# 2007 Torridge District Council election

The 2007 Torridge District Council election took place on 3 May 2007 to elect members of Torridge District Council in Devon, England. The whole council was up for election and independents lost overall control of the council to no overall control.

## Election result

The Conservatives gained 7 seats, while independents lost 9 seats to mean that no group had a majority on the council, with both the Conservatives and independents finishing on 13 councillors. The Conservative gains came after the number of candidates the party fielded increased from 4 at the 2003 election to 22 in 2007. Among the independents to lose their seats was the council leader Pat Ferguson, who was defeated in Bideford South after having previously represented Three Moors ward.
Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats increased by 1 to 8 seats and the Greens also gained 1 seat to have 2 councillors. 7 councillors were elected unopposed, the highest number in the country at the 2007 local elections. Overall turnout at the election was 42.1%, up from 38.4% in 2003.
Following the election the leader of the Conservative group on the council, James Morrish, became the youngest leader of the council at the age of 34.
Torridge local election result 2007 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 13 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 36.1 | 30.9 | 8,878 | +26.3% |
| Independent | 13 | 0 | 9 | -9 | 36.1 | 27.8 | 7,997 | +0.5% |
| Liberal Democrats | 8 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 22.2 | 27.0 | 7,777 | +1.4% |
| Green | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.6 | 9.4 | 2,708 | +6.0% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.1 | 895 | +1.4% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.8 | 520 | -3.2% |

## Ward results

Appledore (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Eastman | 480 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leonard Ford | 421 | | |
| | Conservative | Alison Boyle | 352 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Val Robbins | 349 | | |
| | UKIP | Kenny Davis | 191 | | |
| | Green | Peter Hames | 182 | | |
| | Independent | Andy Harrison | 134 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,109 | 48.6 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Bideford East (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Brian Lacey | 678 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Caroline Church | 613 | | |
| | Independent | Stephen Clarke | 512 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Wootton | 245 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Angela Bone | 244 | | |
| | Independent | Gerald Waldron | 225 | | |
| | UKIP | Keith Kersey | 173 | | |
| | UKIP | Gaston Dezart | 171 | | |
| | Labour | Anne Brenton | 152 | | |
| | UKIP | David Johnson | 115 | | |
| | Labour | Sheila Bloomfield | 86 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,214 | 36.4 | +4.2 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bideford North (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Peter Christie | 740 | | |
| | Conservative | David Fulford | 614 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugo Barton | 549 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trevor Johns | 471 | | |
| | Conservative | Jim Jackson | 430 | | |
| | Green | Jon Hooper | 377 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mel Bushell | 359 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,540 | 34.8 | +0.0 |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Bideford South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Inch | 433 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Inch | 406 | | |
| | Conservative | Philip Pester | 344 | | |
| | Conservative | Graham Jones | 338 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Clive Bone | 321 | | |
| | Labour | David Brenton | 282 | | |
| | Independent | Patricia Ferguson | 270 | | |
| | Independent | Chris Cornish | 244 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,638 | 27.8 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Broadheath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marion Perkin | unopposed | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Clinton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Philip Collins | 397 | 58.1 | +23.9 |
| | Conservative | Ted Seath | 286 | 41.9 | +15.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 16.3 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 683 | 55.0 | −0.1 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Clovelly Bay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Royston Johns | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Coham Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gaye Tabor | unopposed | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Barry Parsons | 422 | 60.1 |
| | Independent | Chris March | 280 | 39.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 142 | 20.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 702 | 51.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
Hartland and Bradworthy (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Symons | 657 | |
| | Independent | Bill Pillman | 598 | |
| | Independent | Trevor Sillifant | 363 | |
| | UKIP | Robin Julian | 245 | |
| | Green | Anne Rix | 195 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,058 | 50.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
Holsworthy (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Desmond Shadrick | 710 | | |
| | Independent | Richard Brown | 558 | | |
| | Independent | John Allen | 384 | | |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Broyd | 348 | | |
| | Conservative | Jamie Zambuni | 278 | | |
| | Independent | Richard Kennedy | 236 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,514 | 46.8 | +6.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Independent | Independent gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Kenwith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tony Collins | 333 | 54.5 | +54.5 |
| | Independent | Hugh Bone | 278 | 45.5 | −7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 9.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 611 | 46.8 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Monkleigh and Littleham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Philip Pennington | 351 | 57.5 |
| | Conservative | George Clinch | 259 | 42.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 92 | 15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 610 | 52.2 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
Northam (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sam Robinson | 894 | | |
| | Conservative | Roger Johnson | 888 | | |
| | Green | Miranda Cox | 862 | | |
| | Conservative | Chas Langton | 837 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Miller | 578 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,069 | 37.6 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Green gain from Independent | Green gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Orchard Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Chris Leather | 475 | 75.4 | +22.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Humphrey Temperley | 155 | 24.6 | +24.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 320 | 50.8 | +45.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 630 | 45.2 | +4.4 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Shebbear and Langtree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Saywell | 411 | 52.4 | +52.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Allin Bewes | 373 | 47.6 | −15.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 38 | 4.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 784 | 52.9 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Tamarside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Kenneth James | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Three Moors :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Lock | 546 | 62.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adrian Freeland | 326 | 37.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 220 | 25.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 872 | 64.8 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | |
Torrington (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Margaret Brown | 693 | | |
| | Conservative | Andy Boyd | 620 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Lee | 495 | | |
| | Independent | Richard Rumbold | 490 | | |
| | Independent | Judd Bond | 476 | | |
| | Green | Cathrine Simmons | 352 | | |
| | Independent | David Cox | 179 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,305 | 37.5 | +9.7 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Two Rivers :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | James Morrish | unopposed | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Waldon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Bob Hicks | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Westward Ho! :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Roger Tisdale | 325 | 47.7 | +5.3 |
| | Conservative | Susan Collins | 198 | 29.0 | +29.0 |
| | Independent | Hazel Bissessar | 87 | 12.8 | +12.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Myrna Bushell | 72 | 10.6 | +10.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 127 | 18.6 | +3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 682 | 41.5 | −4.1 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Winkleigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | David Lausen | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2007 and 2011
### Hartland and Bradworthy

A by-election was held in Hartland and Bradworthy ward after the death of the longest serving councillor in Torridge, Bill Pillman, who had first stood for the council in 1976. The seat was gained for the Liberal Democrats by Brian Redwood by a majority of 469 votes.
Hartland and Bradworthy by-election 12 March 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Redwood | 786 | 63.4 | +31.5 |
| | Conservative | Simon Goaman | 317 | 25.6 | +25.6 |
| | UKIP | Robin Julian | 103 | 8.3 | −3.6 |
| | Independent | Clifford Pryor | 33 | 2.7 | −26.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 469 | 37.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,239 | 51.0 | +0.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Holsworthy

Independent Pam Johns won a by-election in Holsworthy with a majority of 66 votes after the death of Liberal Democrat councillor Des Shadrick.
Holsworthy by-election 13 August 2009 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Pam Johns | 537 | 53.3 | +18.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Vicky Spearman | 471 | 46.7 | +2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 66 | 6.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,008 | 31.8 | −15.0 |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |