Central Devon
UK Parliament constituency (2010–)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Central Devon is a constituency[n 1] represented in the House of Commons of the UK Parliament since 2010 by Mel Stride of the Conservative Party.[n 2]
| Central Devon | |
|---|---|
| County constituency for the House of Commons | |
 Interactive map of boundaries from 2024 | |
Boundary of Central Devon in South West England | |
| County | Devon |
| Population | 88,926 (2011 census)[1] |
| Electorate | 73,491 (2023) [2] |
| Major settlements | Okehampton, Crediton, Bovey Tracey and Chudleigh |
| Current constituency | |
| Created | 2010 |
| Member of Parliament | Mel Stride (Conservative) |
| Seats | One |
| Created from | North Devon, Teignbridge, Tiverton and Honiton, Torridge and West Devon, Totnes |
Constituency profile
Central Devon is a large rural constituency that covers part of Devon to the west of the city of Exeter. The constituency includes part of Dartmoor, an upland area and National Park. The largest settlement is the town of Okehampton, with a population of around 9,000.[3] The constituency contains many other small market towns and villages, including Crediton, Bradninch, North Tawton, Hatherleigh, Exminster, Chagford, Moretonhampstead, Chudleigh, Ashburton and Buckfastleigh. The constituency is primarily agricultural and many of its towns grew from the wool trade in mediaeval times.[4]
Residents of Central Devon are considerably older than the national average and have average levels of income, education and professional employment.[5] The areas closer to Exeter are generally more affluent than the western, more inland parts of the constituency.[6] White people make up 98% of the population.[5] At the local county council, the constituency is divided between Liberal Democrat support in its east and Reform UK support in its west, with district councils generally having a mixture of Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors. Voters were evenly split in the 2016 referendum on European Union membership, with an estimated result of 50% voting for each option.[5]
History
The constituency was created for the 2010 general election, following a review of parliamentary representation in Devon by the Boundary Commission for England, which increased seats in the county from 11 to 12.[7] Central Devon covers parts of the East Devon, Mid Devon, Teignbridge and West Devon districts.
The wards from the last election presented a notional Conservative majority of just over 1,700, making it a marginal seat at the first election. Despite this, Mel Stride's majority over the Liberal Democrats was 17.1 percentage points with an absolute majority.[8] Stride held the seat comfortably at the next three elections (2015, 2017 and 2019), but only just held on at the 2024 general election with a majority of 0.1% (61 votes) over the Labour Party candidate.
Boundaries
2010–2024
The constituency contained electoral wards from four districts.[7]
- From East Devon: Exe Valley;
- From Mid Devon: Boniface, Bradninch, Cadbury, Lawrence, Newbrooke, Sandford and Creedy, Silverton, Taw, Taw Vale, Upper Yeo, Way, Yeo;
- From Teignbridge: Ashburton and Buckfastleigh, Bovey Tracey, Chudleigh, Haytor, Kenn Valley, Moorland, Teignbridge North, Teign Valley;
- From West Devon: Chagford, Drewsteignton, Exbourne, Hatherleigh, Lew Valley, North Tawton, Okehampton East, Okehampton West, South Tawton.
2024–present
Further to the 2023 Periodic Review of Westminster constituencies which came into effect for the 2024 general election, and a local government boundary review in Mid Devon District which came into effect in May 2023, the constituency is composed of the following:[9]
- The District of Mid Devon wards of: Bradninch (nearly all); Cadbury; Crediton Boniface; Crediton Lawrence; Sandford & Creedy; Silverton; Taw Vale; Upper Yeo & Taw; Way; Yeo.
- The District of Teignbridge wards of: Ashburton & Buckfastleigh; Bovey; Chudleigh; Haytor; Kenn Valley; Moretonhampstead; Teign Valley.
- The Borough of West Devon wards of: Chagford; Drewsteignton; Exbourne; Hatherleigh; Okehampton North; Okehampton South; South Tawton.
The East Devon ward of Exe Valley was included in the new constituency of Exmouth and Exeter East. Otherwise, only a very minor change to the boundary in the District of Teignbridge.
Members of Parliament
| Election | Member[10] | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | Mel Stride | Conservative | |
Elections
Elections in the 2020s
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Mel Stride | 16,831 | 31.5 | −23.8 | |
| Labour | Ollie Pearson | 16,770 | 31.4 | +6.6 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Mark Wooding | 8,232 | 15.4 | +0.4 | |
| Reform | Jeffrey Leeks | 7,784 | 14.6 | N/A | |
| Green | Gill Westcott | 3,338 | 6.2 | +1.3 | |
| Independent | Arthur Price | 477 | 0.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 61 | 0.1 | −30.4 | ||
| Turnout | 53,432 | 70.9 | −6.3 | ||
| Registered electors | 75,385 | ||||
| Conservative hold | Swing | −15.2 | |||
Elections in the 2010s
| 2019 notional result[12] | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Vote | % | |
| Conservative | 31,366 | 55.3 | |
| Labour | 14,066 | 24.8 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 8,503 | 15.0 | |
| Green | 2,789 | 4.9 | |
| Turnout | 56,724 | 77.2 | |
| Electorate | 73,491 | ||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Mel Stride | 32,095 | 55.3 | +1.2 | |
| Labour | Lisa Webb | 14,374 | 24.8 | −2.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Alison Eden | 8,770 | 15.1 | +3.4 | |
| Green | Andy Williamson | 2,833 | 4.9 | +2.3 | |
| Majority | 17,721 | 30.5 | +3.4 | ||
| Turnout | 58,072 | 77.5 | −1.1 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +1.7 | |||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Mel Stride | 31,278 | 54.1 | +1.9 | |
| Labour | Lisa Webb | 15,598 | 27.0 | +14.2 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Alex White | 6,770 | 11.7 | −0.5 | |
| Green | Andy Williamson | 1,531 | 2.6 | −6.3 | |
| UKIP | Tim Matthews | 1,326 | 2.3 | −10.9 | |
| NHA | John Dean | 871 | 1.5 | N/A | |
| Liberal | Lloyd Knight | 470 | 0.8 | N/A | |
| Majority | 15,680 | 27.1 | −11.9 | ||
| Turnout | 57,844 | 78.6 | +3.7 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Mel Stride | 28,436 | 52.2 | +0.7 | |
| UKIP | John Conway | 7,171 | 13.2 | +7.9 | |
| Labour | Lynne Richards[16] | 6,985 | 12.8 | +5.9 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Alex White | 6,643 | 12.2 | −22.2 | |
| Green | Andy Williamson | 4,866 | 8.9 | +7.0 | |
| Independent | Arthur Price | 347 | 0.6 | N/A | |
| Majority | 21,265 | 39.0 | +11.9 | ||
| Turnout | 54,448 | 74.9 | −0.8 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | ||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Conservative | Mel Stride | 27,737 | 51.5 | +7.7 | |
| Liberal Democrats | Phil Hutty | 18,507 | 34.4 | −4.4 | |
| Labour | Moira Macdonald | 3,715 | 6.9 | −4.7 | |
| UKIP | Bob Edwards | 2,870 | 5.3 | −0.5 | |
| Green | Colin Matthews | 1,044 | 1.9 | N/A | |
| Majority | 9,230 | 17.1 | +12.1 | ||
| Turnout | 53,873 | 75.7 | +5.8 | ||
| Conservative hold | Swing | +6.1[n 3] | |||
See also
Notes
- A county constituency (for the purposes of election expenses and type of returning officer)
- As with all constituencies, the constituency elects one Member of Parliament (MP) by the first past the post system of election at least every five years.
- Notional