seatonmatters.org

As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of VE Day, we face within Britain the very same forces that we defeated from outside in 1945. Reform UK are not, yet, a full-blown fascist party, but they are unmistakably from the same family: racist, nationalist, and above all authoritarian and anti-democratic.

You can see this in Nigel Farage’s arrogant dismissal of all initiatives to promote equality and inclusion in our society, and in his attempt to make Reform wipe out, with a stroke of the pen, all the efforts of councils to combat the climate emergency. You can see it, above all, in his slavish worship and aping of Donald Trump’s authoritarian and dictatorial regime.

Remember that Farage defended Trump’s attempted violent coup in 2020. If Reform UK were to come to power in 2029 – thanks to our corrupt first-past-the-post system which might give him victory with 30 per cent of the votes – he would resort to the the antidemocratic steps that Trump took to hang on to power.

So here is my message to our Liberal Democrat, Green and Independent councillors: don’t normalise Reform. Allow then to represent their constituents (if they do), give them their fair share of committee places, but don’t do deals with them, don’t let them run things, keep them well away from power. They need to be defeated as we defeated their forerunners in the 1940s

There are two governance models available to councils: the committee based system and the Leader and Cabinet system. Over the years most councils have now adopted the Leader and Cabinet system for practical reasons. Councillor Brazil is calling for a new way of doing politics but seem to want to attempt this under the Leader and Cabinet system. This will be challenging.

From the Devon County web site Councillor Julian Brazil, Lib Dem Leader, is quoted as saying:

“The mood music I’m getting from our group is that we don’t want a formal sharing agreement among parties, and I support that. If we’re making the right decisions members should vote with us. It’s a new way of doing politics, but it’s a much more mature and developed way of doing things. If we have compromise among 60 members we will make better decisions for the Council.”

This is a sentiment that probably chimes with most people, but how is he going to make these compromises work in a council whose members have markedly different political philosophies and values?

It is difficult to make collective group decisions unless the members hold a set of common beliefs about the best way to reach their objectives. For example over expanding services or cutting them.

Julian Brazil is leader of South Hams, a small 31 seat district district council with a Lib Dem majority. Devon County has twice the number of seats divided roughly 3:2 left to right leaning political groups.

From the last paragraph it appears that there is no proposal to return to a committee based governance model but stay with the Leader and Cabinet model.

In the committee based model the council establishes a number of committees, each with a specific area of responsibility. The political groups appoint elected members to those committees. More councillors are actively involved in decision-making, but it can take longer to reach decisions. For this reason most councils have adopted the Leader and Cabinet model.

Should we be expecting a “rainbow” cabinet with a deputy leader drawn from the next largest party Reform?

This is a bold and brave start to the new council. – Owl

www.devon.gov.uk 

Councillor Julian Brazil, Leader of the Liberal Democrat (Lib Dems) group at Devon County Council, wants all of the Councillors at the authority to have a voice.

Following last Thursday’s local elections, Devon County Council was left under no single party control. Of the 60 seats, the Lib Dems won the most with 27, but that left them just short of the 31 seats needed to gain overall control.

Reform UK, new to the council, won 18 seats; the Conservative Party – seven seats; Green Party – six; Independents – two; with the Labour Party now having no seats on the council.

The results represent a significant change at County Hall, where the Conservatives had been in control since 2009.

Councillor Brazil, who has been voted as group Leader by the newly elected Lib Dem councillors at Devon County Council, also wants to see change in the services provided by the authority.

He said: “The mood music I’m getting from our group is that we don’t want a formal sharing agreement among parties, and I support that. If we’re making the right decisions members should vote with us. It’s a new way of doing politics, but it’s a much more mature and developed way of doing things. If we have compromise among 60 members we will make better decisions for the Council.

“I want councillors to vote for what’s best for their community; that leads to better decisions and a better council. Everyone should feel they have a voice and have the opportunity to be influential – that’s the culture I want to engender here at the County Council. It’s good to have a mix of views and beliefs to be truly representative of the communities we serve.

“The County Council needs to be more outward looking and work more closely with partners. Children in Devon have been failed for too long, we have got to get that right, and potholes affect us all, we need to find a better way to repair roads but for less.”

