Lib Dems now top dogs in Torridge

But they're not pushing to take over

The Liberal Democrats have overtaken the Independents as the largest group on Torridge District Council following a Winkleigh by-election.

The party says it has no plans “at the moment” to mount a leadership challenge but is hoping for “collaboration” and will be “pushing the Lib Dem agenda”.

The Winkleigh by-election last week was won by Lib Dem Stephen Middleton meaning the party now has 12 seats on Torridge, with the Independents trailing behind with 11. 

The rest of the 36 member council is made up of five Conservatives, four Green party members, two Labour and two Non-Aligned.

It’s the third by-election victory for the Liberal Democrats in Torridge this year after winning Appledore in March and a Milton and Tamarside seat a few weeks ago.

Current Independent leader Ken James (Milton and Tamarside) was elected to the role for the sixth year running in May 2025 to maintain continuity through the local government reorganisation process and because of his “huge amount of corporate knowledge and good leadership”.

He said he was due to meet with the Liberal Democrat group leader Teresa Tinsley this week to “have a discussion” about the way forward.

MsTinsley (Bideford North) said the increased numbers put the party “in a better position to tackle issues blighting our communities such as lack of affordable housing, economic deprivation, and the impact of climate change.

“We want a positive influence on the council, there is a number of things we would like to see to see to improve things for residents. We want to push the Lib Dem agenda and I am confident of collaboration.

“We have a great group of councillors across a wide area which will be a great asset in the future.”

She said she was not looking to be leader and there was no plan for a leadership challenge “at the moment”.

Cllr James said he was “fairly chilled about it” and thought it unlikely there would be a change in leadership until the end of the council year next spring.

The council has been in no overall control since 2023 and is run by a coalition of different political groups but the Independents have had the largest group in recent years and the deputy leader and chairman of council are also Independents.

Cllr James said if his time as leader was to end he was proud of what had been achieved on the council since 2019.

“As an Independent I have tried to keep politics out of it and just worked for the community. I’ll carry on doing what I am doing until someone tells me not to. We just have to keep looking forward whether that is with me or someone else as leader.”

From the Appledore Maritime Innovation Centre, which secured £15 million of government funding, to the new operational centre for Torridge at Bideford and the £20 million regeneration fund for the district, Cllr James has been at the forefront of important projects for the district and led the council through the first stages of local government reorganisation.

He said the council was in a sound position financially and “extremely well run”.

Speaking after his Winkleigh election win, 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.

He said 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.”

The Winkleigh seat became vacant after the resignation of the Conservative councillor Simon Newton who had held the ward since 2019. The ward had been a Conservative seat since 2015.