THE spotlight will be on Tavistock in May, as the town?s North Ward was this week revealed to be the most hotly contested seat in the town and parish elections.

Following the noon deadline for nominations on Tuesday, it was announced that 13 people are standing for election in Tavistock North ? there are just eight seats up for grabs.

Six of those standing already serve on the council ? Roy Connelly, Anne Johnson, Caroline Keane, Robin Pike, David Stapleton and Norma Woodcock. Also throwing their hats into the ring for one of those eight seats are Iain Andrews, Sara Batten, Margaret Grylls, Peter Jones, Harry Smith, Graham Turner and Abina Wood.

The Liberal Democrats are fielding most nominations ? seven, with five Independents and one Labour party candidate.

In Tavistock?s South Ward, there will be no contest for seats ? standing members Betty Batchelor, Mandy Govier, Jenny Metcalf and Ted Sherrell will be joined by Maxine Gibson and Martin Taylor for the Liberal Democrats and Brian Trew, who all join the council unopposed.

And in the new Tavistock South West ward, the two nominees will also take their seats unopposed ? Liberal Democrat Alison Clish-Green and David Best, Conservative.

Tavistock North appears to be bucking the trend in West Devon ? of 44 parish councils, just ten will actually hold elections for seats.

These include Lydford, where nine nominees are standing for seven seats and Peter Tavy where nine are also fighting for seven seats.

The majority of people standing for their parishes are likely to get in uncontested ? and in some parishes, like Beaworthy and Inwardleigh, nobody has been nominated for the available seats.

David Incoll, West Devon Borough Council?s chief executive, said the situation in parishes where there were no candidates would be looked at with a view to going through the procedure again. It could result in parish meetings being held to discuss the

matter.

The list of candidates in the south of the borough are as follows. All are Independents unless otherwise stated:

Bere Ferrers (13 seats, no contest): Philip Archer (UK Independence Party), Doris Chapman, Michael Endean, Peter Endean, Brian Lamb, Jane Nash, John Peden, Frederick Reddecliff, Beverley Slaughter, Juli Slaughter, Kim Smith, Eaon Wager.

Bradstone (2, no candidates applied).

Brentor (7, no contest): Patricia Blower, Cyril Friend, Michael Mott, Pamela Scannell, Paul Webster, David Williams.

Buckland Monachorum, Buckland Harrowbeer (1, no candidates applied)

Buckland Monachorum, Buckland Village (11, no contest): Marilyn Allen, Nicola Bannon, Peter Brown, Sally Challiss, David Cridford, Martine Mills, Graham Osborn, David Simkins, Richard White, Peter Wing.

Coryton (2, no contest): Robert Lawrence, Peter Newman.

Dartmoor Forest, Huccaby (1, no contest): Rosemary Mudge.

Dartmoor Forest, Postbridge (2, no contest): David Adaway, David Fisher.

Dartmoor Forest, Princetown (7, no contest): Gary Easton, Kevan Elliott, James Langton, Simon Loveless, Wendy Stones, Malcolm Waite, Angela Williams.

Dunterton (1, no contest): Arthur Vigars.

Gulworthy (7, no contest): Winston Lake, Janice Meakin, George Medland, John Palmer, Ronald Wearing.

Horrabridge (12, no contest): David Bickham, David Cloke, Stuart Cox, Wendy Eldridge, Josephine Hawkins, Michael Jessop, Laurie Leask, Peter Masoli, Sally Monk, Thomas Moorhead, John Perkins.

Kelly (4, no contest): Benjamin Bradshaw, Raymond Brewer.

Lamerton (8, no contest): Nicholas Collier, Graham Cundy, Roger Geake, Michael Jefferies, Graham Manning, Ian Minshull, Pauline Small.

Lewtrenchard (3, no contest): Trevor Dawe, William Metherell, Bryan Wonnacott.

Lifton (10, no contest): Jean Greenhalgh, Stephen Greenhalgh, Donald Horn, Dawn Rogers, Colin Warne, Teresa Wood, Patricia Woodridge.

Lydford (7 seats): Rona Baker, Kate Boyd, Philip Burgess, Linda Cole, Peter Fletcher, Susan Holland, Patricia Martyn, Stephen Powne, Peter Stokes.

Mary Tavy (9, no contest): Maurice Anning, John Higman, Peter Hilborn, George Hill, Peter Jarvis, Jacqueline Pendall, Anita Prosser, John Short, William Henry Squire.

Marystow (3, no contest): Peter Tinworth.

Meavy, Dousland (4, no contest): David Hooper, Jacqueline Moorhead.

Meavy Village (3, no contest): Bridget Cole, Scott Ferguson, Michael Parle.

Milton Abbot, Chillaton (4, no contest): Raymond Brewer, Iris Griffiths, Kevin Wright.

Milton Abbot Ward (4, no contest): Jacqui Marker, Ruth Rapson, Henry Spurr.

Peter Tavy (7): Colin Abel, Maxwell Allen, Patrick Cashell, Edward Dodd, David French, James Jeffery, William Lane, Gary Metters, Bryan Rowse.

Sampford Spiney (3, no contest): Elizabeth Cole, Rosalind Pugh (Spedding), Richard Ware.

Sheepstor (2, no contest): Keith Scrivener.

Stowford (7, no contest): Christine Bickell, Charles Chick, John Pengelly, Kay Roberts, Rosamond Vigers, Eileen Warren.

Sydenham Damerel (7, no contest): Reginald Barns, Ian Dingle, Denise Head, Barry Isaacs, John May-Somerville, Tracy McMahon, Stephen Reddicliffe.

Tavistock, North, (8): Iain Andrews, Sara Batten (Liberal Democrat), Roy Connelly (Liberal Democrat), Margaret Grylls (Liberal Democrat), Anne Johnson, Peter Jones (Liberal Democrat), Caroline Keane, Robin Pike, Harry Smith (Labour), David Stapleton (Liberal Democrat), Graham Turner (Liberal Democrat), Abina Wood (Liberal Democrat), Norma Woodcock.

Tavistock South (7, no contest): Betty Batchelor (Labour), Maxine Gibson (Liberal Democrat), Mandy Govier (Conservative), Jennifer Metcalf, Ted Sherrell, Martin Taylor (Liberal Democrat), Brian Trew.

Tavistock South West (2, no contest): David Best (Conservative), Alison Clish-Green (Liberal Democrat).

Thrushelton (3, no contest); Frederick Jones, Harold Jones, Adele Yeo.

Walkhampton Dousland (4, no contest): Daphne Button, Ann Ellis, Gerald Falvey.

Walkhampton Village (3): Derek Lavers, Christopher Morley, Graham Palmer, Chas Symes.

Whitchurch (9, no contest): Malcolm Ashfold, Michael Daw, Michael Doidge, Susan Spackman, Ian Walton.