Council by-election · Thursday, 8 October 2026

Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward

8 candidates. Same page for each, in ballot-paper order.

8candidates for one seat

2sourced positions

1with something published

1named sources

1. Lauren Bird
Scottish Green Party

2. Jeff Diack
Scottish National Party (SNP)

3. Freddie John
Conservative and Unionist Party

4. Simon McLean
Independent

5. John McLeod
Reform UK

6. Kusum Singal
Independent SS7. Sandy Stephen
Liberal Democrats

8. Willie Young
Labour Party

See the 8 candidates In a hurry? Two-minute guide →

In this ward 8 candidates from 8 parties or independent slots are standing. Parties do not stand everywhere; here is how to find out whether yours stands nearby.

This is a council seat. A councillor's win changes what the council decides: council tax, housing repairs and allocations, planning, social care, schools admissions, parking, bins, libraries. It does not change national tax, benefits or NHS policy, so this page shows only positions published for this council election, and no national party pledges are implied.

Sourced positions found for 1 of 8 candidates

Compare candidates side by side

You're voting for

Your local councillor

Councillors sit on the council that runs services where you live. They set the council's budget and council tax, and decide local planning applications. Here, for Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward.

What this office decides

Planning. Whether new homes, extensions and developments get permission.
Waste and streets. Bins, recycling, street cleaning, fly-tipping.
Council tax. The level you pay, within limits set nationally.
Social care. In county and unitary councils, care for older and disabled people.
Parks and libraries. Opening, funding, closing.
Council housing. Repairs, allocations and, in many areas, homelessness.

What it does not

NHS policy and waiting times. Parliament and the NHS.
Income tax and benefits. Parliament.
Immigration. Parliament.
Policing policy. The Home Office and your Police and Crime Commissioner or mayor.
Schools' curriculum. Government and, for academies, their trusts.

Candidates often campaign on things their office cannot change. That is not dishonest in itself — an MP can press a council, a councillor can lobby government — but it is worth knowing which is which. Summarised from the Local Government Association and UK Parliament descriptions of each role.

How this vote is counted: single transferable vote. You rank candidates 1, 2, 3… as far as you like.Worked example

Each ballot starts with its first choice. To win, a candidate needs a quota: votes ÷ (seats + 1), plus one. If nobody reaches the quota, the candidate with fewest votes is excluded and their ballots move to each voter's next choice. If someone passes the quota, their surplus moves on in the same way. It continues until the seats are filled.

Example: 1,000 votes, one seat, quota 501. Round one: A 400, B 350, C 250. Nobody has 501, so C is excluded; C's ballots go to their second choices, say 150 to B and 100 to A. B now has 500, A 500, and the count continues on remaining preferences. A second choice is never wasted and never harms your first.

Hide names and parties while I read

TopicSearch every position on this ballot

Showing 8 of 8 candidates. Everyone on the ballot, in ballot-paper order.

Numbered as on the ballot paper. Open a candidate to see their positions on the nine topics, with sources. Until a household is described, only positions that apply to everyone are counted.

1Lauren Bird

Scottish Greens

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile

In their own words

Lauren has been living in Rosemount for over five years now. Working in public facing roles in and around the city she’s got to know the city and the people living here well. She has always cared deeply for people and communities as well as nature and the environment. She wants Aberdeen to thrive and live up to its potential.

If you want someone who truly cares for the people living here and our environment vote for the Scottish Greens October 8th.

Statement to voters supplied by the candidate to Democracy Club, retrieved 2026-09-19. Reproduced unedited.

Open Lauren's page →

Where this information comes from

Positions are quoted from the candidate's or party's own published material and official records, each with its source. Candidates and their agents can also submit sourced statements, published as written once we confirm they appear at the cited address. Not yet invited to submit a statement: we have no contact address. If you are this candidate, use the link below. Submit a statement.

Published positions on the nine topics

Nothing published that we could source, yet. A councillor sits on the council that sets council tax and decides planning, housing repairs and allocations, social care, bins, parking, libraries and, in most areas, school admissions. It cannot change national tax, benefits or NHS policy.

