# 2011 North Devon District Council election

The 2011 North Devon District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of North Devon District Council in Devon, England. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party lost overall control of the council to no overall control.

## Background

Before the election the council was controlled by the Conservatives with 22 councillors, compared to 17 Liberal Democrats and 4 independents. However North Devon was reported as one of the councils that the Conservatives were most likely to lose control of in 2011.
There were 120 candidates standing in the election for the 43 seats on the council. These were made up of 36 Conservatives, 33 Liberal Democrats, 20 independents, 17 Green Party, 10 Labour, 2 Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, 1 United Kingdom Independence Party and 1 Communist Party of Britain. The candidates included the former Liberal Democrat leader of the council, Malcolm Prowse, and Yvette Gubb, who both quit the Liberal Democrats to stand as independents in the election.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservative lose their majority on the council, dropping to 18 seats after suffering a net loss of four councillors. The Liberal Democrats stayed as the main opposition with 14 seats, but also dropped 3 seats. It was independents who made progress in the election, with the number of independent councillors going up to 11. Overall turnout in the election was 45.33%, ranging from a high of 63% in Bratton Fleming to a low of 30% in Forches and Whiddon Valley.
Among the councillors to lose their seats to independents were Conservatives Dick Jones and John Gill in Fremington and Liberal Democrats Carol Mccormack-Hole and Sue Sewell in Bickington and Roundswell, and South Molton respectively. Successful independent candidates included the former Conservative Rodney Cann and the former Liberal Democrat Malcolm Prowse.
10 of the 11 elected independent councillors divided up into 3 groups, New Wave, containing Rodney Cann, Joanne Bell, Frank Biederman and Brian Hockin, North Devon First, containing Malcolm Prowse, Julia Clark and Yvette Gubb, and Independent Group, containing Mike Edmunds, Eric Ley and Walter White. The final independent, John Moore, was not part of any group.
Following the election a coalition between the Liberal Democrat and independent councillors took control of the council from the former Conservative administration. Liberal Democrat Brian Greenslade became the new council leader, taking over from Conservative Des Brailey, while independent Rodney Cann became deputy leader. The new cabinet was made up of 5 Liberal Democrats and 4 independents.
North Devon Local Election Result 2011 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 18 | 1 | 5 | -4 | 41.9 | 36.1 | 18,269 | -3.7% |
| Liberal Democrats | 14 | 2 | 5 | -3 | 32.6 | 31.6 | 16,004 | -11.2% |
| Independent | 11 | 7 | 0 | +7 | 25.6 | 20.4 | 10,317 | +12.9% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.9 | 3,474 | -2.4% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.9 | 1,985 | +3.7% |
| TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.7 | 340 | +0.7% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 131 | +0.3% |
| Communist | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 90 | +0.0% |
2 independent candidates were unopposed.

## Ward results

Bickington & Roundswell (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Rodney Cann* | 850 | 55.6 | −9.7 |
| | Independent | Brian Hockin | 570 | 37.3 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol McCormack-Hole* | 411 | 26.9 | −17.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jerry Hole | 281 | 18.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Serena Thomas | 278 | 18.2 | −47.1 |
| | Conservative | Jason Ritterband-Fulcher | 272 | 17.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jean Smalley | 163 | 10.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,550 | 43.39 | +8.5 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Bishops Nympton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Eric Ley* | unopposed | 0.0 | −84.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 0 | N/A | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bratton Fleming :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Malcolm Prowse* | 544 | 54.1 | −24.8 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Cumming | 315 | 31.3 | +10.2 |
| | Green | Ian Godfrey | 147 | 14.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 229 | 22.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,018 | 62.78 | +6.2 |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Braunton East (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Roy Lucas* | 621 | 41.4 | −8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Derrick Spear | 517 | 34.5 | −4.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Spear | 495 | 33.0 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Sally Smith | 489 | 32.6 | −8.2 |
| | Green | Mary Breeds | 276 | 18.4 | +1.6 |
| | Green | Andy Leat | 191 | 12.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Valerie Cann | 173 | 11.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,528 | 47.03 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Braunton West (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Caroline Chugg* | 753 | 47.6 | −9.5 |
| | Conservative | Jasmine Chesters* | 677 | 42.8 | −8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Marguerite Shapland | 478 | 30.2 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Carol Woodford | 342 | 21.6 | −11.1 |
| | Green | Liz Wood | 218 | 13.8 | N/A |
| | Labour | Steven Holden | 206 | 13.0 | +5.3 |
| | Green | Mary Clay | 174 | 11.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,618 | 47.60 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Central Town (Barnstaple) (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Faye Webber* | 593 | 48.4 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Bradford | 550 | 44.9 | −2.4 |
| | Conservative | Simon Harvey | 459 | 37.4 | +1.3 |
| | Labour | Danny Neary | 235 | 19.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Deborah Lewis | 201 | 16.4 | −5.2 |
| | Communist | Gerrard Sables | 90 | 7.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,256 | 33.86 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Chittlehampton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Walter White | unopposed | 0.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 0 | N/A | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Chulmleigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Sue Croft* | 615 | 63.4 | +14.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trudy Weston | 355 | 36.6 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 260 | 26.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 991 | 54.55 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Combe Martin (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Yvette Gubb | 1,168 | 65.5 | +9.8 |
| | Independent | Julia Clark | 821 | 46.1 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Sue Sussex* | 764 | 42.9 | −12.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Crockett | 541 | 30.4 | −1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,821 | 54.18 | +3.3 |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Forches & Whiddon Valley (Barnstaple) (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Haywood* | 534 | 58.6 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Hunt* | 433 | 47.5 | −3.8 |
| | Labour | Geoff Moody | 208 | 22.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Neil Basil | 200 | 22.0 | ±0.0 |
| | TUSC | Douglas Lowe | 154 | 16.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 966 | 29.50 | +3.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Fremington (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Frank Biederman | 1,266 | 66.8 | N/A |
| | Independent | Joanne Bell | 969 | 51.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Dick Jones* | 382 | 20.2 | −19.0 |
| | Conservative | John Gill* | 323 | 17.0 | −20.4 |
| | Independent | Tony Wood | 235 | 12.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Cann | 184 | 9.7 | −17.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joy Cann | 95 | 5.0 | −21.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,934 | 53.95 | +11.1 |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Independent gain from Conservative | Independent gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Georgeham & Mortehoe (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Wilkinson* | 678 | 45.2 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Pat Barker* | 597 | 39.8 | +2.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Slade | 557 | 37.1 | +0.3 |
| | Conservative | Edward Short | 416 | 27.7 | −5.6 |
| | Green | Mike Harrison | 274 | 18.3 | +2.1 |
| | Green | Rosemary Brian | 205 | 13.7 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,526 | 50.00 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Heanton Punchardon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrea Davis* | 301 | 52.7 | −18.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ray Shapland | 139 | 24.3 | −4.7 |
| | UKIP | Steve Crowther | 131 | 22.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 162 | 28.4 | −13.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 577 | 35.19 | +3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ilfracombe Central (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Crabb* | 496 | 48.3 | −10.4 |
| | Conservative | Paul Yabsley* | 436 | 42.5 | −6.2 |
| | Independent | Frank Pearson | 381 | 37.1 | +6.2 |
