The 2011 Torridge District Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of TorridgeDistrict Council in Devon, England. The whole council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]
11 of the 36 councillors stood down at the election, including the leader of the Conservative council James Morrish.[5] A total of 80 candidates stood at the election for the 36 seats contested, 25 Conservatives, 23 Liberal Democrats, 18 independents, 6 Labour and 4 each from the Green Party and UK Independence Party.[5] 3 independent candidates were elected with no opposition, Phil Pennington in Monkleigh and Littleham, Ken James in Tamarside and David Lausen in Winkleigh,[5] down from 7 unopposed candidates at the 2007 election.[2] Meanwhile, Len Ford, who had represented Appledore as a Liberal Democrat councillor, had left the party and contested Bideford East as an independent.[5]
Election result
The Conservatives won half of the seats on the council, falling 1 seat short of winning a majority.[8] This was the closest any political party had come to having a majority since the first election to the council in 1973.[9] Overall turnout at the election was 45.2%,[10] up from 42.1% in 2007.[11] This ranged from a high of 57.2% in Three Moors to a low of 32.3% in Bideford South.[9]
Independents dropped to 10 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats rose to 6 seats and the Greens won 1 seat.[8] Meanwhile, Labour won their first seat on the council since 2003, after David Brenton gained a seat in Bideford South from the mayor of Bideford, Conservative Philip Pester.[12] He was one of 14 new councillors after the election.[9]
Following the election Conservative Barry Parsons became the new leader of the council.[13]
A by-election was held in Shebbear and Langtreeward on 15 August 2013 after Conservative councillor John Lewis resigned from the council.[14] David Hurley held the seat for the Conservatives with a majority of 23 votes.[15]
Shebbear and Langtree by-election 15 August 2013[15][16]
A by-election was held in Torrington ward after Liberal Democrat councillor Geoff Lee resigned from the council due to leaving the area.[17] The seat was gained for the Green party by Cathrine Simmons with a majority of 111 votes.[17]
A by-election was held in Bideford East ward on 20 March 2014 after the death of independent councillor Steve Clarke.[19] The seat was won by another independent Sam Robinson by a majority of 145 votes.[20]
A by-election was held on 10 July 2014 for Kenwith ward after independent councillor Kathy Murdoch resigned from the council.[21] Kathy Murdoch had been elected as a Conservative but left the party to sit as an independent in June 2012.[22] The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Alison Boyle with a majority of 37 votes.[23]