The 2012 election saw the SNP gain an additional 6 seats and become the largest party on the Council, supplanting the Lib Dems.

The other by-election was in the Aboyne, Upper Deeside and Donside ward, which resulted in a Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative.

This may differ from other published sources showing gain/loss relative to seats held at dissolution of Scotland's councils.

Source:[2] As no single party group on the council had the required 35 seats for an overall majority, a Conservative-Lib Dem-Independent administration was formed.

East Garioch Cllr Fergus Hood defected from the SNP and joined the Liberal Democrats on 3 May 2013.

[5] Troup SNP Cllr Hamish Partridge resigned from the party on 17 June 2016 and became an Independent citing curtailments to his freedom of speech.