Elected Councillor Laura Powell "very excited"
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ELECTED Conservative Councillor Laura Powell says she is "very excited" after winning the Keith and Cullen by-election.
Ms Powell, from Portknockie, won 41.5 per cent of the first preference votes and was elected at stage three of the single transferable vote process.
The SNP's Jock McKay was second with 38.1 per cent of the first preference votes, while independent Rob Barbsy got 349 first preference votes (12.7 per cent) and Liberal Democrat Ian Aitchison 212 (7.7 per cent).
The election took place on Thursday, November 21, with the count the next day at Keith Grammar School. The by-election was originally called after Ron Shepherd (independent) stepped down.
Winning candidate Ms Powell said: "I'm very excited for the next chapter. I was surprised by the margin – I thought it would be closer than it was.
"I think the personal vote helps, with me being a Portknockie local.
"I have to resign from my position with Highland Council first, but I'm just looking forward to getting started."
The Tories increased their vote share from 2017 by 8.8 per cent, while the SNP were 1.6 per cent down. However, the SNP had one candidate this time instead of two.
Jock McKay said: "I'm really disappointed. I feel bad for the sensible voters who have voted for me and now have a councillor from a party who have a terrible record with Moray Council.
"I was hopeful but not confident coming into it. Now we have to get fully behind Laura Mitchell for the General Election."
Independent Rob Barsby, who was the only returning candidate from 2017, lost five votes, going down from 354 to 349, as his total remained stable.
He said: "I'm disappointed but not surprised. People were either voting SNP or anti-SNP."
Lib Dem candidate Ian Aitchison finished with a respectable 7.7 per cent of the vote – with the party having not stood at all in 2017.
Mr Aitchison said: "It's the first time we have stood in this particular ward. It's a start and we will be looking to improve in two years."
