North Devon Council - Wards and Councillors

District council · South West · 42 seats in 25 wards · All seats elected every four years · Next election 6 May 2027

Liberal Democrats have a majority on North Devon Council. The council has 42 councillors in 25 wards. Seats by party: Lib Dem 24, Other 8, Conservative 7, Green 3. The next election is on 6 May 2027.

A government plan to replace the councils in this area with four unitary councils was paused for review on 7 September 2026. Elections due in May 2027 will go ahead on existing council boundaries. Source

Control

Seats by party

Liberal Democrats (Majority)

42 seats - 22 for a majority

Conservative 7Lib Dem 24Green 3Other 8

Seat changes since the 4 May 2023 election Lib Dem +2 Other −2

Vote share at the 4 May 2023 election (42 seats, all wards)

ShareSeats won

Lib Dem29.0%22

Other27.2%10

Conservative18.7%7

Green15.9%3

Labour9.3%0

Next election

6 May 2027

all 42 seats up, then every four years

Largest party

Lib Dem 24

majority of 6; 22 needed

Closest result

Landkey

Green won the last seat by 11 votes over Lib Dem, 4 May 2023

Latest by-election

Fremington

Lib Dem gain from Independent, 2 April 2026 (5 since 2021)

Constituencies

1 overlap

2024Now

Voted Leave in 2016

57%

GB 52%

Wards

Who holds each ward

ConservativeLib DemGreenIndependent

Coloured by the party holding most of the ward's seats today; where seats are split evenly, by the party with the higher share at the last election.

All 25 wards

Councillors and last results

Select a ward for its full results, candidates and last by-election.

Ward and councillors	Last election
Barnstaple Central Syed Jusef	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 53.5% lead 35.5 pts
Barnstaple with Pilton Jo Orange, Loki Dawson, Mel Lovering	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 55.0% lead 36.8 pts
Barnstaple with Westacott Peter Leaver, Josh Rutty, David Clayton	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 35.9% lead 15.7 pts
Bickington Joy Cann, Will Topps, Helen Walker	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 49.7% lead 21.5 pts
Bishop's Nympton Robin Milton	4 May 2023 Independent 68.7% lead 50.5 pts
Bratton Fleming Malcolm Prowse	4 May 2023 Independent 62.2% lead 47.8 pts
Braunton East Liz Spear, Graham Bell	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 41.7% lead 11.4 pts
Braunton West & Georgeham Pru Maskell, Simon Maddocks	4 May 2023 Independent 27.9% lead 5.3 pts
Chittlehampton Susan Whitehead	4 May 2023 Conservative 47.1% lead 14.7 pts
Chulmleigh Kevin Davies	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 63.5% lead 33.9 pts
Combe Martin Brian Lethaby	4 May 2023 Independent 52.0% lead 19.4 pts
Fremington Jayne Mackie, Frank Biederman	4 May 2023 Independent 39.2% lead 16.6 pts
Heanton Punchardon Ricky Knight	4 May 2023 Green 59.4% lead 35.0 pts
Ilfracombe East Daniel Turton, June Williams, Paul Crabb	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 27.5% lead 1.7 pts
Ilfracombe West Jonathan Quinn, Sara Wilson	4 May 2023 Green 32.6% lead 5.7 pts
Instow Becky Coombs	4 May 2023 Conservative 30.3% lead 4.1 pts
Landkey Mark Haworth-Booth, Glyn Lane	4 May 2023 Independent 33.9% lead 3.0 pts
Lynton & Lynmouth John Patrinos	4 May 2023 Independent 56.3% lead 25.1 pts
Marwood Julie Hunt	4 May 2023 Uncontested
Mortehoe Malcolm Wilkinson	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 56.5% lead 32.7 pts
Newport Caroline Leaver, Louisa York	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 52.0% lead 29.1 pts
North Molton Liz Bulled	4 May 2023 Conservative 59.3% lead 38.2 pts
Roundswell David Knight, Christopher Norman	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 49.8% lead 25.3 pts
South Molton Peter Bishop, Matthew Bushell, David Worden	4 May 2023 Lib Dem 30.0% lead 11.2 pts
Witheridge Peter Jones	4 May 2023 Independent 63.9% lead 27.8 pts

Barnstaple Central

Syed Jusef Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem53.5%

Conservative18.0%

Green16.9%

Labour5.5%

Independent3.1%

Communist Party of Britain2.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Syed Jusef Elected	Lib Dem	273	53.5%
Reginald George Howe	Conservative	92	18.0%
Howard Porter	Green	86	16.9%
Roy Ernest Tomlinson	Labour	28	5.5%
Bobby Burden-Brewer	Independent	16	3.1%
Gerrard Anthony Sables	Communist Party of Britain	15	2.9%