Councillor Michael Fife Cook, speaking on behalf of the Reform UK group, agreed that cooperation among councillors is vital for the county. He said: “I don’t see us as opposition. We have been elected and people will expect us to work together for the good of the county. We can’t force through change, it will have to be by compromise, but good ideas can come from anywhere and that’s how we have a constructive council. Councillors aren’t just representing those who voted for them but their whole community so we are representing Devon.”

Councillor Jacqi Hodgson, Leader of the Green and Independent group, said: “We are delighted that our group of Green Councillors has grown to six and we expect to have the opportunity to drive a stronger greener agenda through cooperation with fellow Councillors from all parties and Independents. We hope for better democracy and a brighter future for all our residents.”

Councillor Andrew Leadbetter, Leader of the Conservative group, said: “I welcome the comments made by Councillor Brazil, after all we have been elected to put the interests of the residents of Devon first and to make a difference to people’s lives. If we can all work together for the good of Devon that has to be a good thing. Rural counties like Devon face unique issues that need to be recognised nationally, and we must all work together to ensure we receive adequate funding to address them.”

(Clockwise from top left) Councillor Brazil, Councillor Hodgson, Councillor Leadbetter, Councillor Fife Cook.

At the Full Council meeting on Thursday 22 May, Councillors will decide who takes up the positions of Leader, Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, appointments to committees, as well as the roles of Chairman and Vice Chairman.

East Devon Independents join the Greens to form a political group of 8.

No news of any other groups forming.- Owl

Bradley Gerrard www.exmouthjournal.co.uk 

Jacqi Hodgson has been reappointed as the leader of the Green and Independent group after a post-election bounce in seats.

The Greens jumped to six councillors after the Devon County Council elections last week (May 1), up from the two they had heading into the ballot.

Cllr Hodgson, who held her Totnes & Dartington seat, said the Greens and two independent members – Councillor Jess Bailey, who held her Otter Valley seat, and Councillor Paul Hayward, who won in Axminster – would be a political grouping.

“We had discussions about the things we felt would be possible and what we would be proposing as part of any potential agreement [with the Lib Dems] but there is nothing solid yet,” Cllr Hodgson said.

“We know [the Lib Dems] are interested in working with us, and us with them, but hopefully we’ll have an opportunity in the coming days to meet and talk more widely.”

Because the Lib Dems secured 27 seats in the election, they are the biggest single party at County Hall now, but don’t have an outright majority.

This means they will need the support of another party or political group to get their prospective policies and initiatives through.

Cllr Hayward said he had accepted an invitation to join the Green and Independent political group, which he hoped would “help create an administration that is collegiate and varied”.

“I will still vote on the issues as I see them, and if the Green members propose something that I think needs altering, then I hope that by discussion and debate we can agree a consensus that we are all happy with,” he said.

“If of course they don’t, then it will be up to them to explain to me why, as above all else, I am independent and I will vote for what is good for Devon and its people.”

Cllr Hayward added that he liked to “extol green issues”, and that Axminster Town Council, which he is the clerk for, had signed the climate emergency declaration in 2019 and tried to promote green initiatives in the town.

Cllr Bailey, who was part of the Green and Independent group prior to the election, confirmed she had rejoined it.

“I will remain independent though as I can’t imagine there will be any obligation to vote in a particular way,” she said.

“While I’m not part of the Green Party, green issues are a key priority for me.”

Besides Cllr Hodgson and Councillor Henry Gent, who held his Broadclyst seat, the Greens now have three county councillors in Exeter – Councillor Jack Eade in Heavitree & Whipton Barton, Councillor Andy Ketchin in St David’s & Haven Banks, and Councillor Thomas Richardson in St Sidwells & St James.

Councillor Sara Wilson also took Ilfracombe for the party.

Since Owl received this letter from a correspondent, there are BBC reports that Reform may have reversed ferret on this

Does Reform UK want to hide Devon County’s flag?

Dear Owl,

I am an advocate of the Union Jack and St Georges flags being flown at council offices. Both sides of my family can be traced to living in England for at least two centuries. 

