# 2023 Torridge District Council election

The 2023 Torridge District Council election took place on 4 May 2023, to elect all 36 members of Torridge District Council in Devon, England.
Prior to the election the majority of the councillors were independents, with 17 of the 19 independents forming the "Independent Group" led by Ken James, who served as leader of the council. After the election the council went under no overall control. The Independent Group remained the largest grouping, and Ken James was reappointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 22 May 2023.

## Summary
### Election result

2023 Torridge District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Independent | 28 | 16 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 44.4 | 33.4 | 11,236 | –1.8 |
| Liberal Democrats | 15 | 8 | 6 | 0 | 6 | 22.2 | 23.4 | 7,885 | +12.5 |
| Conservative | 25 | 6 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 16.7 | 24.7 | 8,297 | –4.5 |
| Green | 8 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 11.1 | 10.5 | 3,515 | +1.6 |
| Labour | 9 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 5.6 | 6.4 | 2,157 | –5.6 |
| UKIP | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 1.0 | 332 | –2.9 |
| Britain First | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 0.6 | 204 | N/A |
Of the 16 independent councillors after the election, 14 formed the Independent Group led by Ken James, the other two sat with the Greens as the "Green Independents" led by Green councillor Peter Christie.

## Ward Results

Incumbents are denoted by an asterisk (*)

### Appledore

Appledore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Leonard Ford* | 599 | 64.5 | +30.4 |
| | Green | Peter Hames* | 588 | 63.4 | +30.9 |
| | UKIP | Nigel Johnson | 134 | 14.4 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 928 | 31.97 | −9.40 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |

### Bideford East

Bideford East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Judith Gubb* | 459 | 43.3 | +7.1 |
| | Independent | James Craigie | 392 | 36.9 | N/A |
| | Green | Huw Thomas | 387 | 36.5 | +20.2 |
| | Labour | Jennifer Radford | 316 | 29.8 | +0.5 |
| | Independent | Jamie McKenzie* | 309 | 29.1 | +5.5 |
| | Conservative | Linda Hellyer | 299 | 28.2 | +6.1 |
| | Conservative | James Hellyer | 257 | 24.2 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Oliver Sherborne | 198 | 18.7 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,061 | 26.20 | −1.03 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Bideford North

Bideford North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Peter Christie* | 871 | 65.4 | +14.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trevor Johns | 517 | 38.8 | +21.1 |
| | Independent | Douglas Bushby* | 505 | 37.9 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | Nicholas Radford | 316 | 23.7 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative | Dermot McGeough* | 299 | 22.5 | −13.6 |
| | UKIP | Gaston Dezart | 198 | 14.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,331 | 30.27 | −7.38 |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Bideford South

Bideford South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Brenton* | 247 | 39.2 | +7.1 |
| | Independent | Simon Inch | 200 | 31.7 | +0.8 |
| | Labour | Jake McLean | 199 | 31.6 | −0.5 |
| | Green | Simon Mathers | 166 | 26.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Peter Lawrence | 162 | 25.7 | −1.8 |
| | Britain First | Philip Green | 108 | 17.1 | N/A |
| | Britain First | Anne Townsend | 96 | 15.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 630 | 25.10 | −1.87 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Bideford West

Bideford West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Carl Hawkins* | 187 | 34.1 | −2.0 |
| | Labour | Eithne Brenton | 186 | 33.9 | +6.0 |
| | Independent | Shirley Langford | 178 | 32.4 | N/A |
| | Independent | Anthony Inch* | 161 | 29.3 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | Jason Murdoch | 128 | 23.3 | −7.8 |
| | Conservative | Morgan Taylor | 108 | 19.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 549 | 25.22 | −2.87 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Broadheath

Broadheath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Philip Hackett* | 547 | 50.3 | −9.6 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Gibson | 449 | 41.3 | +9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sherrie Green | 412 | 37.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Graeme Barriball | 380 | 34.9 | +5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,088 | 33.10 | −1.67 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Great Torrington

Great Torrington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Bright* | 751 | 59.9 | +20.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lauren Bright | 588 | 46.9 | −18.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Douglas Smith | 553 | 44.1 | N/A |
| | Independent | Margaret Brown* | 327 | 26.1 | −11.5 |
| | Conservative | Roger Darch | 318 | 25.4 | N/A |
| | Green | Keith Funnell | 261 | 20.8 | −2.9 |
| | Labour | Penelope Hewitt | 230 | 18.4 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Helen Wilton-Love | 214 | 17.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,253 | 28.85 | −3.42 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Hartland

Hartland :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shirleyann Andrews | 763 | 49.5 | +23.2 |
| | Independent | Anna Dart* | 755 | 49.0 | +13.3 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Harding* | 640 | 41.5 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Richard Boughton* | 567 | 36.8 | −0.1 |
| | Independent | Robin Julian | 439 | 28.5 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,542 | 32.73 | −5.41 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Holsworthy

Holsworthy :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lyndon Piper | 541 | 61.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Peter Shepherd | 460 | 52.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emma Hosie | 255 | 29.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Diana Stevens | 166 | 18.9 | −55.1 |
| | Conservative | Melanie Dymond | 142 | 16.2 | −32.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 879 | 36.14 | +2.23 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Milton & Tamarside

Milton & Tamarside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kenneth James* | 659 | 61.0 | +61.0 |
| | Independent | Christopher Hepple* | 524 | 48.5 | +48.5 |
| | Green | Tracey Beresford | 374 | 34.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Tony Barrett | 225 | 20.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,080 | 32.36 | +32.36 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Monkleigh & Putford

Monkleigh & Putford :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Philip Pennington* | 567 | 44.1 | −16.2 |
| | Independent | Robert Hicks* | 537 | 41.7 | −12.2 |
| | Green | Rosemary Gent | 355 | 27.6 | +1.5 |
| | Conservative | Susan Collins | 339 | 26.3 | +6.9 |
| | Labour | James Lowe | 312 | 24.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Jeffrey Wilton-Love | 218 | 16.9 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,287 | 40.91 | +1.98 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Northam

Northam :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Christopher Leather* | 674 | 45.0 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Jane Whittaker | 530 | 35.4 | +12.1 |
| | Green | Wendy Lo-Vel | 513 | 34.2 | N/A |
| | Independent | Joanne Manley* | 485 | 32.4 | −4.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Samantha Newman-McKie | 471 | 31.4 | +15.8 |
| | Conservative | Carrie Woodhouse* | 334 | 22.3 | −0.5 |
| | Independent | John Himan | 310 | 20.7 | −2.6 |
| | Independent | Hugh Brading | 268 | 17.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,499 | 37.18 | +1.98 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Shebbear & Langtree

Shebbear & Langtree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin** | 892 | 66.2 | +30.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Wheatley | 700 | 52.0 | N/A |
| | Conservative | David Hurley* | 540 | 40.1 | −5.8 |
| | Conservative | David Jupp | 348 | 25.8 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,347 | 43.92 | +0.10 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin was a sitting councillor for Great Torrington ward.

### Two Rivers & Three Moors

Two Rivers & Three Moors :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Lock* | 609 | 50.2 | −8.8 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Elliott | 513 | 42.3 | −9.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roger Allen | 476 | 39.2 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Claire Davey-Potts | 452 | 37.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Rachel Clarke | 220 | 18.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,213 | 36.96 | −1.89 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Westward Ho!

Westward Ho! :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Claire Hodson* | 494 | 46.0 | −0.3 |
| | Independent | Louis Bach | 334 | 31.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Albert Bruins | 277 | 25.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Derek Sargent | 243 | 22.6 | −3.8 |
| | Independent | Anmol Singh | 241 | 22.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Kenneth Hind | 183 | 17.0 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative | Patricia Ferguson | 175 | 16.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,074 | 35.99 | −5.88 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Winkleigh

Winkleigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Newton* | 343 | 48.6 | +0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stephen Middleton | 237 | 33.6 | −3.8 |
| | Labour | Angela Findlay | 126 | 17.8 | +3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 706 | 40.55 | +0.03 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

## Changes 2023–2027
### Bideford North by-election

Bideford North by-election, 2 May 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Teresa Tinsley | 358 | 29.1 | −9.7 |
| | Labour | Tom Hammett | 231 | 18.8 | −4.9 |
| | Green | John Puddy | 229 | 18.6 | −46.8 |
| | Conservative | Morgan Taylor | 173 | 14.1 | −8.4 |
| | Independent | Anthony Inch | 123 | 10.0 | N/A |
| | Reform UK | Nigel Johnson | 90 | 7.3 | N/A |
| | Independent | Ruth Craigie | 25 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 10.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,229 | 27.9 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green | Liberal Democrats gain from Green |
By-election triggered by death of Green councillor Peter Christie.