Barnstaple with Pilton

Jo Orange Lib DemLoki Dawson Lib DemMel Lovering Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Lib Dem55.0%

Green18.2%

Conservative15.9%

Labour10.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Ian Roome Elected	Lib Dem	1,037
Mel Lovering Elected	Lib Dem	845
Jo Orange Elected	Lib Dem	766
Robbie Mack	Green	344
Lou Goodger	Green	333
L'Anne Knight	Green	328
Francesca Lucia McKever	Conservative	300
Finola O'Neill	Labour	206

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Last by-election, 1 May 2025

Lib Dem40.2%

Reform32.6%

Green11.9%

Conservative11.7%

Labour3.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Loki Gareth Phillip Dawson Elected	Lib Dem	716	40.2%
David Ian Jarvis	Reform	581	32.6%
Howard Porter	Green	212	11.9%
Lisa Jayne Mackenzie	Conservative	208	11.7%
Rhys Daniel Jones	Labour	65	3.6%

Barnstaple with Westacott

David Clayton Lib DemJosh Rutty Lib DemPeter Leaver Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Lib Dem35.9%

Conservative20.2%

Green13.3%

Independent10.4%

Independent10.3%

Labour9.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Peter Richard Leaver Elected	Lib Dem	712
David John Clayton Elected	Lib Dem	705
Katrina Jean Mary Stevenson Elected	Lib Dem	690
Lisa Jayne Mackenzie	Conservative	401
Steven White	Green	263
John Anthony Carter	Independent	206
Val Monk	Independent	205
Helen Mary Marini	Labour	196

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Last by-election, 31 July 2025

Lib Dem40.5%

Reform30.7%

Conservative16.4%

Green12.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Josh Rutty Elected	Lib Dem	505	40.5%
David Ian Jarvis	Reform	383	30.7%
Lisa Jayne Mackenzie	Conservative	205	16.4%
David James Smale	Green	154	12.3%

Bickington

Helen Walker Lib DemJoy Cann Lib DemWill Topps Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Lib Dem49.7%

Conservative28.2%

Green22.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Joy Mary Cann Elected	Lib Dem	810
Will Topps Elected	Lib Dem	778
Helen Frances Walker Elected	Lib Dem	741
Gary Lionel Beglin	Conservative	460
Christopher David Hopkins	Conservative	441
Christine Basil	Green	361

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Bishop's Nympton

Robin Milton Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Independent68.7%

Green18.2%

Lib Dem13.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Robin John Milton Elected	Independent	495	68.7%
Nick Withers	Green	131	18.2%
Ashraf Shah	Lib Dem	95	13.2%

Bratton Fleming

Malcolm Prowse Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Independent62.2%

Green14.4%

Conservative13.1%

Labour10.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Malcolm Stephen Prowse Elected	Independent	485	62.2%
Ian Godfrey	Green	112	14.4%
Dominic Yarred Chugg	Conservative	102	13.1%
Marion Elizabeth Mason	Labour	81	10.4%

Braunton East

Graham Bell IndependentLiz Spear Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem41.7%

Green30.3%

Independent17.1%

Labour10.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Liz Spear Elected	Lib Dem	664
Graham Matthew Bell Elected	Lib Dem	642
David Charles John Relph	Green	483
Cas Lay	Green	390
Adrian Justin Bryant	Independent	272
Nick Agnew	Labour	174

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Braunton West & Georgeham

Pru Maskell ConservativeSimon Maddocks Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent27.9%

Conservative22.6%

Lib Dem15.7%

Labour12.3%

Independent11.0%

Green10.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Simon George Maddocks Elected	Independent	659
Pru Maskell Elected	Conservative	534
Tristan Clarkson	Lib Dem	371
Julian Robert Cox	Lib Dem	342
Mark Cann	Labour	290
Jasmine Bessie Chesters	Independent	260
Brett Parker	Green	244

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Chittlehampton

Susan Whitehead Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative47.1%

Lib Dem32.4%

Green13.9%

Labour6.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Susan Mavis Whitehead Elected	Conservative	371	47.1%
Jamie Burn	Lib Dem	255	32.4%
Neil Basil	Green	109	13.9%
Cecily Blyther	Labour	52	6.6%

Chulmleigh

Kevin Davies Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem63.5%

Conservative29.6%

Labour6.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Kevin Miles Davies Elected	Lib Dem	498	63.5%
Judith Lee	Conservative	232	29.6%
Harry Ellis	Labour	54	6.9%

Combe Martin

Brian Lethaby Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Independent52.0%

