DEVON goes to the polls on Thursday, May 1 to elect members of Devon County Council, even though the council may cease to exist soon and making this possibly its final count.

The council is the only complete authority holding elections, although by-elections are taking place on the same date in Exeter.

Devon is on the brink of the biggest local government reorganisation for decades, and will almost certainly be disbanded in its current form in the next couple of years.

The Government wants to streamline local authorities, which means ending the current structure in which seven district councils – and Exeter City Council – sit under the county council.

In its place will come a smaller number of larger ‘unitary’ councils such as those currently in place in Plymouth and Torbay. Conservative-led Devon County Council had asked to postpone the elections while it dealt with the shake-up, a move turned down by the Government.

Here is a full list of the candidates standing for election in West Devon to Devon County Council next month:

WEST DEVON

Hatherleigh and Chagford: COLLIETY Thomas Ben, Labour Party; DANIEL Lynn Christine, Green Party; DAVIES Sue. Reform UK; MARTIN Christian Adam, Liberal Democrats; SAMUEL Lois Esther, Conservative Party.

Okehampton Rural: DEXTER George Herbert, Liberal Democrats; DUFFY Niall, Labour Party; GRAINGER James George, Reform UK; JOHN Nicholas (no party listed); JORY Neil, Conservative and Unionist Party; KIRNIG Tracy Belinda, Green Party.

Tavistock: CLIFFORD Gary, Reform UK; GREENBERRY-PULLEN Holly, Liberal Democrats; LOVING Gemma Christine, Labour Party; SELLIS Debo, Local Conservatives; WOOD Sara Louise, Green Party.

Yelverton Rural: FIFE COOK Michael, Reform UK; MACIEJOWSKA Judy Sara, Green Party; RENDERS Mark Christian, Independent; SANDERS Philip Richard, Local Conservatives; UDO Uwem Eno, Labour Party; WEST Chris, Liberal Democrats.