However, I was most concerned to read that the Chair of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf only wants the Union Jack and St George’s flags to be flown on its council’s flag-poles, balconies, reception desks or council-chamber walls.

Reform controlled English councils will move at speed to resolve that the *only* flags permitted to be flown on or in its buildings will be the Union Jack and the St George’s flag.

No other flags will be permitted to be flown on its flag-poles, balconies, reception desks or… pic.twitter.com/UngyJFgCh9

— Zia Yusuf (@ZiaYusufUK) May 5, 2025

“Reform controlled English councils will move at speed to resolve that the *only* flags permitted to be flown on or in its buildings will be the Union Jack and the St George’s flag. No other flags will be permitted to be flown on its flag-poles, balconies, reception desks or council-chamber walls.  “

Does the Chair of Reform UK, Zia Yusuf not understand about the uniqueness of counties? 

The Devon flag may be very recent as a result of a competition but it represents a symbol of pride for those who were born or live in the county.

It might be worth Reform UK councillors and supporters based in Devon reading up about their county and their flag and explaining it to Mr Yusuf. 

This article explains the symbolism within the Devon flag.

https://www.devonlive.com/news/devon-news/reason-devons-flag-green-cornwalls-2251207

The former MP for a East Devon, Mr Simon Jupp was a very proud Devonian, and in his maiden speech he stated his family had “lived in the county for generations.” Many constituents and visitors to Exmouth would have seen the Devon flag on the wall in his constituency office which was situated in Mamhead View, along the seafront. 

Here’s a picture of Mr Jupp in his office. And the wall to his left had a very large Devon flag fixed to it.

Are Reform UK out-of-touch or unknowledgeable authoritarians, who want to deprive constituents in Devon of a sense of pride in our county? 

No councils in Devon should ever become Reform led, otherwise we are in danger of losing our unique heritage. 

Yours 

Concerned for Devon’s cultural heritage

Owl thinks that the county democratic services have done well to provide easily assimilated visual guides to the local election outcomes.

The first series in this post show, at a glance, the political colours of each seat won in each division.

Below these is the same information mapped geographically.

Below that are histograms showing the distribution of seats and number of votes cast for the main parties.

Some “off the cuff” observations (to provoke thought)

Exeter’s Labour wipe-out

Perhaps the most surprising result is the way that Exeter voters have turned against Labour.

In 2021 Labour had 7 seats based in and around the City, now they have none, with voters swinging all over the place.

Devon devolution

Although not a major issue in the election, the different councils’ declared approaches to local authority reorganisation are now likely to come under the spotlight.. 

Leader of the labour controlled Exeter City Council, Philip Bialyk has pursued the “go it alone” notion of Exeter and its commuter belt becoming a unitary authority. This has always begged the question as to who picks up the tab for the rural communities. A notion that maybe doesn’t command much voter support.

Likewise, the outgoing Conservative County Council initially claimed it was on the fast-track with its takeover proposal to swallow the districts, until this was rejected for not meeting government guidelines. Then it swung the other way with a smorgasbord of alternatives.

Neither of these ideas meet the current government guidelines.

The districts have other ideas and proposed the 1-4-5 three way split (the 1 is in deference to Exeter) before the election. The districts’ views are now likely to carry greater in the new County Council.

Will the government now double down on its devolution plans described recently as:  The worst local government white paper in living memory? Or reconsider in the light of the overall local election results?

Owl doesn’t expect devolution to happen any time soon.

Distribution of Reform wins.

The Reform wins look to cluster in: Exeter, suggesting a protest vote against the government; and then in Teignbridge, Torrige and West Devon. Here Owl wonders to what extent this might reflect a cry to be heard from voters in a part of “forgotten rural Britain”, forgotten by the Conservatives and simply “not on the radar” of metropolitan Labour.

The case for a proportional voting system

With the general recognition that a “five party” system is now emerging, the case for a proportional voting system is being raised once again. In particular by Reform who did particularly badly in the general election.

The table below shows how each party fared in respect of the proportion of seats they gained compared to their share of the vote (numbers rounded).

