NOMINATIONS that closed last Wednesday for elections to West Devon Borough Council saw 75 candidates contesting 30 seats. One seat, North Tawton saw only one candidate, Independent Nick Morgan, who was returned unopposed. The biggest fight is in the Tavistock North ward where 12 candidates are chasing three seats — three Conservatives, three Liberal Democrats, three UK Independence Party, two Independents and one Green Party. The two seats at Walkham, where sitting Liberal Democrat councillors Jane Waterhouse and Sally Monk are not seeking re-election, have attracted seven candidates while ten have put their names forward for the total four seats for Okehampton's two wards. Among those not seeking re-election are long standing South Tawton councillor John Darch and Tavistock's Dick Eberlie, the former leader of the borough's Conservative Group. The current make-up of the 31-seat borough council is Conservatives 12, Independents 11, Liberal Democrats 8. Elections take place on Thursday May 3. Wards and candidates for West Devon seats are as follows — all are Independents unless otherwise stated: Bere Ferrers (2 seats) Christine Grills: Liberal Democrat Robin Musgrave: Liberal Democrat Eaon Wager: Local Conservative Bridestowe (1 seat) Caroline England: Conservative John Hockridge Buckland Monachorum (2 seats) Ann Ellis: Liberal Democrat Margaret Garton John Howes: UKIP Glen Kennedy: Liberal Democrat Philip Sanders: Conservative Burrator (1 seat) Diana Moyse: Conservative Michael Parle: Liberal Democrat Chagford (1 seat) Allen McAllister: Conservative Robert Sampson Drewsteignton (1 seat) Paul Ridgers: Conservative Dominic Welch: Liberal Democrat Exbourne (1 seat) Susan Gill: Liberal Democrat David Weeks Hatherleigh (1 seat) Dennis Bater Charles Dumpleton Andrew Entwistle: Liberal Democrat Lew Valley (1 seat) Pat Durston: UKIP James McInnes: Local Conservative Nicholas Waterhouse: Liberal Democrat Lydford (1 seat) Sally Collins: Liberal Democrat Isla McPhie: Conservative Mary Tavy (1 seat) John Carter: UKIP Terry Pearce: Local Conservative Pam Scannell: Liberal Democrat Milton Ford (1 seat) Dilwyn Hughes: Local Conservative Michael Pithouse North Tawton (1 seat — uncontested) Nick Morgan Okehampton East (2 seats) Nick Baker: British National Party Edna Hicks: Liberal Democrat Elaine Kale: Liberal Democrat Christine Marsh: Local Conservative Joanna Slater: Conservative Okehampton West (2 seats) David Cushing: UKIP Jayne Hill: Conservative Mark Slater: Conservative Kenneth Williams: Liberal Democrat John Young: Liberal Democrat South Tawton (1 seat) William Cann Wendy Kitchen: Liberal Democrat Tom Wells: Local Conservative Tamarside (1 seat) Robin Pike David Whitcomb: Conservative Tavistock North (3 seats) David Best : Local Conservative Roy Connelly: Liberal Democrat Tony Everitt Caroline Keane George Mudge: UKIP John Phillips: UKIP Rosalind Pierson: UKIP Anita Prosser: Liberal Democrat Martin Quinn: Green Party Jane Ramsey: Local Conservative Martin Taylor: Liberal Democrat Shaun Watchorn: Conservative Tavistock South (3 seats) Mandy Govier: Conservative Chris Jenkins: Conservative Christopher Lawrey: Liberal Democrat Roger Mathew Ted Sherrell Graham Turner: Liberal Democrat Tavistock South West (1 seat) Alison Clish-Green: Liberal Democrat Michael Harper: Conservative Thrushel (1 seat) Donald Horn: Local Conservative Colin Warne Walkham (2 seats) David Cloke Jacqueline Fry: Liberal Democrat Diane Keane: Liberal Democrat Andrew Mudge: UKIP Debo Sellis: Conservative John Sellis: Conservative Donald Yendle
