2023 Mid Devon District Council election

2023 Mid Devon District Council election
4 May 2023 (2023-05-04)
All 42 seats to Mid Devon District Council
22 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party
  Blank Blank
Leader Luke Taylor Clive Eginton
Party Liberal Democrats Conservative
Last election 12 seats, 29.6% 18 seats, 34.1%
Seats before 11 17
Seats after 33 5
Seat change Increase 21 Decrease 13
Popular vote 19,451 13,811
Percentage 46.8% 33.2%
Swing Increase 17.2% Decrease 0.9%
  Third party Fourth party
  Blank Blank
Leader Elizabeth Lloyd
Party Green Independent
Last election 2 seats, 8.6% 10 seats, 13.9%
Seats before 2 12[a]
Seats after 3 1
Seat change Increase 1 Decrease 9
Popular vote 2,793 3,286
Percentage 6.7% 7.9%
Swing Decrease 1.9% Decrease 6.0%
Winner of each seat at the 2023 Mid Devon District Council election
Leader before election

Barry Warren
Independent
No overall control

 Leader after election

Luke Taylor
Liberal Democrats

The 2023 Mid Devon District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Mid Devon District Council in Devon, England.[2][3] It was held on the same day as other local elections in the United Kingdom.

The Liberal Democrats took control of the council for the first time since 1999.[4][5]

Overview

Prior to the election the council was under no overall control, being run by a minority administration of some of the independent councillors, with independent Barry Warren serving as leader of the council.[6]

New ward boundaries took effect for this election, following a review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. The number of seats stayed the same at 42, but the configuration of wards was changed to comprise five 3-member wards, ten 2-member wards and seven single member wards.[7][8]

The election saw the Liberal Democrats win a majority of the seats on the council. The independents and Conservatives both lost significant numbers of seats: leader of the council Barry Warren lost his seat, as did the Conservative group leader Clive Eginton.[9] Liberal Democrat group leader Luke Taylor was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023.[10]

Results summary

2023 Mid Devon District Council election[11][12]
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Liberal Democrats 36 33 21 0 Increase 21 78.5 46.8 19,451 +17.2
  Conservative 40 5 0 13 Decrease 13 11.9 33.2 13,811 –0.9
  Green 8 3 1 0 Increase 1 7.1 6.7 2,793 –1.9
  Independent 12 1 0 9 Decrease 9 2.4 7.9 3,286 –6.0
  Labour 12 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 5.3 2,213 –1.8
  Reform 1 0 0 0 Steady 0.0 <0.1 19 N/A

Ward results

Mid Devon District Council election results.[13]

Bradninch

Bradninch[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Luke Taylor* 650 82.2 N/A
Labour Piers Kotting 92 11.6 N/A
Conservative James Rutledge 49 6.2 N/A
Majority 558 70.6 N/A
Turnout 793 48.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Cadbury

Cadbury[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rhys Roberts 277 41.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Georgina Stone 163 24.4 N/A
Independent Bob Deed* 137 20.5 N/A
Labour Linda Luckhaus 71 10.6 N/A
Reform Jennifer Riddle 19 2.8 N/A
Majority 114 17.1 N/A
Turnout 667 45.1 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

Canonsleigh

Canonsleigh (2 seats)[16]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jane Lock 736 63.6 N/A
Green Gill Westcott 521 45.0 N/A
Conservative Christine Collis* 375 32.4 N/A
Conservative Paul Osman 333 28.8 N/A
Turnout 1,166 40.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Green win (new seat)

Clare & Shuttern

Clare & Shuttern (2 seats)[17]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Chris Adcock 787 58.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Rachel Gilmour 732 54.4 N/A
Conservative Isobel Grant 549 40.8 N/A
Conservative Isla Farrington 493 36.7 N/A
Turnout 1,367 44.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Crediton Boniface

Crediton Boniface (2 seats)[18]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Jim Cairney* 497 57.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Downes* 494 57.0 N/A
Independent Steve Huxtable 215 24.8 N/A
Conservative Gina Ford 194 22.4 N/A
Labour John Humphreys 138 15.9 N/A
Turnout 870 27.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Crediton Lawrence

