A former mayor of Okehampton has thanked residents for helping her clinch her borough council by-election victory.

Liberal Democrat Jan Goffey, twice mayor of Okehampton town, was elected as the borough councillor for Okehampton South ward at the by-election held on Thursday, November 6.

Speaking after her victory, Jan said: “I'm delighted, and honoured, to have been chosen to represent Okehampton South and Meldon on West Devon Borough Council. Thank you all who exercised your democratic right and voted!

“Those that know me well, know Okehampton is in my blood and over many years I’ve always tried to do my best for the town and all its inhabitants. During the election I heard many complaints about the state of our national politics. Comments with which I sympathise. People want MPs and councillors to get on with things and make their lives better. Getting on with things is my forte!

“One of my main priorities is health and dental care in the Okehampton area. I inaugurated the North Dartmoor Health Initiative and we have recently run a community-wide survey. We had an amazing response with over 800 participants. On the afternoon of the election I, with my specialist colleague Saul Stevens, presented the results of that survey to the One Eastern Devon Partnership Forum, an NHS sector whose remit is Equality of Health Provision, and we await their response.

“The NHS is going through another bout of huge change and it is important we make sure that Okehampton gets a fair settlement as things get reorganised. I was especially pleased that the other candidates in the election, and our local MP, also made health a priority and I look forward to working constructively with them.

“So once again, thank you everybody. I promise to work hard on your behalf for Okehampton.”

The by-election represents the third win for the Liberal Democrats in Conservative Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride’s constituency of Central Devon since the Devon County Council elections in May.