Scottish Tories gain two council seats in Aberdeenshire by-elections

The Scottish Conservatives have hailed victories in two Aberdeenshire by-elections.

The Tories gained two seats in Aberdeenshire by-elections. Picture: John Devlin

A by-election was sparked in Banff and District after the death of incumbent SNP councillor Ian Gray in August. Iain Taylor was duly elected to replace him. Turnout was 28.3 per cent.

The Tories took a second seat for Inverurie and District, replacing the former co-leader of the council, independent Martin Kitts Hayes.

He resigned in August after he was criticised for returning home from a conference in Denmark because of his accommodation.

Council taxpayers were left footing a £3,000 bill after Mr Kitts Hayes abandoned the North Sea Commission in Billund in June, branding his accommodation at Legoland as a ‘glorified shed’,