The Aberdeenshire Conservatives have grabbed a seat from their local Liberal Democrat colleagues at a regional by-election.
The SNP also solidified their Aberdeenshire Council majority by winning a second available local council position.
The winners of the by-elections for Huntly, Strathbogie and the Howe of Alford were announced at noon.
SNP candidate Gwyneth Petrie is now the local authority’s youngest councillor at the age of 26.
Conservative Margo Stewart, who is also from the Huntly area, received the highest number of votes through the Single Transferable Vote (STV) system with 1,469.
A total of 4,097 voters took to the poll yesterday – a 34.5% turnout in the area.
Miss Petrie was not far off with 1,433 votes, whilst Lib Dem nominee Daniel Millican got 928.
Labour candidate Sarah Flavell had 196 votes and Scottish Libertarian Party member Derek Scott received 20.
The by-election was prompted by the death of SNP councillor Joanna Strathdee in August and the announcement that Lib Dem Alastair Ross was stepping down from his role due to I’ll health.
The council’s Lib Dem group leader Karen Clark said the party had still strengthened in the region – grabbing 23% of votes compared to 18% at the last council election.
She added the party now had an “excellent platform to build on” going into the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections and the 2017 council elections.
