2023 West Devon Borough Council election

2023 West Devon Borough Council election
← 2019 4 May 2023 (2023-05-04) 2027 →
All 31 seats to West Devon Borough Council
16 seats needed for a majority
Turnout39.07%
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Neil Jory[1] Ric Cheadle Lynn Daniel
Party Conservative Independent Green
Leader's seat Milton Ford Buckland Monachorum South Tawton
Last election 16 seats, 37.9% 11 seats, 30.7% 2 seats, 11.8%
Seats before 17 11[a] 2
Seats after 11 10 5
Seat change Decrease 6 Decrease 1 Increase 3
Popular vote 9,829 6,897 4,318
Percentage 39.60 27.78 17.40
Swing Increase 1.70 Decrease 2.92 Increase 5.6
  Fourth party Fifth party
  Blank Blank
Party Liberal Democrats Labour
Last election 2 seats, 6.9% 0 seats, 10.5%%
Seats before 1 0
Seats after 4 1
Seat change Increase 2 Increase 1
Popular vote 2,626 1,024
Percentage 10.58 4.13
Swing Increase 3.68 Decrease 7.27
Winner of each seat at the 2023 West Devon Borough Council election
Leader before election

Neil Jory
Conservative

Leader after election

Mandy Ewings
Independent
No overall control

The 2023 West Devon Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect members of West Devon Borough Council in England. This was on the same day as other local elections across England.[2] The election for Burrator ward was delayed until 15 June 2023 following the death of one of the original candidates.

Prior to the election the council was under Conservative majority control. The election saw the council go under no overall control.[3] The independent councillors, Greens, Liberal Democrats and Labour formed a coalition called the "West Devon Alliance" which took control, with independent councillor Mandy Ewings being appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 30 May 2023.[4]

Result

The overall results were as follows:[5]

Election result

2019 West Devon Borough Council election
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 29 11 0 5 Decrease 5 35.48 39.60 9,829 Increase 1.70
  Independent 13 10 3 4 Decrease 1 32.26 27.78 6,897 Decrease 2.92
  Green 13 5 4 1 Increase 3 16.13 17.40 4,318 Increase 5.6
  Liberal Democrats 8 4 3 1 Increase 2 6.45 10.58 2,626 Increase 3.68
  Labour 2 1 1 0 Increase 1 3.23 4.13 1,024 Decrease 7.27
  Reform UK 2 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 0.52 130 N/A

Results by Ward

The results for each ward were as follows, with an asterisk (*) indicating a sitting councillor standing for re-election.[6]

Bere Ferrers

Bere Ferrers (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Isabel Angela Saxby 757 59.65 +32.9
Conservative Angela Blackman * 478 37.67 N/A
Conservative Peter Edward Crozier * 453 35.70 −3.9
Liberal Democrats Graham Richard Reed 399 31.44 −9.7
Turnout 1269 43.94
Labour gain from Liberal Democrats Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Bridestowe

Bridestowe (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Caroline Marie Mott * 507 56.02 −6.8
Conservative Terry Southcott * 463 51.16 −5.1
Green Patrick John Jeffery 401 44.31 N/A
Turnout 916 35.56
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Buckland Monachorum

Buckland Monachorum (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ric Cheadle * 873 68.85 +9.5
Independent Alastair Clark Cunningham 498 39.28 N/A
Conservative Philip Richard Saunders 409 32.26 −2.1
Liberal Democrats Ashley-Ross Christopher West 334 26.34 +9.1
Turnout 1277 41.99
Independent hold Swing
Independent gain from Green Swing

Burrator

The election in Burrator ward was delayed until 15 June 2023 following the death of Green Party candidate Neil Jameson.[7]

Burrator (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Nicola Viney 510 56.23 +56.2
Liberal Democrats Christopher Paul West 401 44.21 N/A
Conservative Diana Elizabeth Moyse* 275 30.32 +30.3
Conservative Felix Davies 221 24.37 N/A
Green Dave Miller 166 18.30 N/A
Labour John Edward Churchley 101 11.14 N/A
Green Sam North 76 8.38 N/A
Turnout 907 31.97
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Chagford

Chagford (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Jane Elliott * 485 65.28 +16.8
Conservative Nicky Heyworth 258 34.72 −16.8
Turnout 754 58.68
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Dartmoor

Dartmoor (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Mark Christian Renders * 404 74.27 −4.8
Liberal Democrats Holly Greenberry-Pullen 140 25.73 N/A
Turnout 547 38.55
Independent hold Swing

Drewsteignton

Drewsteignton (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Steven William Guthrie 292 51.14 +12.6
Conservative Paul James Ridgers* 279 48.86 −2.5
Turnout 573 42.63
Green gain from Conservative Swing

Exbourne

Exbourne (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Louise Sacha Watts 613 50.54 −3.7
Conservative Mike Casbolt 575 47.40 −2.8
Liberal Democrats Christian Martin 541 44.60 N/A
Green Judy Sara Marguerita Maciejowska 435 35.86 −4.6
Turnout 1226 37.50
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Hatherleigh

Hatherleigh (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Patrick John Derek Kimber * 579 68.85 +68.85
Conservative Samantha Jane Wakeham 430 51.13 +51.13
Green Andrew Robert Pratt 289 34.36 N/A
Turnout 847 33.60
Conservative hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Mary Tavy

Mary Tavy (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Robert John Oxborough 240 41.45 N/A
Conservative Jonathan Stanley Gilpin 127 21.93 −13.7
Independent Dave Herbert 113 19.52 N/A
Liberal Democrats Andrew Gordon Lynn Brown 99 17.10 N/A
Turnout 586 44.63
Independent gain from Independent Swing

