Teignbridge (original) (raw)

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Non-metropolitan district in England

Teignbridge District
Non-metropolitan district
Teignbridge shown within DevonTeignbridge shown within Devon
Sovereign state United Kingdom
Constituent country England
Region South West England
Non-metropolitan county Devon
Status Non-metropolitan district
Admin HQ Newton Abbot
Incorporated 1 April 1974
Government
• Type Non-metropolitan district council
• Body Teignbridge District Council
• Leadership Leader & Cabinet (Liberal Democrats)
• MPs Mel StrideMartin Wrigley
Area
• Total 246.3 sq mi (637.9 km2)
• Rank 49th (of 296)
Population (2022)
• Total 135,952
• Rank 171st (of 296)
• Density 550/sq mi (210/km2)
• Ethnicity 96.2% White British
Time zone UTC0 (GMT)
• Summer (DST) UTC+1 (BST)
ONS code 18UH (ONS)E07000045 (GSS)
OS grid reference SX8475477137
Website www.teignbridge.gov.uk
Teignbridge District Council
Logo
Type
Type Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair Rosie Dawson, Liberal Democrat since 21 May 2024[1]
Leader Richard Keeling, Liberal Democrats since 30 July 2024
Managing Director Phil Shears since January 2018[2]
Structure
Seats 47 councillors
Political groups Administration (25) Liberal Democrats (25) Other parties (22) Independent (12) Conservatives (10)
Elections
Last election 4 May 2023
Last election 6 May 2027
Meeting place
Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4XX
Website
www.teignbridge.gov.uk

Teignbridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Newton Abbot. The district also includes the towns of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Kingsteignton and Teignmouth, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Teignbridge contains part of the south Devon coastline, including the Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve. Some of the inland western parts of the district lie within the Dartmoor National Park. It is named after the old Teignbridge hundred.

The neighbouring districts are Torbay, South Hams, West Devon, Mid Devon, East Devon and Exeter.

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of six former districts and part of a seventh, which were all abolished at the same time:[3]

The new district was named Teignbridge after the medieval hundred of that name which had covered some of the area.[4] The hundred in turn had been named after the bridge over the River Teign on Exeter Road west of Kingsteignton, where there had been a number of bridges since Roman times.[5][6]

Teignbridge District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Devon County Council.[7] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.[8]

In the parts of the district within the Dartmoor National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the Dartmoor National Park Authority. The district council appoints two of its councillors to serve on the 19-person National Park Authority.[9]

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since the 2023 election.[10]

The first election to the council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities before coming into its powers on 1 April 1974. Political control of the council since 1974 has been as follows:[11][12][13]

Party in control Years
Independent
No overall control
Conservative
Liberal Democrats
No overall control[14]
Liberal Democrats

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

Councillor Party From To
Alan Connett[15] Liberal Democrats 2003 2011
Jeremy Christophers[16] Conservative 2011 May 2019
Gordon Hook[17][18] Liberal Democrats 20 May 2019 3 Sep 2020
Alan Connett[19][20] Liberal Democrats 3 Sep 2020 May 2023
Martin Wrigley[21][22] Liberal Democrats 23 May 2023 30 July 2024
Richard Keeling[23] Liberal Democrats 30 July 2024

Following the 2023 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to November 2024, the composition of the council was:[24]

Party Councillors
Liberal Democrats
Independent
Conservative
Total 47

The next election is due in 2027.[24]

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 47 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[25]

Old Forde House

The council is based at Forde House on Brunel Road in Newton Abbot.[26]

The council bought the Forde House estate in 1978 for £60,000.[27] The estate comprised a Tudor mansion and its grounds. A modern office building was built in the grounds to serve as the council's headquarters, being formally opened on 27 April 1987.[28] The new office building now takes the name Forde House, with the old mansion now called Old Forde House.

Parishes and settlements

[edit]

The district is entirely divided into civil parishes. Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council. The parish councils for Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot and Teignmouth take the style "town council".[29]

Settlements in the district include:

  1. ^ "Dawlish councillor voted new Teignbridge chairman". Mid Devon Advertiser. 21 May 2024. Retrieved 23 May 2024.
  2. ^ Clark, Daniel (15 January 2018). "Father of Love Island star Jessica Shears appointed as Teignbridge's new boss". Devon Live. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
  3. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 30 July 2023
  4. ^ "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
  5. ^ Historic England. "Teign Bridge (Grade II) (1317451)". National Heritage List for England.
  6. ^ Arngart, Olof Sigfrid (1934). The English Hundred-names. H. Ohlsson. p. 98. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  7. ^ "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
  8. ^ "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
  9. ^ "Who are the members?". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
  10. ^ Stenson, Mary; Clark, Daniel (6 May 2023). "Teignbridge District Council Election results as they happen as Liberal Democrats regain control". Devon Live. Retrieved 23 June 2023.
  11. ^ "Teignbridge". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
  12. ^ Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Teignbridge District Council Election Results 1973–2011 (PDF). The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  13. ^ "Compositions Calculator". The Elections Centre. University of Exeter. Retrieved 26 November 2024. (Put "Teignbridge" in search box to see specific results.)
  14. ^ Heptinstall, Ollie (10 December 2021). "Teignbridge Lib Dems go to war". Radio Exe Devon. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  15. ^ Nero, Paul (3 September 2020). "Connett back as Teignbridge leader". Radio Exe Devon. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  16. ^ Clark, Daniel (8 May 2019). "Former Teignbridge leader speaks after losing his seat in the local elections". Devon Live. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  17. ^ "Council minutes, 20 May 2019". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  18. ^ Clark, Daniel (11 August 2020). "Teignbridge Council leader to resign". Devon Live. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
  19. ^ "Council minutes, 3 September 2020". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  20. ^ Knight, Nick (20 March 2023). "Council Leader to step down at May elections". Mid-Devon Advertiser. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  21. ^ "Council minutes, 23 May 2023". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  22. ^ Henderson, Guy (31 July 2024). "Teignbridge Council leader steps down to concentrate on Westminster". Radio Exe. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
  23. ^ "Council minutes, 30 July 2024". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 2 December 2024.
  24. ^ a b "Teignbridge". Local Councils. Thorncliffe. Retrieved 22 November 2024.
  25. ^ "The Teignbridge (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1081, retrieved 1 August 2023
  26. ^ "Contact us". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  27. ^ "Space for museum". Herald Express. Torquay. 25 July 1978. p. 3. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  28. ^ "Doorway to the future". Herald Express. Torquay. 28 April 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
  29. ^ "Parish council contact details". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 1 August 2023.

50°34′55″N 3°37′41″W / 50.582°N 3.628°W / 50.582; -3.628