The Post area’s election results are in, with the Independent candidates coming out on top.

Within our local patch (Broadheath, Hartland, Holsworthy, Hatherleigh, Milton and Tamarside, Monkleigh and Putford, and Shebbear and Langtree) seven Independent councillors have been elected with an even split of four councillors a piece for the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives.

Throughout Torridge the Independents remain the largest group on the district council, with the Liberal Democrats making strides.

The full council now consists of 16 Independents, two less than following the 2019 election. 

The Lib Dems quadrupled their number of councillors from two to eight while the Conservatives decreased by three compared to 2019 to a new total of six members.

Elsewhere, the Greens picked up two seats to finish on four and Labour lost a seat to finish on two councillors.

This means the 36-seat council is under no overall control.

Full results are as follows:

APPLEDORE

FORD, Leonard Spencer (Independent): 599 — Elected

HAMES, Peter Graham (Green): 588 — Elected

JOHNSON, Nigel Andrew (UKIP): 134

BIDEFORD EAST

CRAIGIE, James Andrew (Independent): 392 — Elected

GUBB, Judith Kathleen (Independent): 459 — Elected

HELLYER, James Robert (Conservatives): 257

HELLYER, Linda Joan (Conservative): 299

MCKENZIE, Jamie Andrew (Independent): 309

RADFORD, Jennifer (Labour): 316

SHERBORNE, Oliver Clement (Conservative): 198

THOMAS, Huw David (Green): 387 Elected

BIDEFORD NORTH

BUSHBY, Douglas (Independent): 505 — Elected

CHRISTIE, Peter Stuart (Green): 871 — Elected

DEZART, Gaston Amedee (UKIP): 97

JOHNS, Trevor John (Liberal Democrats): 517 Elected

MCGEOUGH, Dermot Aaron Dennis (Conservatives): 431

RADFORD, Nicholas John (Labour): 432

BIDEFORD SOUTH

BRENTON, David George (Labour): 247 — Elected

GREEN, Philip Richard George (Britain First, Housing For Locals): 108

INCH, Simon George (Independent): 200  —Elected

LAWRENCE, Peter James (Independent): 162

MATHERS, Simon John (Green): 166

MCLEAN, Jake Steven Charles (Labour): 199

TOWNSEND, Anne Maria (Britain First, Housing For Locals): 96

BIDEFORD WEST

BRENTON, Eithne Anne (Labour): 186 — Elected

HAWKINS, Carl (Independent): 187 — Elected

INCH, Anthony Thomas (Independent): 161

LANGFORD, Shirley Jean (Independent): 178

MURDOCH, Jason (Conservatives): 128

TAYLOR, Morgan (Conservatives): 108

BROADHEATH

BARRIBALL, Graeme John (Conservative): 380

GIBSON, Stephen Ralph (Conservative): 449 — Elected

GREEN, Sherrie (Liberal Democrats): 412

HACKETT, Philip (Independent): 547 Elected

GREAT TORRINGTON

BRIGHT, Chris (Liberal Democrats): 751 — Elected

BRIGHT, Lauren Mary (Liberal Democrats): 588 — Elected

BROWN, Margaret (Independent): 327

DARCH, Roger (Conservative): 318

FUNNELL, Keith (Green): 261

HEWITT, Penelope Aine (Labour): 230

SMITH, Doug (Liberal Democrats): 553 — Elected

WILTON-LOVE, Helen (Conservatives): 214

 HARTLAND

ANDREWS, Shirleyann (Liberal Democrats): 763 — Elected

BOUGHTON, Richard Frederick (Conservatives): 567

DART, Anna Lucy (Independent): 755 — Elected

HARDING, Stephen John (Conservatives): 640 — Elected

JULIAN, Robin (Independent): 439

HOLSWORTHY

DYMOND, Melanie Jayne (Conservatives): 142

HOSIE, Emma (Liberal Democrats): 255

PIPER, Lyndon James (Liberal Democrats): 541 — Elected

SHEPHERD, Peter Charles (Independent): 460 — Elected

STEVENS, Diana Michelle (Conservatives): 166

MILTON & TAMARSIDE

BARRETT, Tony Ronald (Labour): 225

BERESFORD, Tracey Elizabeth (Green): 374

HEPPLE, Christopher Mark (Independent): 524 — Elected

JAMES, Kenneth John (Independent): 659 — Elected

MONKLEIGH & PUTFORD

COLLINS, Susan (Conservatives): 339

GENT, Rosemary Vivien (Green): 355

HICKS, Robert Henry (Independent): 537 — Elected

LOWE, James William (Labour): 312

PENNINGTON, Philip William (Independent): 567 — Elected

WILTON-LOVE, Jeffrey (Conservatives): 218

NORTHAM

BRADING, Hugh Richard (Independent): 268

HIMAN, John (Independent): 310

LEATHER, Christopher John (Independent): 674 — Elected

LO-VEL, Wendy Denise (Green): 513 — Elected

MANLEY, Joanne Louise (Independent): 485

NEWMAN-MCKIE, Samantha (Liberal Democrats): 471

WHITTAKER, Jane (Conservatives): 530 — Elected

WOODHOUSE, Carrie Anne (Conservatives): 334

SHEBBEAR & LANGTREE

COTTLE-HUNKIN, Cheryl Lavinia (Liberal Democrats): 892 — Elected

HURLEY, David Walter (Conservatives): 540

JUPP, David Christopher (Conservatives): 348

WHEATLEY, Christopher Charles (Liberal Democrats): 700 — Elected

TWO RIVERS & THREE MOORS

ALLEN, Roger Carl (Liberal Democrats): 476

CLARKE, Rachel Anne (Independent): 220

DAVEY-POTTS, Claire Louise (Liberal Democrats): 452

ELLIOTT, Thomas John (Conservative): 513 — Elected

LOCK, Rosemary Anne (Conservative): 609 — Elected

WESTWARD HO!

BACH, Louis Charles (Independent): 334 — Elected

BRUINS, Albert (Liberal Democrats): 277

FERGUSON, Patricia Ann (Conservatives): 175

HIND, Kenneth Harvard (Conservatives): 183

HODSON, Claire Charmian (Independent): 494 — Elected

SARGENT, Derek (Independent): 243

SINGH, Anmol (Independent): 241

WINKLEIGH

FINDLAY, Angela (Labour): 126

MIDDLETON, Stephen Thomas (Liberal Democrats): 237

NEWTON, Simon Charles (Conservatives): 343 — Elected