In this instance Reform and the Greens both got about the appropriate number of seats. The Lib Dems were the big winners and the Conservatives and Labour were the losers.

Party	% Share of seats	% Share of votes
Conservative Party	12	22
Liberal Democrats	45	28
Labour Party	0	8
Green Party	10	10
Reform UK	30	27
Independent	3	5

The political colour of each Division

The colours mapped

Histograms of numbers of seats and share of the votes (see here for tabulation)

Why two? 

Do you really need to ask?

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, spent Friday morning in Shropshire handing out ice creams to members of the public, cracking jokes about “support for the Tories melting away”. The Lib Dems won the council there for the first time, taking one ward by a single vote and a second tied vote on the drawing of straws. Davey then ate two scones, one with cream on top and one with jam on top, to celebrate gains in both Devon and Cornwall, where fierce debate rages over the best way to make a cream tea. The Lib Dems won more councils and councillors than the Conservatives and now run more town halls nationwide. (Extract from Tim Shipman www.thetimes.com)

(He’s got one the “right way up” but looks to be spooning jam on first for the second)

With “No overall control” in both councils what is the big picture?

Devon – 60 seats

Lib Dems have 27 seats. Then there are the 2 East Devon Independents Paul Hayward and Jess Bailey, used to working in a Lib Dem led coalition, and 6 greens in play. So Owl expects a Lib Dem led administration with either formal MOUs or “supply and maintenance” agreements to emerge.

Reform 18 and Conservatives 7 together can only muster 25 right wing votes. 

Cornwall – 87 seats

Cornwall is much more complicated. 

Reform is the largest party with 28 seats but was reported on BBC news last night as complaining that none of the other parties will talk to them. 

The Lib Dems have 26 seats, nearly as many.

There are 16 Independents, 7 Conservatives, 4 Labour, 3 Greens, and 3 Mebyon Kernow. 

At least 44 councillors have to work together to run Cornwall which means both Reform and Lib Dems are in with a chance.

Jeff Trail in Exmouth is the only Tory left, hanging on a paper thin majority of 21 votes.

Lib Dems 5

Reform 2

Independents 2 (Paul Hayward and Jess Bailey)

Green 1

Helen Brown for reform topped the poll and her running mate Si Femor got within 21 votes of toppling Jeff Trail. This leaves Trail the ONLY conservative councillor in East Devon with the narrowest of margins!

With the last two seat Exmouth Division just declared the BBC tally puts the Lib Dems on 27 with the 2 East Devon Independents Paul Hayward and Jess Bailey and 6 greens in play to form a LibDem led coalition/alliance. There are 60 council members.

Reform 18 and Conservatives 7 together can only muster 25. Labour have lost all their 7 seats.

One of the two seat Divisions: Henry Gent holds Broadclyst for Greens and Nat Vanstone Reform comes second. This was the Tory seat previously held by Sarah Randall Johnson.

Tight race between Eleanor Rylance Lib Dem and Fernando Morales Gundin Reform for third place.

Jes Bailey, Independent, holds her seat in Otter Valley with 63% of the vote. “Local Conservative” scrapes 486 votes

Nick Hookway for the Lib Dems takes Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton Coastal – Reform splits right wing vote

Denise Bickley for Lib Dems defeats big beast and former ” monster raving loony” Stuart Hughes!

Paul Arnott wins with 40.6% of the vote on a healthy (for local election) 40% turnout – Reform second

So Paul Hayward wins Axminster and Richard Jefferies kicks out Phil Twiss!

First results for East Devon – https://www.devon.gov.uk/democracy/division2025/feniton-honiton/

This shocker presses all the buttons and is featured across national and local news.

“These individuals believed corrupt practice was widespread in the construction industry and the method by which business was done”

“When we looked at the evidence, it was quite obvious,” said DI Parkinson. “I think they thought they were never going to get caught.”

How a quiet Devon town ended up at the centre of a multi-million pound criminal conspiracy

Sam Blackledge www.itv.com 

The peaceful, pristine suburban town of Cranbrook in East Devon – with its tree-lined streets and new-build houses – is the last place you would expect to be at the centre of a major criminal conspiracy.

