THE political landscape at Teignbridge Council shifted this week after two Teignmouth councillors left the loosely knit group of Independents.

Cllr David Weekes, a former mayor of Teignmouth, has joined the Liberal Democrats, and will sit with the party group on Teignbridge Council and Teignmouth Town Council.

earlier, Cllr Roy Phillips quit the Independent group because the Liberal Democrat and Independent coalition which runs Teignbridge has not pledged to limit next year's council-tax rise to only 2.5 per cent.

The changes will not affect the overall control of the council.

Cllr Weekes said that his move had come only after much thought, and because the Liberal Democrats had developed a longer-term vision and package of policies for the council.

He said: 'I am not an armchair councillor. I like to get involved in the decision-making processes of our district and town councils for the good of the community.

'Since my election in May, it has become very evident to me that district councillors must have a strategy and decisive direction, a policy for the future social and economic well being of our community.

'I have decided that to best serve my community, I should follow my national political preference for the Liberal Democrats by joining them on the district and town councils.'

Cllr Alan Connett, the Liberal Democrat leader of Teignbridge Council, welcomed Cllr Weekes' decision.

'David is a dedicated local councillor, and we are delighted he has joined us,' he said. 'David has a great deal to offer and contribute to the way Teignbridge develops to become a more customer-focused council, delivering good quality services and meeting the needs of the community.'

Cllr Phillips said that the council tax rise could be held to 2.5 per cent by cutting non-essentials and increasing the council's income.

'I look at budgeting very simply, as a businessman would,' he said. 'I would look at last year's figure, add the cost of living at 2.5 per cent, and then work back from that.'

He said that he would focus on providing essential services that benefited most people, such as rubbish collection, street cleaning, all other things that made a fundamental difference to the health and well being of the community.

'The council should also increase its income, not its charges,' said Cllr Phillips. 'Just take some simple things in Teignmouth. If the Pellew car park had been remarked eight years ago to take extra cars, we would have had that extra income during that period.

'The council chalets at Eastcliff could be increased in number, perhaps by building a second tier, or the crazy golf on the seafront could be upgraded and turned into a money spinner.

'It's the way that one looks at these things, it's not rocket science.'

Cllr Phillips said that he would vote as he saw fit, as he had always done. 'My employers are those people who voted for me.'

Cllr Ray Frost, leader of the Teignbridge group of Independents and deputy leader of the council, said that Cllr Phillips' decision was a sad one.

'But we are a group of individuals, who are only here for one purpose, and that is to represent the views of our electorate,' he said. 'Unlike the Lib Dems or the Tories we don't whip at all, and we reserve the right to come to our independent views.'

There are now 17 Liberal Democrats, 13 Independents, 14 Conservatives and two non-aligned councillors on the 46-seat Teignbridge Council.