# 2011 Torridge District Council election

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

## Background

At the previous election in 2007 no party won a majority on the council with 13 Conservative, 13 independent, 8 Liberal Democrats and 2 Green party councillors elected. However between 2007 and 2011 there were a number of changes on the council, with 3 Liberal Democrat councillors, Caroline Church, Simon Inch and Tony Inch, quitting the party in July 2007 to sit as independents. All 3 would then join the Conservatives, with Simon and Tony Inch joining the Conservatives in April 2010 to back the local Conservative Member of Parliament Geoffrey Cox at the 2010 general election. There were also 2 by-elections in 2009, with the Liberal Democrats gaining a seat in Hartland and Bradworthy from an independent, but also losing a seat in Holsworthy to another independent.
11 of the 36 councillors stood down at the election, including the leader of the Conservative council James Morrish. A total of 80 candidates stood at the election for the 36 seats contested, 25 Conservatives, 23 Liberal Democrats, 18 independents, 6 Labour and 4 each from the Green Party and UK Independence Party. 3 independent candidates were elected with no opposition, Phil Pennington in Monkleigh and Littleham, Ken James in Tamarside and David Lausen in Winkleigh, down from 7 unopposed candidates at the 2007 election. Meanwhile, Len Ford, who had represented Appledore as a Liberal Democrat councillor, had left the party and contested Bideford East as an independent.

## Election result

The Conservatives won half of the seats on the council, falling 1 seat short of winning a majority. This was the closest any political party had come to having a majority since the first election to the council in 1973. Overall turnout at the election was 45.2%, up from 42.1% in 2007. This ranged from a high of 57.2% in Three Moors to a low of 32.3% in Bideford South.
Independents dropped to 10 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats rose to 6 seats and the Greens won 1 seat. Meanwhile, Labour won their first seat on the council since 2003, after David Brenton gained a seat in Bideford South from the mayor of Bideford, Conservative Philip Pester. He was one of 14 new councillors after the election.
Following the election Conservative Barry Parsons became the new leader of the council.
Torridge local election result 2011 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 18 | 3 | 1 | +2 | 50.0 | 41.8 | 13,636 | +10.9% |
| Independent | 10 | 0 | 4 | -4 | 27.8 | 17.3 | 5,645 | -10.5% |
| Liberal Democrats | 6 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 16.7 | 26.2 | 8,545 | -0.8% |
| Labour | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 2.8 | 6.8 | 2,207 | +5.0% |
| Green | 1 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 2.8 | 4.7 | 1,547 | -4.7% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.2 | 1,044 | +0.1% |

## Ward results

Appledore (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Eastman | 576 | | |
| | Independent | Barry Edwards | 348 | | |
| | UKIP | Kenneth Davis | 283 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Gill | 264 | | |
| | Conservative | James Jackson | 252 | | |
| | Green | Peter Hames | 193 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin Lee | 87 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,003 | 51.6 | +3.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bideford East (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mervyn Langmead | 609 | | |
| | Conservative | Pauline Davies | 553 | | |
| | Independent | Stephen Clarke | 445 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Rose | 379 | | |
| | UKIP | Gaston Dezart | 365 | | |
| | Labour | Ian Hopkins | 289 | | |
| | Independent | Leonard Ford | 288 | | |
| | Independent | Alan Rayner | 184 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,112 | 34.9 | −1.5 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Bideford North (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Peter Christie | 879 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trevor Johns | 703 | | |
| | Conservative | David Fulford | 629 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Hugo Barton | 625 | | |
| | Conservative | Mary Fulford | 464 | | |
| | Labour | Anne Brenton | 445 | | |
| | Independent | Emma Farrington | 311 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,056 | 42.6 | +7.8 |
| | Green hold | Green hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Bideford South (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anthony Inch | 503 | | |
| | Conservative | Simon Inch | 495 | | |
| | Labour | David Brenton | 484 | | |
| | Conservative | Philip Pester | 469 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Wootton | 414 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mel Bushell | 335 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,700 | 32.3 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Broadheath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Peter Watson | 401 | 53.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Worden | 346 | 46.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 55 | 7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 747 | 56.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Clinton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Philip Collins | 574 | 80.6 | +22.5 |
| | Green | William Douglas-Mann | 138 | 19.4 | +19.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 436 | 61.2 | +44.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 712 | 55.6 | +0.6 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Clovelly Bay :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Liberal Democrats | Adam Symons | 481 | 67.9 |
| | Conservative | Alison Boyle | 227 | 32.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 35.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 708 | 54.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | |
Coham Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Gloria Tabor | 543 | 74.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Richardson | 189 | 25.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 354 | 48.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 732 | 56.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Forest :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Parsons | 592 | 85.1 | +25.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Julie Adnams-Hatch | 104 | 14.9 | +14.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 488 | 70.1 | +49.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 696 | 50.0 | −1.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Hartland and Bradworthy (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Redwood | 494 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anna Dart | 473 | | |
| | Conservative | Anthony Brewington | 401 | | |
| | Independent | Andrea Chick | 271 | | |
| | Conservative | Michael Footitt | 245 | | |
| | UKIP | Robin Julian | 188 | | |
| | Green | Keith Funnell | 177 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,249 | 53.2 | +2.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Holsworthy (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Footitt | 741 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Ratledge | 493 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Charlene Le-Roy | 489 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,723 | 41.4 | −5.4 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Liberal Democrats gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Kenwith :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kathy Murdoch | 406 | 56.3 | +1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Karen Heard | 162 | 22.5 | +22.5 |
| | Labour | Geoffrey Hastings | 153 | 21.2 | +21.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 244 | 33.8 | +24.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 721 | 51.3 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Monkleigh and Littleham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Phil Pennington | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Northam (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jane Whittaker | 1,003 | | |
| | Conservative | Roger Johnson | 939 | | |
| | Conservative | John Himan | 924 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Berryman | 589 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kay Renton | 526 | | |
| | Labour | David Rowe | 524 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,505 | 43.5 | +5.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative gain from Green | Conservative gain from Green | Swing | | |
Orchard Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Christopher Leather | 475 | 73.4 | −2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin Symons | 172 | 26.6 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 303 | 46.8 | −4.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 647 | 44.6 | −0.6 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Shebbear and Langtree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Lewis | 468 | 63.2 | +10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Watson | 273 | 36.8 | −10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 195 | 26.3 | +21.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 741 | 49.2 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Tamarside :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Ken James | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Three Moors :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Lock | 532 | 67.4 | +4.8 |
| | Green | Colin Jones | 160 | 20.3 | +20.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Theresa Seligmann | 97 | 12.3 | −25.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 372 | 47.1 | +21.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 789 | 57.2 | −7.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Torrington (3 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Boyd | 809 | | |
| | Independent | Margaret Brown | 792 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Lee | 641 | | |
| | Independent | David Cox | 480 | | |
| | Labour | Heathcliffe Pettifer | 312 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Jollands | 209 | | |
| | UKIP | Shirley Griffin | 208 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,451 | 38.8 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Two Rivers :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Harold Martin | 465 | 61.3 |
| | Independent | Adrian Freeland | 294 | 38.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | 22.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 759 | 55.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Waldon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Independent | Robert Hicks | 382 | 54.2 |
| | Independent | James Lowe | 323 | 45.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 59 | 8.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 705 | 51.9 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | |
Westward Ho! :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Roger Tisdale | 478 | 55.1 | +7.4 |
| | Conservative | Maria Bailey | 390 | 44.9 | +15.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 88 | 10.1 | −8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 868 | 48.2 | +6.7 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |
Winkleigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | David Lausen | unopposed | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2011 and 2015
### Shebbear and Langtree