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

1Lauren Bird

Scottish Green Party

2Jeff Diack

Scottish National Party (SNP)

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile

In their own words

No statement to voters supplied to Democracy Club.

Open Jeff's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

2Jeff Diack

Scottish National Party (SNP)

3Freddie John

Scottish Conservative and Unionist

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile Party site

In their own words

No statement to voters supplied to Democracy Club.

Stood before

Aberdeen City council, Hiltonwoodsidestockethill ward, May 2022 (Conservative and Unionist Party) — not elected
Aberdeen City council, Hiltonwoodsidestockethill ward, May 2017 (Conservative and Unionist Party) — elected

Previous candidacies from Democracy Club. A record of standing, not a judgement.

Open Freddie's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · the party's site · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

3Freddie John

Conservative and Unionist Party

4Simon McLean

Independent

ShowHide

Money 1Housing —Health 1Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —2 in total

Democracy Club profile

In their own words

Simon is keen to put Aberdeen first and is concerned with the current debt to the London Stock Exchange owed by Aberdeen City Council. He would like to protect all local services. He was a volunteer on his local community council and held the position of voluntary Chair of Planning and Transport for the Aberdeen community council forum. Simon has seen and experienced how communities are treated by elements within the council and seeks to improve the local government. He would also like to take pressure off mental health and GP surgery services. He is happy to be contacted on any issue of concern to local residents.

Statement to voters supplied by the candidate to Democracy Club, retrieved 2026-09-19. Reproduced unedited.

Stood before

Aberdeen City council, Dycebucksburndanestone ward (by-election), February 2023 (Independent)
Aberdeen City council, Torryferryhill ward, May 2022 (Independent) — not elected
Aberdeen City council, Kincorthniggcove ward (by-election), November 2020 (Independent) — not elected
Aberdeen City council, Torryferryhill ward (by-election), November 2019 (Independent) — not elected
Aberdeen City council, Bridge Of Don ward (by-election), October 2019 (Independent) — not elected
Aberdeen City council, Bridge Of Don ward, May 2017 (Independent) — not elected

Previous candidacies from Democracy Club. A record of standing, not a judgement.

Open Simon's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Candidate statements and leaflets are published as written; we check they are real, not that they are true. Switch between summaries and exact quotations with the control above the list.

Money and cost of living

What this candidate says

Candidate's own words · Simon McLean (candidate), via Democracy Club · Statement to voters: Simon McLean

Their position

Simon is keen to put Aberdeen first and is concerned with the current debt to the London Stock Exchange owed by Aberdeen City Council.

What that means

Says he is concerned about Aberdeen City Council's debt owed on the London Stock Exchange and would protect all local services.

Retrieved 2026-09-19.

Housing and property

Nothing published on this yet.

Healthcare and social care

What this candidate says

Candidate's own words · Simon McLean (candidate), via Democracy Club · Statement to voters: Simon McLean

Their position

He would also like to take pressure off mental health and GP surgery services.

What that means

Says he would like to take pressure off mental health and GP surgery services.

Retrieved 2026-09-19.

Education and universities

Nothing published on this yet.

Environment, climate and energy

Nothing published on this yet.

Immigration and borders

Nothing published on this yet.

4Simon McLean

Independent

5John McLeod

Reform UK

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile Party site

In their own words

No statement to voters supplied to Democracy Club.

Open John's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · the party's site · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

5John McLeod

Reform UK

6Kusum Singal

Independent

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile

In their own words

No statement to voters supplied to Democracy Club.

Open Kusum's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

6Kusum Singal

Independent

7Sandy Stephen

Scottish Liberal Democrats

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile Party site

In their own words

No statement to voters supplied to Democracy Club.

Open Sandy's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · the party's site · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

7Sandy Stephen

Liberal Democrats

8Willie Young

Scottish Labour Party

ShowHide

Money —Housing —Health —Education —Environment —Immigration —Crime —Defence & EU —Equality —0 in total

Democracy Club profile Party site

In their own words

No statement to voters supplied to Democracy Club.

