North Devon Council election, 2011
Encyclopedia
The 2011 North Devon 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
.
s, 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.
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.
2 independent candidates were unopposed.
North Devon
North Devon is the northern part of the English county of Devon. It is also the name of a local government district in Devon. Its council is based in Barnstaple. Other towns and villages in the North Devon District include Braunton, Fremington, Ilfracombe, Instow, South Molton, Lynton and Lynmouth...
District
Non-metropolitan district
Non-metropolitan districts, or colloquially shire districts, are a type of local government district in England. As created, they are sub-divisions of non-metropolitan counties in a so-called "two-tier" arrangement...
Council in Devon
Devon
Devon is a large county in southwestern England. The county is sometimes referred to as Devonshire, although the term is rarely used inside the county itself as the county has never been officially "shired", it often indicates a traditional or historical context.The county shares borders with...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. The whole council was up for election and the Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
lost overall control of the council to no overall control
No overall control
Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...
.
Background
Before the election the council was controlled by the Conservatives with 22 councillorCouncillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
s, compared to 17 Liberal Democrats and 4 independents
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. 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
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
, 10 Labour
Labour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
, 2 Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition is a socialist electoral alliance launched in Britain for the 2010 General Election.The coalition was negotiated between groups which had taken part in the No2EU coalition that fought the June 2009 European elections...
, 1 United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
and 1 Communist Party of Britain
Communist Party of Britain
The Communist Party of Britain is a communist political party in Great Britain. Although founded in 1988 it traces its origins back to 1920 and the Communist Party of Great Britain, and claims the legacy of that party and its most influential members Harry Pollitt and John Gollan as its...
. 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 majortiy on the council, dropping to 18 seats after sufering a net loss of 4 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 turnoutVoter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
in the election was 45.33%, ranging from a high of 63% in Bratton Fleming
Bratton Fleming
Bratton Fleming is a large village near Barnstaple, in Devon, England. The population in 2001 was 942.The village runs along one street which climbs steadily up the foothills of Exmoor. The Flemings had their seat at Chimwell, now a farmhouse called Chumhill, which Risdon said was "one of the...
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
Fremington, Devon
Fremington is a village and civil parish in North Devon three miles west of Barnstaple. It was formerly a borough that sent members to Parliament in the reign of Edward III. The parish includes the neighbouring villages of Bickington and Yelland, the latter only asserting its identity as separate...
and Liberal Democrats Carol Mccormack-Hole and Sue Sewell in Bickington
Bickington
Bickington is a village and civil parish in the Teignbridge district of Devon, England, on the edge of the Dartmoor National Park. According to the 2001 census it had a population of 311. The village is about five miles west of Newton Abbot, on the River Lemon. The church is 15th century; its...
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
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
was made up of 5 Liberal Democrats and 4 independents.
2 independent candidates were unopposed.