The Liberal Democrats have held onto a council seat in East Devon after a by-election at which Reform UK nearly bagged second place.
Fabian King, who has previously held Exe Valley on East Devon District Council secured 256 votes.
But the race for second place proved nail-biting, with the Conservatives’ Patricia Hayman, known locally as Patsy, nabbing it with 137 votes against the 135 that first-timer Nathaniel (Nate) Vanstone gained for Reform UK.
Labour’s Julie Bennett got 54 votes.
Cllr King said: “I do enjoy the fact that, unlike the other candidates, I have lived in the ward for over 20 years, and as a councillor before, I know the parish councils well and so do feel familiar with all the issues and many of the people.”
He said there isn’t “one reason” he decided to run again, but he has “more time now, and the time feels right to do it.
“As we go towards the consolidation of local government, I think it is vital that the parish councils have a good understanding and are in touch with events as they unfold, as the changes are going to make a big difference to parish councils, who will need to be on top of their game.”
Cllr King, who won the seat in 2019 with 378 votes but relinquished it in 2021 to focus on his business, was referring to council reorganisation, the government’s plan to scrap the two-tier system of district and county councils in favour of fewer, larger unitary councils.
Many people in local government fear that parishes may have to shoulder more responsibilities when the next tier of government is a much larger unitary council, compared to a smaller district one.
The by-election count, held at Poltimore Village Hall, lasted nearly an hour-and-a-half because of double-checking the number of votes cast.
Turnout for the by-election was 29 per cent.
The Lib Dems gained seven per cent more of the vote than in 2021, with an eight per cent swing away from the Conservatives, and Labour’s share dropping by 22 per cent.
The by-election was prompted by Liberal Democrat councillor Jamie Kemp stepping down from the Exe Valley ward, which includes Poltimore, Brampford Speke, Stoke Cannon, Rewe and Upton Pyne.
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