For the first time since December 2019, voters across Devon will go to the polls tomorrow in a series of elections.
For South Hams voters, elections will take place for seven seats on Devon County Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner, a by-elections for the district’s Ivybridge West ward, Neighbourhood Plan referendums, and for various vacant parish and town council seats.
South Hams voters will join everyone in Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly in electing a Police and Crime Commissioner for the region, with candidates from the Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats and Green Party standing: Brian Blake (Liberal Democrats), Gareth Derrick (Labour), the incumbent Alison Hernandez (Conservatives) and Stuart Jackson (Green Party).
The elected Police and Crime Commissioner for the region would normally serve a four-year term, but will instead only serve a three-year term to ensure the return to the usual electoral cycle.
DEVON COUNTY COUNCIL
Everyone in Devon also have the chance to elect their representative(s) for Devon County Council for the next four years.
The entirety of the 60-strong council will be up for re-election, with 56 ‘single-member’ Electoral Divisions and 2 ‘two-member’ Divisions’.
The current composition of the council consists of 41 Conservatives, 6 Labour, 6 Liberal Democrats, 4 Independents, 1 Green Party, 1 East Devon Alliance and 1 North Devon Liberal.
All elected councillors will serve their usual four year term upon their election.
The candidates for each South Hams ward of Devon county Council are as follows:
Bickleigh and Wembury
John Hart (Conservatives) *
Christopher Oram (Liberal Democrats)
Edward Parsons (Labour)
Emma Relph (Freedom Alliance)
Win Scutt (Green Party)
Dartmouth and Marldon
Carlo Bragagnolo (Reform UK)
Lynn Gunnigle (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
Jonathan Hawkins (Conservatives) *
Kevin John (Labour)
Christian Parkes (Freedom Alliance)
Simon Rake (Liberal Democrats)
Ivybridge
Victor Abbott (Liberal Democrats)
Roger Croad (Conservatives) *
Simon Gedye (Freedom Alliance)
David Trigger (Labour)
Kingsbridge
Julian Brazil (Liberal Democrats) *
Peter Burgess (Freedom Alliance)
Samantha Dennis (Conservatives)
Paul Furlong (Labour)
Bettina Rixon (Green Party)
Salcombe
Jonno Barrett (Labour)
Jim Blake (Freedom Alliance)
Rufus Gilbert (Conservatives) *
Mark Lawrence (Liberal Democrats)
Lily Rixon (Green Party)
South Brent and Yealmpton
Paul Bishop (Labour)
Richard Hosking (Conservatives) *
James Sandy (Freedom Alliance)
Daniel Thomas (Liberal Democrats)
Totnes and Dartington
Jill Hannam (Labour)
Jacqi Hodgson (Green Party) *
Stephen Hopwood (Freedom Alliance)
Jamie Rogers (Conservatives)
* indicates the incumbent councillor
One by-election for a seat on South Hams District Council will take place, following the death of serving councillor David May.
Voters in the Ivybridge West ward will go to the polls for the by-election, with the winner serving a two-year term on the council.
The by-election will determine the official status of the council, with the death of Cllr May meaning that the Conservative’s majority was lost with the council back under no overall control, although the Conservatives are still the ruling party.
The current composition of the council is Conservatives (15), Liberal Democrats (10), Independent (3), Green (2), and vacant (1)
Candidates standing for election are: Louise Jones (Conservatives), Tony Rea (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) and Katie Reville (Green Party).
For the town and parish councils, Dartmouth Clifton (5), Dartmouth Townstal (1), Modbury (1) and Stoke Gabriel (3) will elect councillors
There are also Neighbourhood Plan referendums for residents of Aveton Gifford, South Huish, Strete, Kingswear and Kingston
The Devon County Council, plus the district council by-elections, will be verifying the votes tomorrow, from 10pm, once polling stations closed.
They will then being the counting at 10am on Friday, May 7, for the Devon County Council elections, with the hope that results will be declared by around 2pm on Friday.
The Police and Crime Commissioner count will begin at 9.30am on Monday, May 10, with a result expected by around 1pm if a candidate wins in the first round, or by 5pm if a second round is required.