Winkleigh win makes Lib Dems the largest group on Torridge District Council

The Liberal Democrat candidate, Stephen Middleton, has won a seat on Torridge District Council after topping the poll in the Winkleigh byelection on Thursday. Mr Middleton, an Ashreigney parish councillor who runs a family farm in Riddlecombe, brings the number of Liberal Democrat councillors to twelve, making them the largest group on Torridge District Council. The Lib Dems took 42% of the vote, beating Reform’s 33% and the Conservatives’ 25% with a turnout of 42%.

Speaking after his election, Mr Middleton said:

‘I am very honoured to have been elected as District councillor and grateful to the people of Winkleigh for their support. I am honoured that I have been chosen to represent the area where I have lived and worked all my life. Thank you for the trust put in me, I look forward to serving as your councillor.’

Teresa Tinsley, who leads the Lib Dem group on Torridge District Council, said:

‘This is our third byelection win this year, following on from Appledore in March and Milton and Tamarside just a few weeks ago. The increased numbers put us in a better position to tackle issues blighting our communities such as lack of affordable housing, economic deprivation, and the impact of climate change. Steve will be a huge asset to our team, and I know he will work hard for the people he represents.’

The Winkleigh seat is the fifth Lib Dem gain in the constituency this year. In last May’s county elections, the well-known campaigner for rural affairs Cheryl Cottle Hunkin took the Torrington Rural seat from the Conservatives, and Graham Reed won a West Devon Borough Council where the Lib Dems are now represented by six councillors. Commenting on gains across the constituency, Phil Hutty, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Torridge and Tavistock, said:

‘People are telling us time and time again how fed up they are with the main political parties. They want people they can trust to listen to their concerns and deliver decent, compassionate politics, fair funding and better services for rural areas.’

Councillor Middleton said that his first priority would be to get to grips with the latest planning proposals for Winkleigh.

‘We have had massive expansion in recent years’, he said, ‘but we’re not getting the infrastructure to go with it.  There is no safe way to access the airfield from the village without a car and huge concern about road safety. We need better walking and cycling options, better public transport and better broadband connectivity. I am also concerned about insufficient water treatment capacity.’