A FATHER and daughter were both celebrating today as they were successful in the elections held across Teignbridge.

Overall in the county elections five seats across the Teignbridge district went to the Conservatives, four to the Lib Dems and one to an Independent candidate.

TEIGNMOUTH

27-year-old Becky Cox will join her dad on Teignmouth Town Council after she was elected to the Teignmouth West ward. Her dad, Cllr David Cox, also took the Teignmouth seat on the county council with 2,240 votes.

Becky said she was so happy to be elected onto Teignmouth Town Council: ‘This is where I live and where I grew up. I really want to be a voice for young people in the town.’

David added: ‘It’s wonderful to see her elected and it’s been a joy to see her grow and prosper. It will be fantastic to be on the town council with her. She is very much her own person with her own ideas.’

In the Teignmouth county council ward David won Conservative Sylvia Russell had 1,594 votes, Labour’s Jackie Jackson 600 and Sean Brogan, the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition candidate, had 205 votes.

NEWTON ABBOT NORTH

Conservative Phil Bullivant (with 1,280 votes) saw off a strong challenge from Independent candidate and Newton Says No leader Liam Mullone (835 votes) in the county’s Newton Abbot North seat. He took the seat from the Liberal Democrats whose candidate Eloise Rokirilov had 795 votes, Labour’s Lesley Robson 298 and Trade Union and Socialist candidate Ryan Hall had 98 votes.

‘To be honest I thought it was going to be a lot closer,’ said a delighted Philip. ‘It is wonderful the people of Newton Abbot put their faith in me and now the hard work to recover from the past year begins.’

EXMINSTER AND HALDON

LIB DEM Leader Alan Connett has regained his seat on the county council with a huge majority.

He won the Exminster and Holden seat with 2,521 votes to the Conservative Terry Tume’s 806 votes.

The green Party’s Lucy Lunn-Rockliff took 312 votes and Labour’s Bhav Studley 222.

Cllr Alan Connett, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: ‘I am delighted that we gained three seats but we do have a job of work to do holding the Conservatives to account. It is a tired administration at County Hall and won’t be much change, so our job will be to promote to the people of Devon the things that are important, fixing the roads, mending children’s services, the economy, how we recover from Covid. What I want is a willingness from the Conservatives to work together on mending Devon’s economy.

‘This is part of the journey back.’

ASHBURTON AND BUCKFASTLEIGH

Meanwhile in the Ashburton and Buckfastleigh ward Conservative Sarah Parker-Khan won what she described as a ‘close-fought but amicable’ battle with the Lib Dem’s John Nutley.

She gained 1,741 votes to John Nutley’s 1,444. Andy Williamson from the Green Party gained 549 votes and Labour’s Sue Maddock 501.

Sarah said: ‘I am delighted to have been elected. It was a hard fought and close battle but an amicable one.'

Shen said her focus would be on education and health plus continuing to campaign for the local fire station.

NEWTON ABBOT SOUTH

Newton Says No will have a voice on the county council. Supporters of Independent Janet Bradford believe she was the first Independent candidate to be declared a winner in the elections nationally.

She took the Newton Abbot South ward on the county council with 1,157 votes. Lib Dem Colin Parker polled 967 votes and Conservative Alex Hall 928 votes.

Jane Haden, the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition candidate, took 64 votes, Labour’s John Fitzsimmons 190 votes and the Green Party’s Doug Pratt 151.

Janet said: ‘I am really grateful to all the residents of Newton Abbot South who voted for me.

‘I am an independent but I am a Newton Says No member so it will be good to have someone different on Devon County Council.’

BOVEY RURAL

Long-term councillor George Gribble took the Bovey Rural county council seat with a huge majority.

With 2,004 votes his nearest rival was Lib Dem Sally Morgan on 881 votes. Labour’s Lisa Robillard Webb had 522 votes, Independent Eoghhan Kelly 460 votes and the Green Party’s Anna Presland 378 votes.

CHUDLEIGH AND TEIGN VALLEY

Local farmer Jerry Brook took the Chudleigh and Teign Valley seat for the Conservatives in the county elections with 1,704 votes to Lib Dem Richard Keeling’s 1,479. Green Party candidate Emily Simcock took 674 votes and Labour's Rick Webb had 485 votes.

DAWLISH

‘A ROLLERCOASTER ride,’ is how Lib Dem Martin Wrigley described his success in the Dawlish ward of the county elections.

He had 1,920 votes to Conservative Noel Reckless’ 1,818. Independent Linda Petherick had 571 votes, Labour’s Jeff Pocock 375 and Bruce Mattock, of the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition, 69.

Cllr Wrigley said he intended to get to work on making Dawlish a better place to live with positive change.

‘I want us to leave a better, cleaner, greener world for future generations,’ he said.

KINGSTEIGNTON AND TEIGN ESTUARY

Former Kingsteignton Mayor Ron Peart was re-elected to the county council with a big majority. Cllr Peart had 2,182 votes with Lib Dem Andrew MacGregor receiving 812. Labour’s Christopher Robillard had 533 and there were 153 votes for James Osben of the Trade Unionist and Social Coalition.

Cllr Peart said: ‘I would like to thank everyone who voted for me and I am going to make sure you are well represented in my ward of Kingsteignton and the Teign Estuary.’

IPPLEPEN AND KERSWELLS

Delighted to be returning to the county council was Alistair Dewhirst who, with 1,822 votes, said: ‘I am so pleased to be returned for Ipplepen and the Kerswells. It has been a great day with an increased majority and wonderful that honesty and integrity won through in the end.’

Conservative Chris Clarence took 1,590 votes, Independent Jane Taylor had 928 votes, Labour’s John Hodgson 171 and the Green Party’s Graham Read had 183 votes.

TOWN COUNCILS

TEIGNMOUTH CENTRAL

In the town council elections in Teignmouth Central Cate Williams was elected for the Lib Dems with 636 votes. Independent Nicky Burgess had 502 votes, Labour’s Jeff Pocock 210. Independent for Teignmouth Roxy Piper had 136 and Keith Underhill, chair of the Teignmouth Traders’ Association took 155 votes.

TEIGNMOUTH WEST

In Teignmouth West Becky Cox joins her dad, Cllr David Cox, on the town council after gaining 783 votes. Her nearest rival, Labour’s Jackie Jackson, took 260 votes, and Trade Unionist and Social Coalition candidate Sean Brogan took 154 votes.

CHUDLEIGH

Three town councillors were elected to Chudleigh Town Council. Labour’s Rick Webb (606 votes), Gina Sherwood (734 votes) and Michael McCormick (937) will join the town council. Victoria Hadley took 487 votes.

At the count Cllr Rick Webb said: ‘I’m delighted there will be a Labour voice on the council.’

NEWTON ABBOT BRADLEY

He may have missed out in the county elections but 19-year-old Alex Hall took the Newton Abbot Bradley ward in the town council elections. He had 866 votes to Lib Dem Jamie Cook’s 677. Trade Union and Socialist Coalition member Jane Haden had 205 votes.

Alex says he wants to be a young Conservative voice on the town council and one of his first actions will be to do something about graffiti in the town. He aims to set up a task force of volunteers to deal with it as quickly as possible.

County councillor Phil Bullivant said: ‘We are very proud of him (Alex) as a young Conservative he is the future and the voice of young people.’