Stood before

Aberdeen City council, Torryferryhill ward (by-election), November 2019 (Labour Party) — not elected
Aberdeen City council, Bridge Of Don ward, May 2017 (Labour Party) — not elected
Scottish Parliament, North East Scotland, May 2016 (Labour Party) — not elected

Previous candidacies from Democracy Club. A record of standing, not a judgement.

Open Willie's page →

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Are you this candidate, or their agent? Send us a sourced statement; it is published as written.
Look yourself: the council's election notices · the party's site · leaflets archived for this area (electionleaflets.org, a Democracy Club project).

8Willie Young

Labour Party

Photos: shown where one exists on Democracy Club (7 of 8 here); initials otherwise. A missing photo says nothing about the candidate. · How much sourced material we found per party · Why isn't my party standing here?

Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward in numbers

Official open data about the area. It describes the place, not you, and it favours no candidate.

Recorded crime nearby, July 2026

0 street-level crimes recorded within about a mile of the area's centre.

Source: data.police.uk (Open Government Licence). Centroid of the ONS 2024 boundary. Statistics near this point describe the area, not any household. Recorded crime reflects reporting and policing as well as offending; see the ONS guidance in further reading.

Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward in numbers

Loading official figures for the area…

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Go deeper: independent sources

None of these is affiliated with a party. Where a source campaigns for a position, the label says so. Links open the original site.

Cross-cutting: polling, fact-checking, parliamentary research

Commons Library: constituency data dashboards — House of Commons Library. Parliamentary research service, impartial by statute.
electionleaflets.org: archive of election leaflets, searchable by area — Democracy Club. Civic-technology archive; leaflets are the parties' own material.
Electoral Commission: political finance register (donations, loans, spending) — Electoral Commission. Official register.
Full Fact — Full Fact. Independent fact-checking charity.
House of Commons Library research briefings — House of Commons Library. Parliamentary research service, impartial by statute.
Institute for Government — Institute for Government. Independent think tank on how government works.
Ipsos Issues Index: what the public says matters most — Ipsos. Polling company (monthly, unprompted survey).
LG Inform: council performance and finance data — Local Government Association. Sector body for councils.
Local Elections Archive Project: every council result since 2002 — Andrew Teale. Independent archive from Returning Officers' data, CC BY-SA.
mySociety Local Intelligence Hub: data by constituency — mySociety. Civic-technology charity; non-partisan.
UK Parliament: Commons votes (every division, how each MP voted) — UK Parliament. Official record, Open Parliament Licence.
UK Parliament: petitions, with signatures by constituency — UK Parliament. Official record.

Sources used on this page

Statement to voters: Simon McLean — Simon McLean (candidate), via Democracy Club, undated. Retrieved 2026-09-19. 2 quotations.

Candidate lists and nominations: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0). Tax and benefit figures: PolicyEngine UK, open source.

Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward

Your local councillor

What this office decides

What it does not

The ballot paper

1Lauren Bird

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

1Lauren Bird

2Jeff Diack

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

2Jeff Diack

3Freddie John

In their own words

Stood before

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

3Freddie John

4Simon McLean

In their own words

Stood before

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

Money and cost of living

Housing and property

Healthcare and social care

Education and universities

Environment, climate and energy

Immigration and borders

4Simon McLean

5John McLeod

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

5John McLeod

6Kusum Singal

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

6Kusum Singal

7Sandy Stephen

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

7Sandy Stephen

8Willie Young

In their own words

Stood before

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

8Willie Young

Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward in numbers

Recorded crime nearby, July 2026

Aberdeen City: Midstocket/Rosemount ward in numbers

Go deeper: independent sources

Sources used on this page

1Lauren Bird

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

2Jeff Diack

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

3Freddie John

In their own words

Stood before

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

5John McLeod

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics

6Kusum Singal

In their own words

Where this information comes from

Published positions on the nine topics