KEN Lewis, who lost his seat while chairman of Teignbridge Council four years ago, bids to regain his place at the district authority elections on Thursday, May 3. In 2003 he was swept aside by a Liberal Democrat tide in Newton Abbot's Buckland and Milber ward, which had seen boundary changes. This time the Conservative candidate stands in Bushell and is one of five fighting for two seats. They are sitting Lib Dem councillors Shirley Maddicott and Keith Smith – the latter having successfully fought College in 2003. Mr Smith is the current vice-chairman of the council. Seasoned campaigner Reg Wills, who is in his 80s and has served on Teignbridge Council in the past, again contests Bushell as an Independent after losing out last time, and the fifth runner is Labour Party candidate Barry Kaye. After more than 21 years' service to the community, Fred Symons is retiring from local government, having served on both Devon county and Teignbridge councils. He was the first chairman of Devon Fire and Rescue Service when it became an independent authority. He was one of two Lib Dems in Newton Abbot's Bradley ward. the other, Anne Fry, bids to hold on to her seat, and Michael Hocking also flies the Lib Dem banner. They are challenged by Conservatives Geraldine Gaskell and Lorna Lowes. The father of the council, Fernley Holmes – who has served on Teignbridge since 1977 – changed his colours from Independent to Conservative during the present term. He stands alongside fellow sitting Tory Anna Klinkenberg in Bovey, and Lib Dem Sally Morgan, who was elected in 2003. There are three seats at stake and it is a Conservative-Lib Dem battle with Tony Allen (Lib Dem), Ingrid Andrews (Con) and Phil Page (Lib Dem) making up the field. Rhona Parker has served Ashburton and Buckfastleigh as an Independent for 28 years but has decided it is time to stand down. This has paved the way for the Conservatives and Lib Dems to fight it out for three places. Stuart Barker (Con) is the only sitting councillor in the line-up. The others are Conservatives Ann Armstrong and Paul Parker, and Lib Dems Lloyd Fursdon, John Nutley and Anthony Rew. Another councillor bowing out after serving for eight years is Independent Tom Archer. He represented Teign Valley and was a member of the Teignbridge executive. Having fought the last general election for the UK Independence Party, Trevor Colman turns his attention to local government and takes on Jim Grimble (Ind) – who currently sits on the Teignbridge executive – and Alun Williams (Lib Dem) for the seat in Bishopsteignton. The council leader, Alan Connett (Lib Dem), is returned unopposed in Kenton-with-Starcross, as is Peter Bromell in Teignbridge North. The deputy leader Ray Frost (Ind) has three opponents for two seats in Chudleigh – Bridie Cawley, Lorraine Evans (Con), currently chairman of Chudleigh Town Council, and Mandy Wells (Lib Dem). One of the oldest candidates is Vic Elliott (Con), who has a straight fight with Amanda Jane Wiles (Lib Dem) to try to retain his seat for a fifth term of office in Ipplepen. District authority chairman Beryl Austen (Ind), along with sitting councillors Sandra Heath (Ind) and Mike Walters (Con), clash for the two seats in Kingsteignton East along with Ted Chenery (Con). In the village's West ward, where there are two vacancies, Joan Lambert attempts to retain her seat for the Tories, but faces a double Lib Dem challenge from Anne Lonsdale and Graham Wickham. Teignmouth has 23 candidates chasing six seats with all the main political parties represented in Central, East and West wards. There is a straight fight in Shaldon and Stokeinteignhead between Chris Clarance (Con) and Anna Wrigley (Lib Dem). Mr Clarance is the sitting councillor, having been elected as an Independent but recently having changed his allegiance to the Conservative fold. At Dawlish, there are ten candidates chasing five seats in its Central and North East and South West