Teignbridge District | |
|---|---|
 Teignbridge 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 Stride Martin 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 District Council | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | |
| Type | |
| Leadership | |
Phil Shears since January 2018[2] | |
| Structure | |
| Seats | 47 councillors |
 | |
Political groups |
|
| Elections | |
Last election | 4 May 2023 |
Last election | 6 May 2027 |
| Meeting place | |
 | |
| Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4XX | |
| Website | |
| www | |
Teignbridge is alocal government district inDevon, England. Its council is based in the town ofNewton Abbot. The district also includes the towns ofAshburton,Buckfastleigh,Dawlish,Kingsteignton andTeignmouth, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Teignbridge contains part of the south Devon coastline, including theDawlish Warren National Nature Reserve. Some of the inland western parts of the district lie within theDartmoor National Park. It is named after the oldTeignbridge hundred.
The neighbouring districts areTorbay,South Hams,West Devon,Mid Devon,East Devon andExeter.
The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under theLocal 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 medievalhundred of that name which had covered some of the area.[4] The hundred in turn had been named after the bridge over theRiver Teign on Exeter Road west of Kingsteignton, where there had been a number of bridges sinceRoman times.[5][6]
Teignbridge District Council providesdistrict-level services.County-level services are provided byDevon County Council.[7] The whole district is also covered bycivil 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 theDartmoor 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 | 1974–1983 | |
| No overall control | 1983–2011 | |
| Conservative | 2011–2019 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2019–2021 | |
| No overall control[14] | 2021–2023 | |
| Liberal Democrats | 2023–present | |
Theleaders 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 the2023 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to November 2024, the composition of the council was:[24]
| Party | Councillors | |
|---|---|---|
| Liberal Democrats | 25 | |
| Independent | 12 | |
| Conservative | 10 | |
| Total | 47 | |
The next election is due in 2027.[24]
Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 47councillors representing 24wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.[25]
The council is based at Forde House on Brunel Road in Newton Abbot.[26]
The council bought theForde 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.
The district is entirely divided intocivil parishes. Some of the smaller parishes have aparish 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:
