THE CONSERVATIVES have an overall majority on West Devon Borough Council after taking more than two thirds of the seats in last Thursday's elections.

They won 21 of the council's 31 seats as around 29,000 people across the borough — almost 72% of the electorate — used their vote.

The remainder of the council will be made up of nine independent councillors and and one non-aligned councillor.

A total of 29 seats were contested by 65 candidates in the borough elections.

The leader of the authority will be decided at the borough council's annual meeting next week.

Former leader of the council Philip Sanders, the Buckland Monachorum ward member, who won his seat and was voted back in as leader of the Conservative group this week, said he was very pleased with the result.

'It's a good result for the Conservative group and we are looking forward to the next four years with keeping the community of West Devon in good heart and achieving and making sure residents get all the services they require.

'It's not going to be easy with the continuing reduction in the Government grant but we have to deal with that. The most important thing is to make the borough council financially independent so we can continue to provide good services.

Cllr Sanders, who will be starting his third term as a borough councillor, said it was great to get a good turnout for the elections.

'We were obviously helped by having the General Election the same day but I think people vote because there are lots of issues they feel strongly about. The weather was also reasonable so that would have helped on the day.

'Being a Conservative, I am delighted at the national picture. I think what we did not need at this time was a change of direction and by putting the Conservatives in power, The Government will continue in the way it was going with increases in employment, wages on the up and getting the economy back on track.

'For whoever got into power, the writing has been on the wall for sometime regarding Government financial support. It will continue to reduce over the next two to three years until it is close to zero.

'The results in the northern end of the borough were as follows:

Bridestowe, two seats: John Hockridge, Independent, 1,298 (elected), Caroline Marie Mott, Conservative, 1,084 (elected), Julie Anne Beverley Lewis-Thompson, Green Party, 449, Alison Jane Young, Labour, 303.

Chagford, one seat: Robert Frederick Dunning Sampson, Independent, 433 (elected), Nicky Heyworth, Conservative, 308, Draeyk Van Der Horn, Green Party, 208.

Dartmoor, one seat: Annabel Elizabeth Giles Roberts, Conservative, 630 (elected), Mandi St Clair, Green Party, 398.

Drewsteignton, one seat: Paul James Ridgers, Conservative, 702 (elected), David John Osbiston, Green Party, 368.

Exbourne, two seats: Louise Sacha Watts, Conservative, 1,403 (elected), Lois Samuel, Conservative, 1,331 (elected), Jean Trewhitt, Labour, 585.

Hatherleigh, two seats, uncontested: Patrick John Derek Kimber, Conservative, James Raymond McInnes, Conservative.

Okehampton North, three seats: Tony Leech, Independent, 1,765 (elected), Mike Davies, Conservative, 1,273 (elected), Kevin Ball, Conservative, 1,231 (elected), Sarah Lilian Potterton, Conservative, 990, Hugh Jonathan Norman, Green Party, 676, Val Cushing, Independent, 582.

Okehampton South, two seats: Ben Stephens, Conservative, 766 (elected), Julie Veronica Yelland, Conservative, 595 (elected), Terry Cummings, Labour, 520, Robert Michael Rush, UKIP, 412, David Arnold Weekes, 398.

South Tawton, one seat: William George Cann, Independent, 655 (elected), Richard Crosland Mallam, Conservative, 327, Lynn Christine Daniel, Green Party, 254.

Eight West Devon town and parish councils were contested in the elections and included:

Bridestowe, seven seats: Kris Atherley-Hewings, 233 (elected), Alison Young, 229 (elected), John Leonard, 186 (elected), Ray Rattenbury, 178 (elected), Brian Coward, 173 (elected), Caroline Mott, 170 (elected), Bill Thirtle, 131 (elected), Alistair Hodgson, 128, Jade Oliver, 119.

Chagford, 12 seats: Robert Sampson, Independent, 561 (elected), Gay Hill, 542 (elected), Kevin Coombe, 496 (elected), Marion Stanbury, 465 (elected), Jonathan D'Arch Smith, 453 (elected), Simon Hill, 423 (elected), Anne Thorn, 410 (elected), Ed Hamer, 377 (elected), Peter Williams, 372 (elected), Andrew Parrott, 362 (elected), Margaret Haxton, 350 (elected), Barbara Stead, 343 (elected), Davon Friend, 330, John Shears, 265.

Lifton, ten seats: Chris Edmonds, 488 (elected), Vicky Glen, 338 (elected), Michael Sparrow, 312 (elected), Brian Moore, 281 (elected), Stephen Parsons, 226 (elected), Martin Hall, 217 (elected), Georgina Elias, 213 (elected), David Measey, 213 (elected), Rita Willing, 212 (elected), Timothy Sutton-Woodhouse, 208 (elected), Len Showell, 177.

Monkokehampton, seven seats: Barbara Pearce, 61 (elected), Tom Dennis, 54 (elected), Sidney Murrin, 52 (elected), John Fairchild, 49 (elected), Peter Fishleigh, 49 (elected), Valerie Allin, 44 (elected), Simon Butler, 43 (elected), Lara Walker, 34.

Okehampton Town Council (South Ward), six seats: Julie Yelland, Independent, 671 (elected), Ben Stephens, 657 (elected), Terry Cummings, 528 (elected), David Weekes, 527 (elected), Paul Vachon, 423 (elected), Robert Rush, 382 (elected), Carole Holt, 377, Edna Hicks 370.