Conservative32.6%

Green15.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Brian Lee Lethaby Elected	Independent	382	52.0%
Laurence William Irving	Conservative	239	32.6%
Robert Cornish	Green	113	15.4%

Fremington

Frank Biederman Lib DemJayne Mackie Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent39.2%

Independent22.6%

Independent15.2%

Independent7.5%

Conservative6.6%

Labour4.7%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Frank Lindsay Biederman Elected	Independent	1,223
Neil Alan Denton Elected	Independent	705
Jim Bell	Independent	473
Bowser Harris	Independent	233
Jack Austin Juby	Conservative	207
Douglas James McLynn	Labour	147
Keith James York	Lib Dem	128

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Last by-election, 2 April 2026

Lib Dem49.9%

Reform32.9%

Green8.7%

Conservative7.7%

Labour0.8%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Jayne Irene MacKie Elected	Lib Dem	752	49.9%
Derek Sargent	Reform	496	32.9%
Jules Credgington	Green	131	8.7%
Susan Christine Kingdom	Conservative	116	7.7%
Douglas James McLynn	Labour	12	0.8%

Heanton Punchardon

Ricky Knight Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Green59.4%

Lib Dem24.4%

Labour16.2%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Ricky Knight Elected	Green	275	59.4%
Dennis Jenkins	Lib Dem	113	24.4%
Valerie Jean Cann	Labour	75	16.2%

Ilfracombe East

Daniel Turton ConservativeJune Williams Lib DemPaul Crabb Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Lib Dem27.5%

Conservative25.8%

Labour24.7%

Green21.9%

Candidate	Party	Votes
June Williams Elected	Lib Dem	718
Paul Edward Crabb Elected	Conservative	674
Daniel Carl Michael Turton Elected	Conservative	673
Teresa Elliott	Labour	645
Linda Mack	Green	572

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Ilfracombe West

Jonathan Quinn ConservativeSara Wilson Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Green32.6%

Conservative26.9%

Labour21.0%

Lib Dem19.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Sara Jane Wilson Elected	Green	524
Jonathan Mark Quinn Elected	Conservative	432
Mark Gerrard Fay	Conservative	365
Toby Ebert	Labour	337
Dave Baxter	Lib Dem	315

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Instow

Becky Coombs Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative30.3%

Independent26.2%

Independent15.9%

Green14.4%

Labour9.2%

Independent4.0%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Lucinda Clemency Renshaw Elected	Conservative	217	30.3%
Becky Coombs	Independent	188	26.2%
Joanne Bell	Independent	114	15.9%
Emily Herbert	Green	103	14.4%
Brendan Michael O'Brien	Labour	66	9.2%
Nicholas John Arthur	Independent	29	4.0%

Last by-election, 9 January 2025

Lib Dem38.1%

Conservative32.1%

Reform17.0%

Independent9.5%

Green3.3%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Becky Coombs Elected	Lib Dem	197	38.1%
Christopher David Hopkins	Conservative	166	32.1%
Richard Booth	Reform	88	17.0%
Graham Charles Payne	Independent	49	9.5%
Howard Porter	Green	17	3.3%

Landkey

Glyn Lane ConservativeMark Haworth-Booth Green

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Independent33.9%

Green30.9%

Lib Dem30.1%

Labour5.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Glyn Lane Elected	Independent	498
Mark Haworth-Booth Elected	Green	454
Victoria Clare Nel	Lib Dem	443
Robert Patrick Janeiro	Lib Dem	238
Lucie Redwood	Green	196
Tamsin Higgs	Labour	75

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Lynton & Lynmouth

John Patrinos Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Independent56.3%

Conservative31.2%

Lib Dem12.6%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
John Michael Patrinos Elected	Independent	363	56.3%
John Richard Atherton	Conservative	201	31.2%
Damian Owen	Lib Dem	81	12.6%

Marwood

Julie Hunt Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Uncontested. Elected: Julie Lynda Hunt (Lib Dem).

Mortehoe

Malcolm Wilkinson Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Lib Dem56.5%

Conservative23.8%

Green10.6%

Labour9.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Malcolm Andrew Wilkinson Elected	Lib Dem	309	56.5%
Susan Christine Kingdom	Conservative	130	23.8%
Shona Davis	Green	58	10.6%
Oliver John Leslie Bell	Labour	50	9.1%

Newport

Caroline Leaver Lib DemLouisa York Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem52.0%

Conservative22.9%

Green16.0%

Labour9.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes
Caroline Frances Herringham Leaver Elected	Lib Dem	798
Louisa Catherine Emma York Elected	Lib Dem	654
David William Hoare	Conservative	352
Matt Chamings	Green	245
Rosie Haworth-Booth	Green	150
Alison Elizabeth Stringer	Labour	140