A by-election was held in Shebbear and Langtree ward on 15 August 2013 after Conservative councillor John Lewis resigned from the council. David Hurley held the seat for the Conservatives with a majority of 23 votes.
Shebbear and Langtree by-election 15 August 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Hurley | 240 | 47.2 | −15.9 |
| | UKIP | Penny Mills | 217 | 42.7 | +42.7 |
| | Green | Colin Jones | 41 | 8.1 | +8.1 |
| | Independent | Bob Wooton | 10 | 2.0 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 23 | 4.5 | −21.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 508 | 32.0 | −17.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Torrington

A by-election was held in Torrington ward after Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Lee resigned from the council due to leaving the area. The seat was gained for the Green party by Cathrine Simmons with a majority of 111 votes.
Torrington by-election 5 September 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Cathrine Simmons | 292 | 35.3 | +35.3 |
| | UKIP | Robin Julian | 181 | 21.9 | +15.4 |
| | Independent | David Cox | 160 | 19.3 | −5.1 |
| | Independent | Adrian Freeland | 106 | 12.8 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative | Philip Pester | 89 | 10.7 | −14.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 13.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 828 | 19.3 | −19.5 |
| | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Green gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |

### Bideford East

A by-election was held in Bideford East ward on 20 March 2014 after the death of independent councillor Steve Clarke. The seat was won by another independent Sam Robinson by a majority of 145 votes.
Bideford East by-election 20 March 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Samuel Robinson | 295 | 39.5 | +22.1 |
| | Conservative | Dermot McGeough | 150 | 20.1 | −3.7 |
| | Labour | James Craigie | 140 | 18.7 | +7.4 |
| | Independent | David Ratcliff | 106 | 14.2 | −3.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Wootton | 39 | 5.2 | −9.6 |
| | Independent | Alan Smith | 17 | 2.3 | −15.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 145 | 19.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 747 | 15.6 | −19.3 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |

### Kenwith

A by-election was held on 10 July 2014 for Kenwith ward after independent councillor Kathy Murdoch resigned from the council. Kathy Murdoch had been elected as a Conservative but left the party to sit as an independent in June 2012. The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Alison Boyle with a majority of 37 votes.
Kenwith by-election 10 July 2014 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alison Boyle | 136 | 29.8 | −26.5 |
| | UKIP | Derek Sargent | 99 | 21.7 | +21.7 |
| | Independent | David Gale | 98 | 21.5 | +21.5 |
| | Independent | Hugh Bone | 69 | 15.1 | +15.1 |
| | Green | Simon Mathers | 28 | 6.1 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | Geoff Hastings | 26 | 5.7 | −15.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 37 | 8.1 | −25.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 456 | 32.0 | −19.3 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |