Election May 1973". Shetland History Online. Retrieved 25 January 2022.
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