Fifteen years ago, as Cranbrook was being developed and prepared for residents, it needed a district heating system.

Two men – who worked for energy firm E.ON – were in charge of the project, and began handing out lucrative contracts to construction firms. As it turned out, they were accepting millions of pounds in bribes.

Drugs, gambling and climbing the property ladder

Detective Inspector Dan Parkinson, from Devon and Cornwall Police’s serious organised crime branch, told ITV News West Country the investigation – codenamed Operation Truman – was complex and took years to fully unravel.

The pair at the centre of the case, Mark Baker and Matthew Heyward, along with Mr Baker’s wife, Angela, spent four years taking huge bribes through various channels.

They accepted cash and money paid into bank accounts; home improvements were paid for; they had the use of prestige cars, holidays and luxury hotel rooms.

The payments – which came from Priddy Engineering Limited and RK Civil Engineering – were covered up with false references and fake wage slips.

Heyward spent his bribery money on gambling and drugs; the Bakers spent theirs on climbing the property ladder.

The conspiracy came crashing down when E.ON realised what was happening and alerted the police.

On Thursday, at Winchester Crown Court, the six were sentenced for offences including fraud, bribery and money laundering.

‘They thought they were never going to get caught’

“When we looked at the evidence, it was quite obvious,” said DI Parkinson. “I think they thought they were never going to get caught.

“It can be incredibly tempting as a business to pay a bribe to get a contract. But if you do it, you are committing an offence and perpetuating this situation.

“The contracts were extremely large, and the amount in bribery totalled about £2 million. That’s the scale we’re looking at.

“At the heart of it, this is about employees of E.ON – who should have been acting in the best interests of the company – taking bribes and backhanders and putting contractors in place who would pay those.”

Corrupt relationships

Back in 2010, Cranbrook – six miles outside Exeter – was being developed as a new town.

Mark Baker was appointed head of projects and tasked with delivering the district heating project for E.ON, with Matthew Heyward employed as a quantity surveyor, responsible for signing off the work.

Priddy Engineering Ltd was controlled by Andrew Blunsdon, who paid bribes to both Baker and Heyward.

RK Civil Engineering Ltd (RKC) was run by Richard King and Timothy Patterson. Bank accounts linked to the two paid more than £1.5million to Baker and Heyward.

These companies were construction contractors who either had or wanted a commercial relationship with E.ON.

Police said Mark Baker’s role was deciding which companies should be given valuable construction contracts at Cranbrook, and later at other locations around the UK.

The bribes started in 2011 and continued through until the end of 2015.

‘It undermines how business works’

“When you talk about bribery, people think it’s just one person paying a bribe to get a contract,” DI Parkinson said.

“In this case, the employees at E.ON were putting in particular contractors who they knew would pay them bribes, and allowing them to put in inflated invoices, so the money they were getting actually came from E.ON.”

DI Parkinson says there are many more victims in this case.

“There were lots of other businesses who were bidding for work, but in hindsight they were never going to get that work, because they were not part of this corrupt relationship,” he said.

“It undermines how business operates and has a wider impact.”

Fake references, false invoices and wage slips and multiple house moves

Police say between 2011 and 2014, Mark and Angela Baker moved house four times, with each of the moves “tainted by fraud”.

In 2012 they moved from Lincolnshire to Devon to be closer to the site in Cranbrook.

In their rental application they falsely declared that Angela Baker worked for RKC on an annual salary of £60,000. Timothy Paterson enabled this fraud by creating a reference and fake wage slips.

In 2013 the Bakers started the process of buying a house with a mortgage in Okehampton.

RKC paid the deposit and obtained the mortgage by fraud, and paid for improvements to the home.

Angela Baker told the bank she was working for RKC on a salary of £85,000 per year, with fake wage slips again created to disguise the fraud.

After spending some of the money on a car and holidays, the Bakers bought a house in Yorkshire in late 2013.

Angela Baker again claimed to the mortgage lender to be a RKC employee earning £84,000 a year, using a fake wage slip.