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

North Molton

Liz Bulled Conservative

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Conservative59.3%

Lib Dem21.1%

Green19.5%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Liz Bulled Elected	Conservative	407	59.3%
Gabi Marchewka	Lib Dem	145	21.1%
Chris Barraclough	Green	134	19.5%

Roundswell

Christopher Norman Lib DemDavid Knight Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (2 seats)

Lib Dem49.8%

Conservative24.5%

Independent18.2%

Labour7.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes
David Knight Elected	Lib Dem	656
Christopher James Norman Elected	Lib Dem	590
Stephen Robert Burridge	Conservative	323
Simon Niall Randall	Conservative	270
Alan Richard Rennles	Independent	239
Alexander Ian Crawford	Labour	98

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

South Molton

David Worden Lib DemMatthew Bushell IndependentPeter Bishop Lib Dem

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023 (3 seats)

Lib Dem30.0%

Independent18.8%

Independent14.3%

Conservative11.0%

Labour9.5%

Green8.4%

Candidate	Party	Votes
David John Worden Elected	Lib Dem	916
Peter John Bishop Elected	Lib Dem	600
Matt Bushell Elected	Independent	573
Paul John Henderson	Independent	438
Vanessa Katherine Burnham	Conservative	337
Steven Hinchcliffe	Labour	289
Natasha Vukic	Conservative	281
Gill Saunders	Green	257
Marc Peter Cornelius	Independent	245

Party shares count each party's leading candidate.

Witheridge

Peter Jones Independent

Last scheduled election, 4 May 2023

Independent63.9%

Green36.1%

Candidate	Party	Votes	Share
Peter George Jones Elected	Independent	430	63.9%
Woody Fox	Green	243	36.1%

Councillors

Changed party since the election

3 councillors now sit for a different party from the one they were elected for.

Ward	Councillor	Elected as	Now
Braunton East	Graham Bell	Lib Dem 2023	Independent
Fremington	Frank Biederman	Independent 2023	Lib Dem
Landkey	Glyn Lane	Independent 2023	Conservative

By-elections

Every council by-election since 2021

5 by-elections since July 2021, 3 of them gains.

Date	Ward	Result	Winner's share
2 April 2026	Fremington	Lib Dem gain from Independent	49.9%
31 July 2025	Barnstaple with Westacott	Lib Dem hold	40.0%
1 May 2025	Barnstaple with Pilton	Lib Dem hold	40.2%
9 January 2025	Instow	Lib Dem gain from Conservative	38.1%
8 December 2022	Landkey	Lib Dem gain from Independent

Parliament

Parliamentary constituencies

Constituency	Share of council	2024 winner	Projected now
North Devon	100%	Lib Dem	Lib Dem 34%

Share of the council: the proportion of its census neighbourhoods (2021 LSOAs) in each seat. The projection is PollCheck's demographic model at current polling, not a forecast.

People

Who lives in North Devon

98,611 residents in 43,205 households

Voted Leave in 2016

57% 5 above GB

Degree or higher

28% 6 below GB

No qualifications

18% same as GB

Own their home

67% 6 above GB

Rent from a council or housing association

11% 6 below GB

Rent privately

20% same as GB

Aged 15 to 34

24% 7 below GB

Aged 65 and over

31% 9 above GB

GB figure. 2021 Census (Scotland: 2022): age as a share of residents aged 15 and over, qualifications of residents aged 16 and over, housing as a share of households. Leave: 2016 EU referendum, Electoral Commission results by counting area.

Similar

Councils most like this one

CornwallLiberal Democrats / Independent Coalition Mid DevonLiberal Democrats (Majority)West LindseyConservative / Liberal Democrats / Independent Coalition ConwyIndependent / Labour / Plaid Cymru Coalition HerefordshireConservative (Minority)

Closest on the measures above: the 2016 Leave vote, age, qualifications and housing. Maps show which party holds each ward.

Sources

Sources and method

Seat totals and control: PollCheck council control tracker. Councillors: Open Council Data (CC BY-SA 4.0). Election results: Democracy Club (CC BY 4.0), with some vote counts from DCLEAPIL, Leman (2025) (CC BY-SA 4.0), and corrections checked against councils' official declarations. Ward boundaries: Source: Office for National Statistics licensed under the Open Government Licence v.3.0. Contains OS data © Crown copyright and database right 2026. Census: Office for National Statistics and National Records of Scotland.

Councillor lists and DCLEAPIL-derived vote counts on this page are available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

In wards electing more than one councillor, a party's share counts only its leading candidate (the Rallings and Thrasher method). Independents count individually. The lead is the gap between the top two parties' shares.