Crediton Lawrence (2 seats)[19]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Frank Letch* 611 58.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Guy Cochran 556 53.6 N/A
Labour Laurie Laybourn 307 29.6 N/A
Conservative Sam Scougall-Scott 254 24.5 N/A
Turnout 1,058 34.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Cullompton Padbrook

Cullompton Padbrook (2 seats)[20]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Lloyd Knight 457 55.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Sue Robinson 370 44.8 N/A
Conservative John Berry* 345 41.8 N/A
Conservative Susan Lane-Smith 263 31.9 N/A
Green Anthony Humble-Smith 123 14.9 N/A
Turnout 828 27.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Cullompton St Andrews

Cullompton St Andrews (3 seats)[21]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Emma Buczkowski 636 59.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats James Buczkowski* 634 59.5 N/A
Independent Nikki Woollatt* 479 45.0 N/A
Conservative Jane Attwood 322 30.2 N/A
Labour Edward Southerden 226 21.2 N/A
Conservative Martin Whatley 217 20.4 N/A
Conservative Melvyn Hanks 205 19.2 N/A
Turnout 1,070 27.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Independent hold

Cullompton Vale

Cullompton Vale[22]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Matt Fletcher 166 65.6 N/A
Conservative Rosemary Berry 87 34.4 N/A
Majority 79 31.2 N/A
Turnout 253 31.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Halberton

Halberton[23]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Gwen DuChesne 360 60.4 N/A
Conservative Ray Radford* 236 39.6 N/A
Majority 124 20.8 N/A
Turnout 596 38.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Lower Culm

Lower Culm (3 seats)[24]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andrea Glover 814 45.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Cathy Connor 702 39.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Poynton 673 37.5 N/A
Conservative Richard Chesterton* 649 36.1 N/A
Conservative Brian Lane-Smith 461 25.7 N/A
Independent Bob Evans* 434 24.2 N/A
Conservative Lewis Worrow 419 23.3 N/A
Independent Barry Warren* 403 22.4 N/A
Labour John Bell 236 13.1 N/A
Turnout 1,799 33.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Sandford & Creedy

Sandford & Creedy (2 seats)[25]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Helen Tuffin 632 51.6 N/A
Green Mark Jenkins 576 47.1 N/A
Conservative Margaret Squires* 575 47.0 N/A
Conservative Alex Monro 517 42.2 N/A
Turnout 1,238 43.6 N/A
Green win (new seat)
Green win (new seat)

Silverton

Silverton[26]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Josh Wright* 500 85.3 N/A
Conservative Jerry Brook 86 14.7 N/A
Majority 414 70.6 N/A
Turnout 586 37.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Taw Vale

Taw Vale[27]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Steve Keable 444 53.7 N/A
Conservative Clive Eginton* 383 46.3 N/A
Majority 61 7.4 N/A
Turnout 827 48.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Tiverton Castle

Tiverton Castle (2 seats)[28]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Ben Holdman 553 55.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Wulff 532 53.5 N/A
Conservative Elizabeth Slade* 273 27.4 N/A
Conservative Luis Gordon 265 26.6 N/A
Independent Chris Berry 198 19.9 N/A
Turnout 1,009 30.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Tiverton Cranmore

Tiverton Cranmore (3 seats)[29]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Les Cruwys* 606 54.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Beckett Fish 463 41.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Lance Kennedy 445 40.0 N/A
Conservative Sue Griggs* 346 31.1 N/A
Conservative Guy Edwards 271 24.4 N/A
Independent Chris Daw* 262 23.6 N/A
Independent Steve Bush 229 20.6 N/A
Conservative Nina Lindsay 202 18.2 N/A
Labour Tom Ewings 109 9.8 N/A
Turnout 1,121 28.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Tiverton Lowman

Tiverton Lowman (3 seats)[30]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Andy Cuddy 574 50.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Gordon Czapiewski 455 40.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Matt Farrell 405 35.9 N/A
Conservative Rebecca Clarke 360 31.9 N/A
Conservative Neal Davey* 355 31.5 N/A
Conservative Colin Slade* 313 27.8 N/A
Independent Tim Bridger 250 22.2 N/A
Labour Jason Chamberlain 245 21.7 N/A
Turnout 1,132 23.0 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Tiverton Westexe

