ALL 11 wards in Argyll and Bute have now been declared and the make-up of the new council is confirmed.

Voters headed to the polls on Thursday to elect 36 councillors across the region, and the final seats were announced shortly before 6pm today (Friday).

In the final three wards - Lomond North, Helensburgh Central, and Helensburgh and Lomond South - 10 members were elected and there were a few surprises in store.

Former West Scotland MSP, Maurice Corry (Conservative), was elected in Lomond North alongside Mark Irvine (Independent) and Iain Shonny Paterson, who was re-elected for the SNP.

That meant independent candidate George Freeman, a councillor since 1999, was not re-elected, ending his long stay on the council.

In Helensburgh Central, Gary Mulvaney (Conservative) was re-elected along with Graham Hardie (Liberal Democrat). Fiona Howard (Labour) has also been elected - and becomes the only Labour councillor in Argyll and Bute - alongside Ian MacQuire (SNP).

Finally, in Helensburgh and Lomond South, there was no place for former council provost, David Kinniburgh (Conservative), as Math Campbell-Sturgess (SNP), Paul Kennedy (Liberal Democrat), and Gemma Penfold (Conservative) claimed the three seats.

A full breakdown of the results in each ward is as follows:

  • Ward 1 - South Kintyre: Elected are: John Armour (SNP), Donald Kelly (Independent), and Tommy Macpherson (Conservative).
  • Ward 2 - Kintyre and the Islands: Robin Currie (Liberal Democrat), John McAlpine (Independent), and Dougie Mcfadzean (SNP).
  • Ward 3 - Mid Argyll: Jan Brown (SNP), Garret Corner (Conservative), and Douglas Philand (Independent).
  • Ward 4 - Oban South and the Isles: Elected are: Amanda Hampsey (Conservative), Willie Hume (SNP), Andrew Kain (Independent), and Jim Lynch (SNP).
  • Ward 5 - Oban North and Lorn: Elected are: Kieron Green (Independent), Luna Martin (Greens), Julie McKenzie (SNP), and Andrew Vennard (Conservative).
  • Ward 6 - Cowal: Elected are: Gordon Blair (SNP), Yvonne McNeilly (Conservative), and William Sinclair (Liberal Democrats).
  • Ward 7 - Dunoon: Elected are: Audrey Forrest (SNP), Daniel Hampsey (Conservative), and Ross Moreland (Liberal Democrat).
  • Ward 8 - Isle of Bute: Elected are: Reeni Kennedy-Boyle (SNP), Liz McCabe (Independent), and Peter Wallace (Conservative).
  • Ward 9 - Lomond North: Elected are: Maurice Corry (Conservative), Mark Irvine (Independent), and Iain Shonny Paterson (SNP).
  • Ward 10 - Helensburgh Central: Elected are: Graham Hardie (Liberal Democrat), Fiona Howard (Labour), Ian MacQuire (SNP), and Gary Mulvaney (Conservative).
  • Ward 11 - Helensburgh and Lomond South: Elected are: Math Campbell-Sturgess (SNP), Paul Kennedy (Liberal Democrat), and Gemma Penfold (Conservative).

For a recap of today's count as it happened, click here.