| | Independent | Netti Pearson | 284 | 27.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Tim Cox | 223 | 21.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,052 | 29.64 | −0.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Ilfracombe East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mike Edmunds* | 482 | 55.1 | +6.8 |
| | Conservative | Robin Horne | 312 | 35.7 | −8.2 |
| | Labour | Tony Ebert | 80 | 9.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 19.5 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 891 | 45.01 | +2.6 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Ilfracombe West (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoff Fowler | 678 | 50.0 | +7.1 |
| | Conservative | Philip Webb | 594 | 43.8 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | Colin Wright* | 560 | 41.3 | −19.2 |
| | Labour | Marianna Holdsworth | 333 | 24.5 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,378 | 37.93 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Instow :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Brian Moores* | 423 | 59.9 | +6.7 |
| | Independent | Stewart White | 159 | 22.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Michaela Willis | 124 | 17.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 264 | 37.4 | +31.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 721 | 55.75 | +11.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Landkey, Swimbridge & Taw (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Glyn Lane | 1,054 | 48.3 | +23.9 |
| | Conservative | David Luggar* | 973 | 44.6 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Medland | 639 | 29.3 | −6.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Pegden | 449 | 20.6 | −14.1 |
| | Green | Mark Haworth-Booth | 390 | 17.9 | +5.1 |
| | Independent | Cliff Bell | 341 | 15.6 | −12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,209 | 54.13 | +10.2 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Longbridge (Barnstaple) (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Des Brailey* | 852 | 56.7 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative | Jackie Flynn | 601 | 40.0 | −4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlie Piper | 529 | 35.2 | +7.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Malcolm Rundle | 504 | 33.5 | +12.8 |
| | Labour | Mark Cann | 225 | 15.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,525 | 44.75 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Lynton & Lynmouth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julian Gurney | 401 | 47.7 | +47.7 |
| | Independent | Tim Parker | 220 | 26.2 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Ian Rigby | 220 | 26.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 181 | 21.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 852 | 57.43 | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Marwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joe Tucker* | 447 | 48.2 | +0.7 |
| | Conservative | Jim Pile | 366 | 39.4 | −3.2 |
| | Green | Micky Darling | 115 | 12.4 | +2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 81 | 8.7 | +3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 929 | 59.45 | +1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Newport (Barnstaple) (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Mathews* | 624 | 41.9 | +2.5 |
| | Conservative | Michael Harrison* | 557 | 37.4 | −2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Haywood** | 498 | 33.5 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Roome | 394 | 26.5 | −3.8 |
| | Green | Ricky Knight | 353 | 23.7 | −5.3 |
| | Green | Rosie Haworth-Booth | 200 | 13.4 | −4.7 |
| | Labour | Marion Mason | 143 | 9.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,525 | 42.24 | −1.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Chris Haywood was a sitting councillor for Yeo Valley ward.
North Molton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Edgell* | 613 | 68.0 | +68.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Nelson | 288 | 32.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 325 | 36.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 913 | 53.10 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Pilton (Barnstaple) (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Greenslade* | 872 | 56.9 | −2.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mair Manuel* | 765 | 49.9 | −6.2 |
| | Conservative | David Barker | 349 | 22.8 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Linda Wellstead | 293 | 19.1 | −0.5 |
| | Green | L'Anne Knight | 284 | 18.5 | −5.4 |
| | Labour | Hilary Greenfield | 219 | 14.3 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,553 | 43.72 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
South Molton (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | John Moore | 1,221 | 65.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Worden* | 733 | 39.4 | −10.9 |
| | Independent | Tracey Lewis | 682 | 36.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Sewell* | 618 | 33.2 | −13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,879 | 47.69 | +10.3 |
| | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Independent gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Witheridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeremy Yabsley* | 689 | 71.8 | +13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kate Palmer | 270 | 28.2 | −13.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 419 | 43.7 | +26.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 983 | 51.57 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Yeo Valley (Barnstaple) (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Lesley Brown | 677 | 59.6 | −4.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Colin Payne* | 600 | 52.9 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | Silvia Harrison | 253 | 22.3 | +2.2 |
| | Green | Sarah Willoughby | 224 | 19.7 | +0.5 |
| | TUSC | Paul Dyer | 186 | 16.4 | +6.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,171 | 34.24 | +5.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections

Fremington (11 August 2011) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Chris Turner | 501 | 46.9 | −4.2 |
| | Conservative | John Gill | 308 | 28.8 | +11.8 |
| | Independent | Tony Wood | 196 | 18.3 | −5.9 |
| | Green | Neil Basil | 64 | 6.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,073 | 29.99 | −23.96 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |