THERE are just four candidates standing for the Crediton Division Devon County Council seat at the election on Thursday, May 6.

Longstanding sitting County Councillor Nick Way (Liberal Democrats) will be standing down and the battle is now on to see who will take his place.

The four candidates are Martin Binks (Conservative), Elin Bold (Labour), Christopher Hurley (Freedom Alliance) and Frank Letch (Liberal Democrats).

Martin Binks is a former Crediton Mid Devon District Councillor, retired local teacher and healthcare campaigner.

If elected he says his priorities will be helping businesses bounce back from the pandemic, protecting our countryside and our environment, and pressing for investment in services and facilities for young people.

Elin Bold said Local Government is more important now than ever before.

She added that inequalities that were present after 10 years of Conservative austerity have been deepened by the covid-19 pandemic.

She added that the is standing on a Labour manifesto that will tackle key issues facing Devon including climate change, education, transport and the NHS and social care.

Christopher Hurley says he is standing because: “Our basic human rights are under threat without most of us actually realising it.”

An engineer, Mr Hurley says lockdowns are deeply damaging and unnecessary.

He said: “We do not need lockdowns, social distancing, vaccinations or masks in order to protect ourselves. What we need is honesty, clarity and integrity which is sadly lacking from our current leaders.”

Frank Letch has served as Mayor of Crediton for 13 years.

Born without arms, nothing has held Frank back. Active in Crediton on education and disability rights, Frank was awarded an MBE in 2015. His priorities are improved transport, an end to neglect of children’s services, high-speed broadband and support for the farming community.

CREEDY TAW AND MID EXE

In the Devon County Council Creedy Taw and Mid Exe Ward the candidates are: Ann Conway (Freedom Alliance), Paul Edwards (Green Party), Margaret Squires (Conservatives) (sitting councillor), Thomas Stephenson (Labour) and David Wilson (Liberal Democrats).

CULLOMPTON AND BRADNINCH

In the Devon County Council Cullompton and Bradninch Ward the candidates are: John Berry (Conservatives) (sitting councillor), Andrea Glover (Liberal Democrats), Edward Southerden (Labour) and Hannah Watson (Green Party).

Other local Devon County Council candidates are:

NORTH DEVON

Chulmleigh and Landkey

Valerie Cann (Labour), Paul Henderson (Conservatives), Turtle Knight (Freedom Alliance), Glyn Lane (Independent), Philip Mason (Independent), Victoria Nel (Liberal Democrats) and Nick Withers (Green Party).

South Molton

Steve Cotton (Independent), Steven Hinchcliffe (Labour), Gill Saunders (Green Party), Val Schenn (Freedom Alliance), Alex White (Liberal Democrats) and Jeremy Yabsley (Conservatives) (sitting councillor).

TEIGNBRIDGE

Bovey Rural

George Gribble (Conservatives) (sitting councillor), Eoghan Kelly (Independent), Sally Morgan (Liberal Democrats), Anna Presland (Green Party) and Lisa Robillard Webb (Labour).

Chudleigh and Teign Valley

Jerry Brook (Conservatives) (sitting councillor), Richard Keeling (Liberal Democrats), Emily Simcock (Green Party) and Rick Webb (Labour).

TORRIDGE

Holsworthy Rural

Claire Davey-Potts (Liberal Democrats), Jim Lowe (Labour), James Morrish (Conservatives), Cathrine Simmons (Green Party) and Pete Watson (Independent).

Torrington Rural

Chris Bright (Liberal Democrats), Ruth Funnell (Green Party), Andrew Saywell (Conservatives) (sitting councillor) and Siobhan Stride (Labour).

WEST DEVON

Hatherleigh and Chagford

Lynn Daniel (Green Party), George Dexter (Liberal Democrats), James McInnes (Conservatives) (sitting councillor),

Matt Morton (Reform UK) and Douglas Smith (Labour).

Okehampton Rural

Terry Edwards (Labour), Patrick Gilbert (Liberal Democrats), Tony Leech (Independent), Bob Rush (Reform UK), Lois Samuel (Conservatives) and Brian Wood (Green Party).

MID DEVON DISTRICT COUNCIL

TAW WARD

In the Mid Devon District Council Taw Ward there are just two candidates standing for the one seat made vacant by the sad death of sitting councillor John Daw.

The candidates are Peter Heal (Conservative) and Mark Wooding (Liberal Democrats).

Peter Heal is an experienced parish and district councillor, who represented a neighbouring ward at Mid Devon from 2011-2019. He was part of an administration that improved recycling services and ended domestic waste going to landfill. If elected Peter will give our small, rural communities a strong voice.

Mark Wooding grew up in Plymouth and has lived in Nymet Rowland in Taw Ward for 20 years.

Devon is in his bones. A biochemist by training, with world-wide business experience, Mark says he is now focused upon being a big local voice for community, to take pride, value freedom and expect responsibility.

LAPFORD PARISH COUNCIL

An election will also take place at Lapford for an additional two councillors for Lapford Parish Council.

There are four candidate standing for the two seats.

The candidates are Roy Andrews, Stacey Lumsdon, John Parsley and Pete Rice.

In addition to these elections, there will also be an election for the Police and Crime Commissioner for Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly.