Nairn by-election result
8th May 2015
The by-election for a councillor to serve the Nairn Ward (No 19) on The Highland Council has been won by Stephen Kenneth Fuller - Scottish National Party (SNP).
Stephen Fuller was one of six candidates, who contested the vacancy, created by former Councillor Colin Macaulay stepping down in March.
The other Ward members are Councillors Laurie Fraser (Independent), Michael Green (Independent) and Liz MacDonald (SNP).
Voting was by the single transferable vote and Stephen Fuller emerged as the winner at the 4th stage of the count. The turnout was 71.44% there were 6601 valid papers and 149 rejected papers.
The other candidates were:
· Ritchie Cunningham - Scottish Liberal Democrats, 2406 votes.
· Stephen Kenneth Fuller - Scottish National Party (SNP), 3135 votes.
· Chris Johnson - Scottish Labour Party, 455 votes.
· Mairi MacGregor, 893 votes.
· Paul Carlo McIvor - Independent, 1440 votes
The representation of the 80-member Council now is Independent, 34; Scottish National Party 21; Liberal Democrat 12; Labour 8; and Highland Alliance 5.
Related Businesses
Related Articles
# 10 December 2025 Career opportunities with The Highland Council The Highland Council is looking to fill a variety of posts relating to civil engineering and flood risk management based in locations across the area. Included are opportunities specifically for civil engineering graduates and technicians, providing the ideal job with career progression for anyone recently qualified and ready for a varied and interesting role.
As the North Coast 500 approaches its tenth anniversary, it has become one of Scotland's most well-known tourism success stories. The 516-mile loop around the far north of the Highlands has been celebrated internationally, marketed as a world-class road trip, and credited with transforming visitor numbers in some of Scotland’s most remote areas.
The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say. This is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.
A notable article in the Guardian on 6 December 2025 noted the high sums being paid by London councils outsourcing services to private firms. The article starts with the reduction in council funding by UK government since 2010.
The Highland Council welcomes moves by the Scottish Government to introduce greater flexibility on how it could design a Visitor Levy Scheme for consultation. The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 currently provides local authorities with discretionary powers to implement percentage-based levies following statutory consultation.
As it looks to set out its forthcoming priorities, the council is seeking involvement from members of the public, including businesses, community groups, parents, and young people. All their opinions are going to be crucial in deciding how Highland Council will take on its budget challenge for 2026-2027.
Thurso is to benefit from £100m investment in education and community facilities and are rolling out the first phase of public consultations on 9 and 10 December 2025. The Highland Council is inviting people that live, work, or study in Thurso, to come along to the public consultation events to have their say; this is an opportunity to help shape the future of Thurso, to gather views and ideas.
A new online portal has been launched to bring empty homeowners together with prospective buyers or developers with the aim of facilitating more properties to be used as homes again. Covering the whole of Scotland, this builds on the success of local pilots, referred to as "matchmaker schemes".
Steps towards introducing a short term let control area have been considered by Highland Council's Isle of Skye and Raasay area committee. On Monday (1 December 2025) the committee heard evidence to justify the grounds for the introduction of a Short Term Let Control Area covering all or part of Skye and Raasay.
EMPLOYERS and educators from across the Highlands have gathered to hear how a new initiative is aiming to transform the region's economy. Workforce North - A Call to Action brought together business leaders and teachers from primary and secondary schools from across the Highland Council area with a wide range of partners geared towards education, learning and skills development at Strathpeffer Pavillion.