THE Conservative Party won an overwhelming majority in the Devon County Council elections, taking control for the first time in 20 years with 41 of the 62 seats.

As Devon went to the polls, the turnout was bigger than expected for a local election at 43.9 per cent, with more than 255,000 votes being cast.

A total of 41.9 per cent of the votes went to the Conservatives, 29.9 per cent to the Liberal Democrats, and 6.1 per cent to Labour. Of the smaller parties, the UK Independence Party polled 9 per cent, the Green Party received 6.8 per cent of the vote, and 4.6 per cent went to Independent candidates.

The Liberal Democrats won 14 seats, Labour retained 4, two seats were taken by Independent candidates and the Green Party won its first ever seat in the county in Totnes.

Devon County Council is the largest local authority in the South West with an annual budget of over £1 billion per year and responsibility for 85 per cent of all local public services in the county including key services such as schools, roads and social care.

In the 'Post' area, along with much of the rest of Devon the political colour of Holsworthy Rural Ward changed from yellow to blue in last Thursday's county council elections.

The Conservative candidate Barry Parsons of Ashwater, a Torridge District councillor for Forest Ward for the past two years, was elected with 53.9 per cent of the vote.

Mr Parsons said he was overwhelmed by the level of support he had received and would do his best to serve the interests of all the people across the area. He was conscious of being the successor to Des Shadrick, who, though of a different party, had taught him so much and for whom he had the greatest admiration and respect.

As the inheritor of Des' legacy he wanted to move forward projects he had begun. His priorities would be the development of the new agri-business and livestock market and to diversify the local

economy.

The 'Post' area election results were:

Holsworthy Rural — Gordon Bray (Lab) 127; Keith Funnell (Green Party) 490; Ken James (Lib Dem) 1,580; Barry Parsons (Cons) 2,624 ELECTED. Turn out 47.2 per cent of 10,320 electorate.

Bideford South and Hartland — Alison Jane Boyle (Cons) 1,272 ELECTED; David George Brenton (Lab) 220; Tony Inch (Liberal Party) 356; Robin Julian (UKIP) 981; Humphrey Temperley (Lib Dem) 881. Turn out 38.7 per cent of 9,651

electorate.

Hatherleigh and Chagford — Gillian Mary Elston (Lib Dem) 1,270; James Raymond McInnes (Cons) 2,822 ELECTED; Debbie Phelps (UKIP) 958. Turn out 50.7 per cent of 9,999 electorate.

Okehampton Rural — Rachel Clare Lyons (Lab) 168; Christine Marie Marsh (Cons) 2,473 ELECTED; Roger Fauset Welsh (UKIP) 857; John Young (Lib Dem) 1,426. Turn out 45.9 per cent of 10,773 electorate.