‘A parasitic blight on society’

In the summer of 2012, after the Bakers had moved to Devon, Andrew Blunsdon further bribed Mark Baker by arranging and paying for an air conditioning unit to be installed in his wife’s florist shop.

DI Parkinson said: “These individuals believed corrupt practice was widespread in the construction industry and the method by which business was done.

“Corruption costs business and society, providing benefit for just a corrupt few. Ultimately, we all pay the price. These corrupt practices are a parasitic blight on society.”

Fraud, money laundering and acquiring criminal property

Mark Baker, 56, of Goole in Yorkshire, pleaded guilty to being bribed, four counts of fraud by false representation, being concerned in a money laundering arrangement and fraud by abuse of position.

He was jailed for three years and 10 months.

Matthew Heyward, 51, of Kingsteignton, Devon, admitted bribery and being concerned in a money laundering arrangement.

He was jailed for two years and six months.

Timothy Patterson, 56, of Derby, admitted two counts of fraud by false representation, two of bribing another person and acquiring criminal property.

He was jailed for four years.

Richard King, 51, of Husbands Bosworth in South Leicestershire, admitted fraud by false representation and two counts of bribing another person.

He was jailed for two years and five months.

Andrew Blunsdon, 57 of Winscombe in Somerset, admitted two counts of bribery.

He was given a 12-month suspended jail term and ordered to carry out 150 hours of unpaid work.

Angela Baker, 53, also of Goole, pleaded guilty to two fraud by false representation counts and being concerned in a money laundering arrangement.

She was given a sentence of 13 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.

‘Decent companies don’t stand a chance’

The judge at Winchester Crown Court, HHJ Rufus Taylor, said: “If you are a decent honest company, you don’t stand a chance because you haven’t paid a £1.5million bribe.

“This kind of corruption has a chilling effect and seriously undermines the proper operation of business.”

An E.ON UK spokesman said: “Our internal processes enabled us to identify this case and take decisive action. Reflecting our zero-tolerance approach to bribery, we reported the matter to the police and have fully supported their investigation.”

Remember to take photo ID

In a post on Tuesday Owl explained why this election is particularly important, listed the candidates in each East Devon Division, and gave an opinion on who to vote for in each.

There appears to be a general air of despair around what is going on in the world but now is not the time to “opt out”. It only plays into the hands of the zealots on the extremes. Nor is it the moment to experiment with unproven snake oil remedies.

It’s only 97 years since we gained universal franchise – use it!

This extract from the Exeter Observer shows how close the result is likely to be

Extract from Exeter Observer

More In Common polling suggests the Liberal Democrats are likely to become the largest party on Devon County Council, leaving them potentially placed to govern with support from the Independents in East Devon with which it runs the district council.

It also thinks Greens support will translate into a larger number of county seats this year, possibly at the expense of Labour in Exeter.

Electoral Calculus, however, reckons the Conservatives will lose control of the county council but nevertheless remain its largest party, partly because it thinks centre-left voters are more likely to over-estimate the likelihood that they will vote.

The Liberal Democrats are certainly managing expectations here. While they hope to take control in currently Conservative-run Gloucestershire, Shropshire and Wiltshire they are more circumspect about its prospects in Devon.

Don’t forget photo ID

Sixteen years in and the Tories still claim that sticking with the same old unimaginative career politicians doing the same things they’ve done for years is the right choice for our communities. SEND and children’s services have been failing year after year for more than a decade; over £200m of highway repair works are outstanding while Conservative leadership has decided to carry on with horrendously inefficient, privatised, cost-plus maintenance contracts – and while they might claim otherwise, they’ve accumulated over £100m of debt since taking office, and spent £200m of the £300m savings that they inherited in 2009.

It’s time for change. Labour and the Green Party can’t win here to deliver it. And for anyone voting Reform: the best way to send the Conservatives a message and demand better for Devon is to vote Lib Dem, kick the Tories out of County Hall, and get a local champion who will listen and act on our communities’ behalf – not just parrot a party line. 

Last July, the country threw out a failing Conservative government that had run out of ideas. Thursday is Devon’s chance to do the same with our County Council.