Tiverton Westexe (3 seats)[31]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Dave Broom 494 40.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Jamie Frost 444 36.6 N/A
Conservative Claudette Harrower 334 27.5 N/A
Conservative Stephen Pugh* 287 23.7 N/A
Conservative Richard Watson 277 22.8 N/A
Independent Wally Burke* 273 22.5 N/A
Independent Jason Lejeune 236 19.5 N/A
Labour Alex Bingham 221 18.2 N/A
Green Martin Atkinson 208 17.1 N/A
Independent Steve Flaws 170 14.0 N/A
Green Chris Musgrave 156 12.9 N/A
Turnout 1,225 25.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Upper Culm

Upper Culm (2 seats)[32]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Simon Clist * 814 60.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Natasha Bradshaw 807 60.3 N/A
Conservative James Bartlett* 428 32.0 N/A
Conservative Michael Cooper 366 27.3 N/A
Labour Terence Edwards 127 9.5 N/A
Turnout 1,346 39.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Upper Yeo & Taw

Upper Yeo & Taw (2 seats)[33]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stuart Penny* 591 47.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Natalia Letch 561 45.4 N/A
Conservative Peter Heal* 524 42.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Andi Wyer* 382 30.9 N/A
Labour Hayden Sharp 208 16.8 N/A
Turnout 1,246 38.3 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)

Way

Way[34]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Polly Colthorpe* 351 50.5 N/A
Green Rosie Wibberley 344 49.5 N/A
Majority 7 1.0 N/A
Turnout 695 40.6 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)

Yeo

Yeo (2 seats)[35]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sandy Chenore 553 43.3 N/A
Conservative Martin Binks 490 38.4 N/A
Conservative Angus Howie 489 38.3 N/A
Liberal Democrats Paul Perriman 381 29.8 N/A
Labour John Dean 233 18.2 N/A
Green Danuta Karpinska 233 18.2 N/A
Turnout 1,281 43.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

Changes 2023–2027

  • Jamie Frost, elected as a Liberal Democrat in 2023, subsequently left the party.[36]

Upper Yeo & Taw

Upper Yeo & Taw by-election, 7 March 2024[37]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Alex White 405 52.2 +6.8
Conservative Peter Heal 226 29.1 −18.7
Labour Hayden Sharp 91 11.7 −5.1
Green Mark Scotland 54 7.0 N/A
Majority 179 23.1 N/A
Turnout 781 24.2 −14.1
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +12.8

The Upper Yeo & Taw by-election was triggered by the resignation of councillor Stuart Penny. Penny had been elected as a Conservative in 2023, but left the party in August 2023 to sit as an independent before resigning from the council.[38]

  • Claudette Harrower, elected as a Conservative in 2023, joined the Liberal Democrats in April 2024.[39]

Tiverton Westexe

Tiverton Westexe by-election, 20 June 2024[40]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Adam Stirling 431 45.4 +4.7
Conservative Paul Osman 248 26.1 −1.4
Independent Jason Lejeune 182 19.2 −0.3
Green Laura Buchanan 88 9.3 −7.8
Majority 183 19.3 N/A
Turnout 954 19.4 −5.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

The Tiverton Westexe by-election was triggered by the disqualification of councillor Jamie Frost after he failed to attend council meetings for six consecutive months. Frost had been elected as a Liberal Democrat in 2023 but later left the party.[36]

Clare and Shuttern

Clare and Shuttern by-election, 1 May 2025[41]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Martyn Stratton 664 50.0 −8.5
Conservative Toby William Gray 615 46.3 +5.5
Labour Terry Edwards 48 3.6 N/A
Majority 49 3.7 N/A
Turnout 1,373 44.5 −0.4
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

The Clare and Shuttern by-election followed the decision of councillor Rachel Gilmour, who had been elected as the Member of Parliament for Tiverton and Minehead in July 2024, to stand down from the district council.[42]

