Aberdeenshire Council is to be run by a coalition of Conservative, Liberal Democrats and independent councillors.

At yesterday’s first meeting of the full council since the elections on 4 May, the Conservative group leader Jim Gifford was appointed leader by 38 votes to 25 against the SNP’s Richard Thomson, while Liberal Democrat councillor Peter Argyle was appointed deputy leader unopposed.

My Liberal Democrat colleague Cllr Bill Howatson was elected as the new provost, in a run-off against independent councillor Paul Johnston.

In the local elections, the Conservatives took 23 seats, up from 14, while the Liberal Democrats increased from 10 seats before the election to 14 now. Meanwhile the SNP fell back to 21, and Labour lost one of their two representatives.

There is more information at https://online.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/apps/news/release.aspx?newsid=4702