wards. One of those missing from the Dawlish South West line-up is Conservative John Clatworthy, who has stood down after serving two terms on the district authority. The current membership of the council is 15 Conservatives, 15 Liberal Democrats and 14 Independents. Teignbridge Council nominations: Ambrook (two seats) – *Mary Elizabeth Colclough (Ind), Malcolm John Colegate (Ind), *John Holl (Lib Dem), Dennis Esmond Smith (Con). Ashburton and Buckfastleigh (three seats) – Ann Davida Armstrong (Con), *Stuart Denis Barker (Con), Lloyd Roland Fursdon (Lib Dem), John Nutley (Lib Dem), Paul Roger Parker (Con), Anthony John Rew (Lib Dem). Bishopsteignton (one seat) – Trevor Colman (UK Independence Party), *James Arthur Grimble (Ind), Alun Frederick Williams (Lib Dem). Bovey (three seats) – Tony Allen (Lib Dem), Ingrid Juliana Andrews (Con), *Fernley Holmes (Con), *Anna Mary Klinkenberg (Con), *Sally Angela Morgan (Lib Dem), Phil Page (Lib Dem). Bradley Newton Abbot (two seats) – *Anne Fry (Lib Dem), Geraldine Fay Gaskell (Con), Michael John Hocking (Lib Dem), Lorna Jean Lowes (Con). Buckland and Milber Newton Abbot (three seats) – *David John Corney-Walker (Lib Dem), Paul Herbert Gaskell (Con), *Gordon Nicholas Hook (Lib Dem), *Robert John Leeper (Lib Dem), Emma Jane McMurray (Con). Bushell Newton Abbot (two seats) – Barry Benjamin Kaye (Lab), Ken Lewis (Con), *Shirley Joan Maddicott (Lib Dem), *Keith Arnold Smith (Lib Dem), Reg Wills (Ind). Chudleigh (two seats) – Bridie Cawley, Lorraine Margaret Evans (Con), *Ray Frost (Ind), Mandy Wells (Lib Dem). College Newton Abbot (two seats) – Carol Ann Bunday (Lib Dem), *David Howe (Ind), Marie Bernadette Jenkins (Lib Dem), Allan David Vizor (Con). Dawlish Central and North East (three seats) – Thomas Edward Charles Bush (Lib Dem), *Ted Hockin (Con), *Mary Margaret Mugford (Con), Graham John Price (Con), *Wally Protheroe (Lib Dem), Thomas Anthony Scobie (Lib Dem). Dawlish South West (two seats) – Jackie Bush (Lib Dem), *Humphrey Hawkey Clemens (Con), Derek Richard Collins (Lib Dem), Rosalind Mary Prowse (Con). Haytor (one seat) – *Jeremy Owen Christophers (Con), Mike Wood (Lib Dem). Ipplepen (one seat) – *Victor George Elliott (Con), Amanda Jane Wiles (Lib Dem). Kenn Valley (two seats) – *Brian Harold Berman (Lib Dem), *Howard James Milton (Lib Dem), David John Short (Con), Martin Phillip Smith (Con). Kenton-with-Starcross (one seat) – *Alan Michael Connett (Lib Dem). Kerswell-with-Combe (two seats) – Anthony Reginald Ballinger (Con), *Sheila Mary Cook (Lib Dem), *Michael John Haines (Ind). Kingsteignton East (two seats) – *Beryl Austen (Ind), Ted Chenery (Con), *Sandra Barbara Heath (Ind), *Mike Walters (Con). Kingsteignton West (two seats) – *Joan Violet Lambert (Con), Anne Lonsdale (Lib Dem), Graham Paul Wickham (Lib Dem). Moorland (one seat) – *Michael Harold Jeffery (Con), John Howard Willis (Lib Dem). Shaldon and Stokeinteignhead (one seat) – *Christopher Stuart Clarance (Con), Anna Wrigley (Lib Dem). Teign Valley (one seat) – Francis Christopher Fulford (Con), Stephen John Kinross Purser (Ind). Teignbridge North (one seat) – Peter Bromell. Teignmouth Central (two seats) – *Geoffrey Frederick Charles Bladon (Con), Edward Albert William Bush (Ind), Terry Falcao (Lib Dem), Bob Kennedy (Lab), James Robert McMurray (Con), Ian Norman John Parkes (Lib Dem), Julie Phillips (Ind), *Roy Gordon Phillips (Ind). Teignmouth East (two seats) – Donald Hugh Baldey (Lib Dem), Brenda Mary Battershill (Ind), Cecilia Ann Brown (Con), Niall Thomas Duffy (Lab), *Vince Fusco (Ind), Alan Albert Lumb (Lab), Sylvia Russell (Con), *David John Weekes (Lib Dem). Teignmouth West (two seats) – Martin James Bladon (Con), *David Nicholas Cox (Lib Dem), Alex Cross (Lib Dem), Mary Brenda Kennedy (Lab), *Frederick Tooley, Colin Trigger (Con), Christopher Charles Whitlock (Ind). Key: Con – Conservative. Lab – Labour. Lib Dem – Liberal Democrat. Ind – Independent. *Sitting councillor.