The full list of candidates in each Division and Owl’s view of who to vote for was posted yesterday.

It’s going to be a tight race so don’t waste your vote.

For those up for a long read “Velociraptor_1906”, who claims to be a Devonian who has lived all across the county so can provide a decent amount of local knowledge, posted this insight on the election nine days ago. 

If the insights for the rest of Devon are as informed and plausible as those for East Devon then this is worth a read.

This campaign seems eerily quiet. But the councillors you elect will have important decisions to make on Labour’s plans for reorganising local authorities: eliminating district councils; writing rules that eliminate our County, and insisting on creating overarching mayoral authorities covering over 3,000 sq miles! 

These councillors, quite likely, will be the only ones you have if and when the government has its way on disbanding districts. They will be representing you on everything from planning, adult and social care to fixing the potholes and collecting your rubbish.

With fewer of them, councillors will be even more remote.

Despite the upheaval in the world order created by the election of Donald Trump and Labour’s struggles with the economic poisoned chalice it inherited. Now is not the time for apathy. It only plays into the hands of the zealots on the extremes. Nor is it time to experiment with snake oil remedies.

Below is the list of candidates for each County Division. They have been compiled from the Devon County list but please let Owl know if any transcription errors or omissions have inadvertently slipped in.

For reasons Owl doesn’t understand, East Devon is the only district in the County to have Divisions (two) represented by two councillors; Broadclyst and Exmouth.

The outgoing Devon County Council was controlled by the Conservatives, as East Devon District Council (EDDC) was until 2020. Facing National headwinds the Tories followed their instincts and tried to cancel this election on the grounds that they were on the fast track to reorganisation with their “oven ready plan”.

This didn’t fool the Government and the outgoing council’s latest draft proposal included five options.

It’s time for a change and EDDC since 2020 shows how the LibDems can create an inclusive administration. The reality is that the LibDems are the only realistic challengers with the experience and vision.

A couple of “Heritage Party” candidates appear in the lists. This seems to be another insurgent right wing party advocating “Traditional Values” and “No more Lockdowns” amongst other things.

Axminster Division: 

This is a Division where Owl would definitely back Independent Paul Hayward. Currently he is deputy leader of EDDC experience vital in any discussion of reorganisation.  The outgoing councillor is not seeking re-election.                                  

BARLOW MARSHALL Honey,	Labour and Co-Operative Party;
BROWN Jenny,	Local Conservatives (from Honiton)
BYRNE Matthew Denis,	Green Party Candidate
HAYWARD Paul Graham,	Independent Candidate;
ROBINSON Sue,	Liberal Democrats;
SALWAY Philip James,	Reform UK

Broadclyst Division(two councillors):

This Division has been represented by an alliance between Henry Gent, ostensibly Green but of a distinctly blue hue (see Owl’s post “many shades of green” ) and the retiring Randall Johnson pursuer of development led growth and closures of community hospitals.

Eleanor Rylance (excellent Chair of EDDC) and Andreas Glover are Owl’s choice here for a clean sweep.

BAILEY Brian Arthur	The Conservative Party Candidate;
GENT Henry,	Green Party Candidate;
GLOVER Andrea,	Liberal Democrats;
GOUDIE Lisa,	Heritage Party;
GUNDIN Fernando,	Reform UK
HEALY Kian,	Labour Party;
HOLMES Molly Jane,	Labour Party Candidate;
JAGO Kate,	Green Party Candidate
RYLANCE Eleanor,	Liberal Democrats;
THOMPSON Cynthia	The Conservative Party Candidate
VANSTONE Nat	Reform UK.

Exmouth Division (two councillors)

Scott and Trail both voted to cancel the elections – so time for change. Matt Hall is an experienced EDDC councillor and his running mate Fran McElhone has a deep grasp of local issues. Fran was a very independently minded  local journalist reporting on the Tory “goings on” during the formative years of East Devon Watch.

