Location of the ward Thorniewood is one of the twenty-one wards used to elect members of the North Lanarkshire Council. It elects three councillors and covers the Viewpark , Tannochside and Birkenshaw areas. Its south-west boundary is the M74 motorway bordering the Bothwell and Uddingston ward of South Lanarkshire (the localities of Thorniewood were often historically considered parts of Uddingston, particularly before the two parts were divided between the districts of Hamilton and Motherwell in 1975).
A 2017 national review caused the territory to be reduced, the east boundary moving westwards from the A725 bypass resulting in the loss of the Fallside neighbourhood and the unpopulated Righead Industrial Estate; however, housebuilding elsewhere meant the decrease in the electorate was minimal. The ward had a population of 13,950 in 2019.
Councillors Election Councillors 2007 Duncan McShannon (SNP ) Jim McCabe (Labour ) Bob Burrows (Labour ) 2012 2015 by- Steven Bonnar (SNP )2017 Hugh Gaffney (Labour )2019 by- Norah Mooney (Labour ) 2021 by- Helen Loughran (Labour ) 2022 Margaret Boyd (Labour ) Barry McCluskey (SNP )
Election results 2017 Election Thorniewood - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 Labour Bob Burrows (incumbent )33.48 1,568 SNP Steven Bonnar incumbent )31.17 1,460 Labour Hugh Gaffney 16.78 786 1,119 1,156 1,419 Conservative Christine McConnell 11.08 519 536 540 SNP Josh Robertson 7.49 351 362 584 609 Electorate: 10,688 Valid: 4,684 Spoilt: 104 Quota: 1172 Turnout: 4,788 (44.8%)
2019 By-election On 1 Jul 2019, Labour councillor Hugh Gaffney resigned his seat after he was elected as MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill at the 2017 UK Parliament Election . A by-election was held on 19 September 2019 and the seat was retained by Labour by Norah Moody. Thorniewood By-election (19 September 2019) - 1 Seat Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 Labour Norah Moody 44.3% 1,362 SNP Eve Cunnington 39.1% 1,202 Conservative Lorraine Nolan 9.6% 296 Liberal Democrats Colin Robb 5.5% 168 Green Rosemary McGowan 1.5% 46
2021 By-election SNP councillor Steven Bonnar was elected as MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill at the 2019 UK Parliament Election . He resigned his Council seat and the by-election was set for May but was deferred until 19 November 2020. It was won by Helen Loughran for Labour. Thorniewood By-election (4 March 2021) - 1 Seat Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 Labour Helen Loughran 36.4% 998 999 1,018 1,112 1,263 SNP Eve Cunnington 34.5% 944 944 960 971 1,160 Independent Joseph Budd 18.9% 518 Conservative Oyebola Ajala 7.7% 212 215 220 Green Rosemary McGowan 1.9% 53 57 UKIP Daryl Gardner 0.5% 15 Electorate: TBC Valid: 2,740 Spoilt: 29 Quota: 1,371 Turnout: 25.4%
2012 Election Thorniewood - 3 seats Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 Labour Bob Burrows (incumbent )37.3% 1,623 Labour Jim McCabe (incumbent )33.2% 1,443 SNP Duncan McShannon (incumbent )24.3% 1,057 1,220.5 Conservative Alan Henderson 5.2% 225 304.8 Electorate: 11,668 Valid: 4,348 Spoilt: 80 Quota: 1,088 Turnout: 4,428 (37.95%)
2015 By-election Thorniewood By-election (9 July 2015) - 1 Seat Party Candidate FPv% Count 1 2 3 4 5 6 SNP Steven Bonnar 47.01% 1,555 1,556 1,565 1,586 1,622 1,647 Labour Hugh Gaffney 42.62% 1,410 1,417 1,422 1,433 1,456 1,517 Conservative Meghan Gallacher 4.5% 149 158 167 172 175 Scottish Socialist Liam McCabe 2.45% 81 81 82 89 Green Patrick McAleer 1.54% 51 55 61 Scottish Christian Craig Smith 1% 33 37 UKIP Matt Williams 0.88% 29 Electorate: 11,730 Valid: 3,308 (28.2%) Spoilt: 38 Quota: 1,655 Turnout: 3,346 (28.5%)
SNP Cllr Duncan McShannon resigned his seat in May 2015. A by-election was held on 9 July 2015 and the seat was held by the party's Stephen Bonnar. 2007 Election North Lanarkshire council election, 2007: Thorniewood Party Candidate FPv% % Seat Count Labour Jim McCabe 1,714 29.7 1 1 SNP Duncan McShannon 1,369 23.8 1 4 Labour Bob Burrows 1,342 23.3 1 2 Labour Dave Saunders 878 15.2 Conservative David Imrie Paterson 455 7.9