Crediton Lawrence

Crediton Lawrence by-election, 26 June 2025[43]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Stanford 540 64.9 +6.0
Reform Andy Hankins 226 27.2 N/A
Labour Terence Edwards 66 7.9 −21.7
Majority 314 37.7 N/A
Turnout 843 27.1 −7.2
Registered electors 3,110
Liberal Democrats hold

The Crediton Lawrence by-election was triggered by the death of councillor Frank Letch on 8 April 2025.[44]

References

  1. ↑ Of the independent councillors prior to the election, eight formed the "Non-aligned group" led by Barry Warren.[1]
  1. ↑ "Your councillors by political grouping". Mid Devon District Council. Archived from the original on 22 March 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  2. ↑ "Elections 2023". Mid Devon District Council. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  3. ↑ "Election timetable in England". UK Government. Retrieved 10 April 2023.
  4. ↑ "Mid Devon result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  5. ↑ "Local elections 2023: Lib Dems win big Mid Devon majority". BBC News. 5 May 2023. Retrieved 7 May 2023.
  6. ↑ Heptinstall, Ollie (28 February 2023). "Mid Devon's new leader confirms his top team as turmoil continues". Devon Live. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  7. ↑ "News Release from the Local Government Government Boundary Commission". Mid Devon District Council. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  8. ↑ "The Mid Devon (Electoral Changes) Order 2021", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2021/889, retrieved 30 July 2023
  9. ↑ Heptinstall, Ollie (8 May 2023). "Local elections: Liberal Democrats win majority in Mid Devon". Midweek Herald. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  10. ↑ "Council minutes, 24 May 2023". Mid Devon District Council. 24 May 2023. Retrieved 30 July 2023.
  11. ↑ "Statement of Persons Nominated - District Elections". Mid Devon District Council. Archived from the original on 9 April 2023. Retrieved 9 April 2023.
  12. ↑ "Mid Devon result - Local Elections 2023". BBC News. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  13. ↑ "District Council results". Mid Devon District Council. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  14. ↑ "Bradninch - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  15. ↑ "Cadbury - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 9 May 2023.
  16. ↑ "Canonsleigh - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  17. ↑ "Clare & Shuttern - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  18. ↑ "Crediton Boniface - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  19. ↑ "Crediton Lawrence - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  20. ↑ "Cullompton Padbrook - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  21. ↑ "Cullompton St Andrews - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  22. ↑ "Cullompton Vale - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  23. ↑ "Halberton - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  24. ↑ "Lower Culm - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  25. ↑ "Sandford & Creedy - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  26. ↑ "Silverton - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  27. ↑ "Taw Vale - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  28. ↑ "Tiverton Castle - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  29. ↑ "Tiverton Cranmore - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  30. ↑ "Tiverton Lowman - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  31. ↑ "Tiverton Westexe - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  32. ↑ "Upper Culm - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  33. ↑ "Upper Yeo & Taw - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  34. ↑ "Way - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  35. ↑ "Yeo - District Election Results - MIDDEVON.GOV.UK". www.middevon.gov.uk. Retrieved 8 May 2023.
  36. 1 2 Quick, Alan (20 June 2024). "Election news: Lib Dems gain 35th seat on Mid Devon Council". Crediton Courier. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  37. ↑ "District Election – Upper Yeo & Taw". Mid Devon District Council. 7 March 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  38. ↑ Gerrard, Bradley (29 February 2024). "Four candidates to battle for Mid Devon by-election". Crediton Courier. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  39. ↑ Clarke, Lewis (19 April 2024). "Claudette jumps from Tories to Lib Dems as party's Mid Devon majority grows". Devon Live. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  40. ↑ "District Election Result – (Tiverton) Westexe". Mid Devon District Council. 20 June 2024. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  41. ↑ "Results of Poll: Clare and Shuttern District Election". Mid Devon District Council. 1 May 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  42. ↑ Local Democracy Reporting Service (5 March 2025). "Tiverton MP Gilmour criticised by prospective councillor". Crediton Courier. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  43. ↑ "Result of Poll – Crediton Lawrence Ward (District)". Mid Devon District Council. 26 June 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
  44. ↑ "A tribute to Councillor Frank Letch MBE". Mid Devon District Council. 9 April 2025. Retrieved 19 July 2026.
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