THE Conservatives were the biggest gainers in last Thursday's elections to West Devon Borough Council, but there is still no party in overall control. The Tories now have 14 members on the 31-seat council, an increase of two for the party. The gains were made at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, who lost one seat and now have seven, and the Independents who also lost one seat and now have ten. In all, there are 13 new faces on the council. The biggest shock was in Tavistock South where long serving councillor Independent Roger Mathew, chairman of the planning committee, lost his seat to the Conservatives. In the same ward, another Independent, Ted Sherrell, was handsomely returned with the biggest popular vote in the borough. And in Okehampton West, Conservative and former borough mayor Jayne Hill was ousted by the Liberal Democrats. The overall turnout for this election was 46.14% — the largest turnout was in the Exbourne ward with just over 57% and the lowest in Okehampton East wardwith just 36.8%. Following an extensive publicity campaign, the council issued just over 4,500 postal votes — around 11% of the electorate. At the last elections in 2003, postal votes were issued to just 5% of the electorate. Results as follows — an asterisk denotes a sitting councillor and all are Independents unless otherwise stated. Bere Ferrers 2 seats, turnout, 43.06% Christine Grills * (Lib Dem) 715 Robin Musgrave (Lib Dem) 598 Eaon Wager * (Local Cons) 403 Bridestowe 1 seat, turnout. 56.71% John Hockridge * 502 Caroline England (Cons) 201 Buckland Monachorum 2 seats, turnout, 49.46% Margaret Garton * 640 Philip Sanders (Cons) 625 Glen Kennedy (Lib Dem) 472 Ann Ellis (Lib Dem) 358 John Howes (UKIP) 214 Burrator 1 seat, turnout, 54.33% Diana Moyse * (Cons) 378 Michael Parle (Lib Dem) 293 Chagford 1 seat, turnout, 51.54% Robert Sampson * 398 Allen McAllister (Cons) 199 Drewsteignton 1 seat, turnout, 49.21% Paul Ridgers * (Cons) 414 Dominic Welch (Lib Dem) 207 Exbourne 1 seat, turnout., 57.20% David Weeks * 657 Susan Gill (Lib Dem) 117 Hatherleigh 1 seat, turnout, 55.55% Dennis Bater * 451 Andrew Entwistle (Lib Dem) 239 Charles Dumpleton 123 Lew Valley 1 seat, turnout, 51.11% James McInnes * (Local Cons) 508 Nicholas Waterhouse (Lib Dem) 142 Pat Durston (UKIP) 110 Lydford 1 seat, turnout, 42.5% Isla McPhie (Cons) 255 Sally Collins (Lib Dem) 217 Mary Tavy 1 seat, turnout, 56.91% Terry Pearce (Local Cons) 447 Pam Scannell * (Lib Dem) 202 John Carter (UKIP) 118 Milton Ford 1 seat, turnout, 42.58% Dilwyn Hughes * (Local Cons) 275 Michael Pithouse 251 North Tawton 1 seat Nick Morgan *(returned unopossed) Okehampton East, 2 seats, turnout, 36.8% Christine Marsh (Local Cons) 477 Edna Hicks (Lib Dems) 412 Joanna Slater * (Cons) 396 Elaine Kale * (Lib Dem) 382 Nick Baker (BNP) 132 Okehampton West, 2 seats, turnout, 41.4% Kenneth Williams * (Lib Dem) 574 John Young (Lib Dem) 475 Jayne Hill * (Cons) 446 Mark Slater (Cons) 377 David Cushing (UKIP) 135 South Tawton 1 seat, turnout, 56.28% William Cann 461 Tom Wells (Local Cons) 144 Wendy Kitchen (Lib Dem) 128 Tamarside 1 seat, turnout, 42.51% Robin Pike * 269 David Whitcomb (Cons) 237 Tavistock North 3 seats, turnout, 40.62% David Best (Local Cons) 567 Roy Connelly * (Lib Dem) 543 Shaun Watchorn * (Cons) 526 Jane Ramsey (Local Cons) 510 Tony Everitt 435 Anita Prosser (Lib Dem) 404 Martin Taylor (Lib Dem) 339 Martin Quinn (Green Pary) 312 George Mudge (UKIP) 260 John Philips (UKIP) 248 Rosalind Pierson (UKIP) 205 Tavistock South 3 seats, turnout, 40.21% Ted Sherrell * 1,051 Mandy Govier * (Cons) 685 Chris Jenkins (Cons) 642 Roger Mathew * 593 Graham Turner (Lib Dem) 325 Christopher Lawrey (Lib Dem) 292 Tavistock South West 1 seat, turnout, 40.21% Alison Clish-Green * (Lib Dems) 353 Michael Harper (Cons) 191 Thrushel 1 seat, turnout, 44.05% Donald Horn (Local Cons) 373 Colin Warne 213 Walkham 2 seats, turnout, 42.38% David Cloke 450 Debo Sellis (Cons) 348 John Sellis (Cons) 345 Diane Keane (Lib Dem) 266 Jacqueline Fry (Lib Dem) 226 Donald Yendle 184 Andrew Mudge (UKIP) 144
