Liberal Democrats the biggest losers as north-east vote splits

The make-up of local authorities representing the north-east of Scotland has become clear after the votes were counted.

Voters across the region went to the polls to cast their ballots on Thursday.

The count got under way at the Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Friday morning.

First Minister Alex Salmond arrived at the count at around 12.30pm.

A total of 43 councillors have been elected to represent constituents for Aberdeen City Council, while 68 were voted in for Aberdeenshire Council.

One of the biggest shocks was the failure of former city council leader Kate Dean to get re-elected into her Kincorth & Loirston seat.

Labour celebrated a strong success in the Aberdeen City election vote securing 17 of the seats, just ahead of the 15 for the SNP.

One of the Labour party's biggest election promises was a pledge to scrap plans for the £140m redevelopment of Union Terrace Gardens.

Labour won their first ever seats in Aberdeenshire, with the election of Alison Evison into the North Kincardine area and Raymond Christie for Stonehaven and Lower Deeside.

In Aberdeenshire the SNP took the highest number of seats. The party's 28-seat total was a jump of seven from the previous year. The Liberal Democrats lost nine seats, while Labour and independents gained two, the Green Party and Conservatives gained one.

The end of the Moray Council count revealed a hung council, with ten seats for the SNP and ten independent seats. Conservative and Labour took three seats each.

Coalition negotiations are now expected to take place between the groups to establish a ruling administrative group.

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