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