Did your councillor vote in favour of asking to postpone May’s elections?

Devon’s county councillors voted in favour of asking the government to allow it to postpone May’s local elections for a year whilst the future structure of councils becomes clearer.

Devon’s county councillors voted in favour of asking the government to allow it to postpone May’s local elections for a year whilst the future structure of councils becomes clearer.
Jim McMahon, the minster for local government and devolution, told councils last month that any request to delay polling “must set out how postponing the election would enable the council to make progress with reorganisation and devolution”.
The government has set out plans to abolishing the existing structure of county and district councils, replacing them with larger ‘unitary-style’ councils and overarching ‘strategic’ areas run by elected mayors.
Some people who want to delays May’s election suggest organising a ballot at the same time as re-engineering how local government is organised would put staff under too much pressure, and mean the first job of new councillors would be to work out how to abolish the institution they have just been elected to.
At an estimated £1.5 million for Devon, it is also costly.
But opponents claim Devon County Council’s move is a sign of its Conservative administration trying to hold on to power for longer, in spite of the council facing issues such as an inadequate Ofsted rating for its children’s services department and a large financial deficit in its special education needs and disabilities (Send) provision.
A request for a recorded vote was made at Devon’s full council meeting last week, meaning every councillor who attended had the way in which they voted written down for the record. Votes are most often carried out with just a show of hands.
The vote was 37 for and 12 against. Ten councillors were not present at the meeting and the chairman – presently Councillor John Hart (Conservative, Bickleigh & Wembury) does not vote in such situations unless a deciding vote is required.
Devon County Council consists of 38 Conservative councillors, nine Liberal Democrats, four independents. six Labour, two Green Party and one non-aligned member.
So, how did your county councillor vote?

The councillors who voted FOR applying to postpone May’s elections?

Councillor
Ward
Party

ADAMS, Tracy
Pinhoe & Mincinglake
Labour

ATKINSON, Yvonne
Alphington & Cowick
Labour and Cooperative Party

BERRY, John
Cullompton & Bradninch
Conservative

BULLIVANT, Phil
Newton Abbot North
Conservative

CHESTERTON, Richard
Tiverton West
Conservative

CHUBB, Iain
Whimple & Blackdown
Conservative

CRABB, Paul
Ilfracombe
Conservative

CROAD, Roger
Ivybridge
Conservative

DAVIS, Andrea
Combe Martin Rural
Conservative

GILBERT, Rufus
Salcombe
Conservative

HANNAFORD, Rob
Exwick & St Thomas
Non-aligned

HARTNELL, Marcus
Seaton &Colyton
Conservative

HAWKINS, Jonathan
Dartmouth & Marldon
Conservative

HELLYER, Linda
Bideford East
Conservative

HENDERSON, Paul
Chulmleigh & Landkey
Independent

HUGHES, Stuart
Sidmouth
Conservative

KHAN, Sarah
Ashburton & Buckfastleigh
Conservative

LEADBETTER, Andrew
Wearside & Topsham
Conservative

MASKELL, Pru
Braunton Rural
Conservative

MCGEOUGH, Dermot
Northam
Conservative

MCINNES, James
Hatherleigh & Chagford
Conservative

MORRISH, James
Holsworthy Rural
Conservative

PEART, Ron
Kingsteignton &Teign Estuary
Conservative

PROWSE, Percy
Duryard & Pennsylvania
Conservative

RADFORD, Ray
Willand & Uffculme
Conservative

RANDALL JOHNSON, Sara
Broadclyst
Conservative

SAMUEL, Lois
Okehampton Rural
Conservative

SANDERS, Philip
Yelverton Rural
Conservative

SAYWELL, Andrew
Torrington Rural
Conservative

SCOTT, Richard
Exmouth
Conservative

SELLIS, Debo
Tavistock
Conservative

SLADE, Colin
Tiverton East
Conservative

TRAIL, Jeffrey
Exmouth
Conservative

TWISS, Phillip
Feniton & Honiton
Conservative

WHITTON, Carol
St David’s & Haven Banks
Labour

WILTON LOVE, Jeffrey      
Bideford West & Hartland
Conservative

YABSLEY, Jeremy
South Molton
Conservative

 
The councillors who voted AGAINST applying to postpone May’s elections?

Councillor
Ward
Party

AVASHIN, Marina
Wonford & St Loyes
Labour

AVES, SU
St Sidwells & St James
Labour Party and Cooperative Party

BAILEY, Jess
Otter Valley
Independent

BIEDERMAN, Frank
Fremington Rural
Independent

BRADFORD, Janet
Newton Abbot South
Independent

BRAZIL, Julian
Kingsbridge
Liberal Democrat

CONNETT, Alan
Exminster & Haldon
Liberal Democrat

DEWHIRST, Alistair
Ipplepen and the Kerswells
Liberal Democrat

HODGSON, Jacqi
Totnes & Dartington
Green Party

LEAVER, Caroline
Barnstaple South
Liberal Democrat

ROOME, Ian
Barnstaple North
Liberal Democrat

THOMAS, Dan
South Brent & Yealmpton
Liberal Democrat