Milton Ford

Milton Ford (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Neil Jory * Unopposed N/A −66.9
Turnout N/A N/A
Conservative hold Swing

Okehampton North

Okehampton North (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Tony Leech * 695 50.44 −12.3
Conservative Kevin Ball * 548 39.77 −1.4
Liberal Democrats George Herbert Dexter 428 31.06 N/A
Conservative Lois Esther Samuel 425 30.84 −12.0
Green Colin James Trier 370 26.85 N/A
Conservative Peter Cecil Eastment 312 22.64 −7.3
Independent Deborah Judith Sanger 310 22.50 N/A
Labour Finley Lewis Reece Morris 267 19.38 −12.8
Turnout 1387 32.29
Independent hold Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing

Okehampton South

Okehampton South (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Paul Richard Vachon * 433 53.46 +5.6
Green Malcolm William Calder 417 51.48 +15.4
Conservative Julie Veronica Yelland * 368 45.43 +7.6
Conservative Clare Mary Gerardine Kemp 194 23.95 −2.2
Turnout 810 28.59
Independent hold Swing
Green gain from Conservative Swing

South Tawton

South Tawton (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Lynn Christine Daniel * 476 68.20 +7.0
Conservative Simon John Powell 222 31.80 −7.0
Turnout 705 45.78
Green hold Swing +7.0

Tamarside

Tamarside (1)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Edmonds * 313 64.01 −9.4
Green Matthew Paul Faith 141 28.83 N/A
Reform UK Lawrence Grose 35 7.16 N/A
Turnout 492 34.26
Conservative hold Swing -8.0

Tavistock North

Tavistock North (3)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jeff Moody * 822 57.08 −3.7
Liberal Democrats Pete Squire 685 47.57 +24.0
Green Terry Vincent Wheeler 540 37.50 N/A
Independent Michael Arthur Fife Cook 505 35.07 N/A
Conservative David Edward Turnbull * 414 28.75 +10.0
Conservative Judy Ann Hughes 333 23.13 +4.7
Conservative John Nicholas Gray 268 18.61 N/A
Reform UK Brian Anthony Arden Trew 95 6.60 N/A
Turnout 1442 35.67
Independent hold Swing
Liberal Democrats gain from Independent Swing
Green gain from Independent Swing

Tavistock South East

Tavistock South East (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Adam Duncan Bridgewater 734 60.36 N/A
Conservative Debo Sellis * 604 49.67 −0.1
Green Amy St. Clair Hookway 472 38.82 +9.8
Conservative Richard Ivor John Phillips 378 31.09 −0.1
Turnout 1224 42.44
Independent gain from Independent Swing
Conservative hold Swing

Tavistock South West

Tavistock South West (2)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Anne Johnson 662 77.07 N/A
Independent Mandy Victoria Louise Ewings * 608 70.78 +18.7
Conservative Andy Nelson 157 18.28 +0.7
Conservative Candy Gynn-Martin 122 14.20 −2.6
Turnout 860 29.07
Independent hold Swing
Independent hold Swing

Changes 2023–2027

Tavistock North by-election, 22 June 2023
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Ursula Forhan Mann 233 25.49 N/A
Liberal Democrats Holly Greenbury-Pullen 233 25.49 −22.1
Green Annabel Judith Martn 215 23.52 −14.0
Conservative Judy Ann Hughes 176 19.26 −3.9
Labour Uwem Eno Udo 57 6.24 N/A
Turnout 914 22.68 −12.99
Independent gain from Green Swing

The Tavistock North by-election was triggered by the resignation of Green councillor Terry Wheeler.[8] The Independent and Liberal Democrat candidates won the same number of votes, but the Independent was elected on the drawing of lots.[9]

Tavistock North by-election, 2 May 2024[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Holly Greenbury-Pullen 387 28.1 −19.5
Conservative Judy Ann Hughes 348 25.2 +2.1
Green Sara Louise Wood 289 21.0 −16.5
Labour Uwem Eno Udo 195 14.1 N/A
Independent Michael Fife Cook 160 11.6 −23.5
Turnout 1,379 33.78
Liberal Democrats hold

By-election triggered by resignation of Liberal Democrat councillor Pete Squire.[11]

References

  1. ^ Of the 11 independent councillors before the election, 9 formed the "West Devon Alliance" with the Liberal Democrats and Greens, led by Ric Cheadle, the other 2 independents were not aligned to any group.
  1. ^ "Councillors by political party". West Devon Borough Council. Retrieved 2 May 2023.
  2. ^ "Local Elections 2023: Voters across Devon to elect new councils in May | BBC". www.bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 13 April 2023.
  3. ^ "Local elections 2023: Conservatives lose West Devon majority". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  4. ^ "New mayor and leader at West Devon Borough Council". Okehampton Times. 31 May 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  5. ^ "West Devon election result". BBC News. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  6. ^ "Borough Council election results". West Devon Borough Council. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  7. ^ "West Devon Borough Council poll for the Burrator Ward to be rearranged due to candidate death". Retrieved 26 June 2023.
  8. ^ Pitt, Sarah (19 May 2023). "Green councillor resigns after losing home". Tavistock Times Gazette. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  9. ^ "Independent councillor wins by drawing lots after by-election is dead heat!". Tavistock Times Gazette. 23 June 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
  10. ^ Pitt, Sarah (3 May 2024). "West Devon Borough Council by-election: Lib Dem win in Tavistock North Ward". Tavistock Today. Retrieved 10 May 2024.
  11. ^ Boothroyd, David (15 March 2024). "The dream shall never Dye". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 10 May 2024.