# 2023 Mid Devon District Council election

The 2023 Mid Devon District Council election took place on 4 May 2023 to elect members of Mid Devon District Council in Devon, England. 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.

## 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.
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.
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. Liberal Democrat group leader Luke Taylor was appointed leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 24 May 2023.

## Results summary

2023 Mid Devon District Council election :
| Party | Candidates | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Liberal Democrats | 36 | 33 | 21 | 0 | 21 | 78.5 | 46.8 | 19,451 | +17.2 |
| Conservative | 40 | 5 | 0 | 13 | 13 | 11.9 | 33.2 | 13,811 | –0.9 |
| Green | 8 | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 7.1 | 6.7 | 2,793 | –1.9 |
| Independent | 12 | 1 | 0 | 10 | 10 | 2.4 | 7.9 | 3,286 | –6.0 |
| Labour | 13 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | 5.3 | 2,212 | –1.8 |
| Reform UK | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | 0.0 | <0.1 | 19 | N/A |

## Ward results

Mid Devon District Council election results.

### Bradninch

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

### Cadbury

Cadbury :
| Party | 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 UK | Jennifer Riddle | 19 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 114 | 17.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 667 | 45.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Canonsleigh

Canonsleigh (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,166 | 40.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Clare & Shuttern

Clare & Shuttern (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,367 | 44.9 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Crediton Boniface

Crediton Boniface (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 870 | 27.5 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Crediton Lawrence

Crediton Lawrence (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,058 | 34.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Cullompton Padbrook

Cullompton Padbrook (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 828 | 27.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Cullompton St Andrews

Cullompton St Andrews (3 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,070 | 27.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Cullompton Vale

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

### Halberton

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

### Lower Culm

Lower Culm (3 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,799 | 33.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Sandford & Creedy

Sandford & Creedy (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,238 | 43.6 | N/A |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |
| | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) | Green win (new seat) |

### Silverton

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

### Taw Vale

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

### Tiverton Castle

Tiverton Castle (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1 009 | 30.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Tiverton Cranmore

Tiverton Cranmore (3 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,121 | 28.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Tiverton Lowman

Tiverton Lowman (3 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,132 | 23.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Tiverton Westexe

Tiverton Westexe (3 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,225 | 25.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

### Upper Culm

Upper Culm (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,346 | 39.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Upper Yeo & Taw

Upper Yeo & Taw (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,246 | 38.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |

### Way

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

### Yeo

Yeo (2 seats) :
| Party | 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 | Turnout | Turnout | 1,281 | 43.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) | Liberal Democrats win (new seat) |
| | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) | Conservative win (new seat) |

## Changes 2023–2027

* Jamie Frost, elected as a Liberal Democrat in 2023, left the party in February 2024 to sit as an independent.

### Upper Yeo & Taw

Upper Yeo & Taw by-election, 7 March 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Alex White | 405 | 52.2 | +21.3 |
| | Conservative | Peter Heal | 226 | 29.1 | −13.3 |
| | Labour | Hayden Sharp | 91 | 11.7 | −5.1 |
| | Green | Mark Scotland | 54 | 7.0 | New |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 179 | 23.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 776 | 24.2 | −14.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | +17.3 | |
By-election triggered by the resignation of Stuart Penny, who was elected as a Conservative in 2023 but had left the party in August 2023 to sit as an independent before resigning from the council altogether.
* Claudette Harrower, elected as a Conservative in 2023, joined the Liberal Democrats in April 2024.

### Tiverton Westexe

Tiverton Westexe by-election, 20 June 2024 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Stirling | 431 | 45.4 | +13.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Osman | 248 | 26.1 | +4.3 |
| | Independent | Jason Lejeune | 182 | 19.2 | New |
| | Green | Laura Buchanan | 88 | 9.3 | −4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 183 | 19.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 954 | 19.4 | −5.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +4.4 | |
By-election triggered by disqualification of Jamie Frost for non-attendance. He had been elected in 2023 as a Liberal Democrat, but had left the party and sat as an independent until his disqualification.