Lib Dems hold Exmouth seat in by-election

Fran McElhone wins the Halsdon seat

Exmouth’s Liberal Democrats have held onto a district council seat for the town’s Halsdon ward in a by-election prompted by the death of a former councillor.

Fran McElhone secured 551 votes in the by-election held on Thursday (4 December), securing the journalist and photographer a seat on East Devon District Council.

The Exmouth Halsdon seat became vacant after the death of Andrew Toye, a long-serving member of both the district council and Exmouth Town Council.

Cllr McElhone’s win means the Lib Dems remain the biggest political party on the district council, albeit there are more independent members.

The district council is led by the Democratic Alliance Group, which is made up of Lib Dems, some of its independent members, and Green Party members.

Writing on her LinkedIn profile, Cllr McElhone said it had been an “amazing team effort” to hold the seat and “continue the legacy of the late Andrew Toye”.

Outlining why she stood for the role, she said: “Because I’m motivated by social justice, want to hold authority to account, want to make sure the authority makes the fairest decisions for the people, and I want to make sure vulnerable and marginalised people are represented and protected.

“Years of covering virtually every council meeting and scrutinising over-complicated council documents stands me in good stead to now be on the council.” 

East Devon has no Reform UK district councillors, but Anthony Quinn secured the second–largest number of votes in the poll with 438 – ahead of Conservative candidate Paula Burtoft, who bagged 393 votes.

Green Party candidate Anthony Woodward came fourth with 153 votes.

Turnout was just 25 per cent of the more than 6,000-strong electorate, with 1,539 ballot papers issued.

The Exmouth Halsdon seat was also being contested for Exmouth Town Council, with Lib Dem member Suzanne Isaacs winning with 566 votes.

The running order mimicked the district by-election, with Reform’s Mr Quinn securing second place with 421 votes and the Conservatives’ Ms Burtoft placing third with 392 votes. Independent candidate Louise Doliczny came fourth with 155 votes.

Former Cllr Toye came from a “strong Liberal Democrat family”, a statement from the Exmouth and East Devon Liberal Democrats said in September. 

His father, Brian, was also previously a councillor in the Brixington ward – a seat Andrew held until 2007 – and Halsdon wards of Exmouth.

“We will all regret the premature loss of Andrew – he will leave a huge hole,” said Councillor Tim Dumper, the chair of the Exmouth and Exeter East Liberal Democrats said after Cllr Toye’s death.

“As fellow councillors in Halsdon Ward, we have worked closely together over a number of years.

“As a ward councillor, he always stood up for the interests of residents, and as someone with a strong background in politics, he was able to add considerably to debates at both councils.

Cllr Toye, who held a politics degree and had lived in Exmouth for more than 40 years, was also credited by Cllr Dumper for work that ultimately led to Exmouth Town Council winning the prestigious national award of Star Council for Climate Impact.

“However, Andrew was always more than a councillor,” Cllr Dumper said.