ACKLAND Hilary Anne,	Labour & Co-operative Party
BROWN Helen,	Reform UK
DOLICZNY Lou,	Green Party Candidate
FERMOR Si	Reform UK;
HALL Matt	Liberal Democrats
HAWKES Ben Anthony	Labour Party,
MCELHONE Fran,	Liberal Democrats;
SCOTT Richard,	The Conservative Party Candidate;
TRAIL Jeff	The Conservative Party Candidate;
WILSON Daniel	Independent

Exmouth and Budleigh Salterton Coastal Division

The Division vacated at long last by “venerable” Christine Channon, a good enough reason in itself to change, No one is more local than Exmouth born and bred Nick Hookway, again a candidate with plenty of solid EDDC experience as Portfolio Holder Culture, Leisure, Sport and Tourism.

HOOKWAY Nick,	Liberal Democrats;
MCINTOSH James Declan	Labour Party Candidate;
RIDDELL Henry Lloyd	The Conservative Party Candidate
ROSSER Mike,	The Green Party
THOMAS Paul	Reform UK

Feniton and Honiton Division

Phill Twiss, County Cabinet member for finance is seeking re-election and another who voted to cancel the elections – knows where the skeletons are buried!

Time for a change with Richard Jefferies, another EDDC councillor with experience of getting things done.

ALCOCK Barry	Reform UK
CASEMORE Steve	Labour Party
COLLINS Jane	Green Party Candidate
FAITHFULL Peter Hamilton,	Independent
FOTHERINGHAM Jo	Independent;
JEFFERIES Richard,	Liberal Democrats
TWISS Phil	Local Conservatives.

Otter Valley Division

Here Owl would choose the Independent Jess Bailey, seeking re-election. She is the exception to Owl’s general rule of only considering Indys who are prepared to sign up to being members of EDDC’s “Democratic Alliance” formal political grouping, founded on upholding the Nolan Principles. (Which excludes many Indys in these tables).

Jess has shown enormous courage in pursuing what County knew about the John Humphrey affair and he campaigns on local issues have featured in many “Watch” articles.

AHERNE Janice,	Reform UK Candidate;
BAILEY Jess	Independent;
CARTER Paul Richard,	Local Conservatives;
COLLINS Beth,	Liberal Democrats;
SUTTON Rachel Helen	Labour Party.

Seaton and Colyton Division 

This should be a no-brainer with Paul Arnott, current Leader of EDDC standing. He has demonstrated how inclusive local politics can be made to work, with his coalition in East Devon bringing together councillors of different political colours with a common aim of serving the electorate. Perhaps more important in this election is that he has had the ideas on how the Government’s ill-conceived reorganisation might be implemented and has worked with other Devon District Leaders to form a consensus. His election will be vital if this mess is to be resolved.

[Interestingly he is competing against the decidedly not local “Local Conservative” Ben Ingham and one of the EDDC Indys who fails to pass Owl’s “General Rule on Indys”].

ARNOTT Paul,	Liberal Democrats;
HEATH John David,	Independent;
INGHAM Ben,	Local Conservatives (from Exmouth)
KNOTT Paul Graeme	Labour Party;
WALSH Jim	Reform UK

Sidmouth Division

Owl has only recently reported on how the “raving Monster” Stuart Hughes couldn’t find the time to attend the Sidmouth Hustings, and that neither Reform nor Labour had the courtesy to answer the invitation from Vision Group for Sidmouth.

With Denise Bickley voters could get “two for the price of one” as she is regarded by many greens as greener than most of them.

Time for Sidmouth to get a grown up councillor.

BICKLEY Denise,	Liberal Democrats;
BULLOCK Suzanne Mary,	Labour Party;
HERBERT Basil Thomas	Reform UK;
HUGHES Stuart	Local Conservatives.

Whimple and Blackdown Division

If you want to read reasons why it’s time for long serving Councillors like Ian Chubb and Phil Twiss to be booted out try this for size from 2016:

Exmouth Seafront Cost Increases – Fantasy, Incompetent, Iconic or Ironic.

Owl’s view: back the LibDem

CHUBB Iain,	Local Conservatives;
CONNOR Cathy,	Liberal Democrats;
MALAWANA Johann,	Labour Party;
OWEN Steve,	Green Party Candidate
SABINE Andre	Heritage Party;
WILLEY Dave	Reform UK.