Labour and the SNP took a seat off each other in the latest local by-elections.
The SNP defeat came in a contest in the Irvine West ward of North Ayrshire Council prompted by the resignation as a councillor of the party’s Ruth Maguire following her election as MSP for Cunninghame South in May.
The SNP topped the first-preference votes in the council by-election but lost the seat to Labour on second preferences.
First-preference voting was: SNP 1,164, Lab 1,029, C 639, Soc Lab 131, Green 94, LD 48. Turnout was 20.9%.
Meanwhile, the SNP took a Renfrewshire Council seat from Labour in a by-election in the Renfrew South and Gallowhill ward following the death of a Labour councillor.
First-preference voting was: SNP 1,309, Lab 1,012, C 366, LD 53. Turnout 26.2%.
South of the border, in the only other by-election taking place, Conservatives were reported to have comfortably held a seat in the Ombersley division of Worcestershire County Council in a contest following the death of a Tory councillor.
