North Devon by-election result sees a familiar face return to the council

Liberal Democrat Jayne Mackie has been elected to North Devon Council following the Fremington and Yelland by-election on Thursday (April 2).

The former teacher, who served five years on the council as an independent from 2018 to 2023, was elected with 752 votes.

Derek Sargent for Reform UK took 496 votes, Green Party candidate Jules Credgington was in third place with 131 votes, Conservative Susan Kingdom polled 116 votes and Labour candidate Douglas McLynn received 12 votes. The turnout was 35%.

A by-election was called after the ward’s previous independent councillor, Neil Denton, passed away in January.

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Councillor Mackie, who stepped down in 2023 to look after elderly relatives, said she was “pleased to have been once more elected to represent the community of Fremington and Yelland.”

A resident in Yelland for many years, she has worked in both primary, secondary and nursery schools.

She said: “This is a very large ward with many lovely areas which are constantly under threat from overdevelopment and pressure on infrastructure, mainly from government targets.

“Along with my colleagues I will put forward the views expressed by the community during our campaign.”

Fellow Lib Dem councillor for Fremington and Yelland Frank Biederman said he was delighted Cllr Mackie would be serving alongside him.

He said: “I am really looking forward to serving with her again as we continue to stand up for our community and the people who live here.

“As we begin this work together, we will also remember our friend Neil Denton whose passion for the community meant so much to so many. “

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Cllr Biederman said they were committed to continuing to support the Littlemoor Green group and building on the “excellent work” Cllr Denton started in helping make it “such a special place for people of all ages.”

Littlemoor Green is a local green space, designated as an asset of community value by North Devon Council last year following a nomination by Fremington Parish Council, of which Cllr Denton was a member.

There are now 24 Liberal Democrats on North Devon Council, the Conservatives and independents have seven members each, the Green Party three and there is one non-aligned councillor.