The 2021 local elections are over and results are in. They were a set of elections like no other- held under COVID restrictions which prevented leafletting or door knocking in the early stages of the campaign. They were also the biggest set of elections outside of a General Election. 

Here is a brief overview of the Labour wins and gains across Devon.

All Labour Exeter City Councillors and Labour Devon County Councillors in Exeter have maintained their seats and reduced the Tory majorities in seats they don’t hold.

Rob Hannaford managed to secure more than half of all votes cast in his Devon County Council seat of Exwick and St Thomas. And in Pinhoe and Mincinglake in Exeter, Tracy Adams increased the Labour majority on last time by 200 votes.

We also had a great day in East Devon with Jake Bonetta being elected as a Honiton town Councillor and in his bid for DCC securing 38% of the vote and an increase of 1000 Labour votes compared to last time.

Oliver Tucker increased Axminster vote share from 8.3% to 13.0%, and is Axminster’s youngest ever town councillor. In Whimple and Blackdown Liz Pole increased the Labour’s vote by 3.8% and in mid Devon Tiverton West’s Labour vote share was also up from 16.6% to 20.1% due to higher turnout.

In Exmouth Division, the Labour vote more than doubled compared with 2017, with the vote share growing from 8.8% to 17.4%. In Broadclyst we also made gains increasing the vote by 353 and the vote share by 2.2%.

In Newton Abbot the party also had vote share increases. In Teignmouth, the Labour share increased from 10.4% in 2017 to 12.8% at this election. We also grew our share by 5.7% in Kingsteignton.

In the Town Council Elections in Teignmouth, we also did well. In Teignmouth Central, Jeff Pocock achieved 12.6% of the vote in a very busy field of candidates, including three locally well-known independents. In Teignmouth West Jackie Jackson achieved 21.7% of the vote and came second.

In Teignbridge, Rick Webb was elected as a Labour town councillor to Chudleigh Town Council. In North Devon, Finola ONeill managed to increase the Labour vote in Fremington Rural.

In Tavistock in West Devon, Mike Sparling almost increased the Labour vote by 78% compared to last time.  And finally, in South Brent & Yealmpton in South Hams, Paul Bishop increased the Labour vote by 250% and in Totnes and Dartington, the Labour vote was up by 35%.

Thanks again to all the many people across Devon who voted for our candidates and all our dedicated volunteers and organisers who helped with the campaigns.