Teignbridge

This article is about the district. For the constituency, see Teignbridge (UK Parliament constituency).

Teignbridge is a local government district in Devon, England. Its council is based in the town of Newton Abbot. The district also includes the towns of Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Kingsteignton and Teignmouth, along with numerous villages and surrounding rural areas. Teignbridge contains part of the south Devon coastline, including the Dawlish Warren National Nature Reserve. Some of the inland western parts of the district lie within the Dartmoor National Park. It is named after the old Teignbridge hundred.

Teignbridge District
Non-metropolitan 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	Anne Marie Morris Mel Stride
Area
• Total	246.3 sq mi (637.9 km^2)
• Rank	49th (of 296)
Population  (2021)
• Total	135,216
• Rank	171st (of 296)
• Density	550/sq mi (210/km^2)
• 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.gov.uk

Teignbridge District Council
Type
Type	Non-metropolitan district
Leadership
Chair	Chris Clarance, Independent since 23 May 2023
Leader	Martin Wrigley, Liberal Democrats since 23 May 2023
Managing Director	Phil Shears since January 2018^[1]
Structure
Seats	46
Political groups	Administration (26)   Liberal Democrats (26) Opposition (21)   South Devon Alliance (10)   Conservatives (9)   Independent (2)
Elections
Last election	4 May 2023
Last election	6 May 2027
Meeting place
Forde House, Brunel Road, Newton Abbot, TQ12 4XX
Website
www.teignbridge.gov.uk

The neighbouring districts are Torbay, South Hams, West Devon, Mid Devon, East Devon and Exeter.

History

The district was formed on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972, covering the whole area of six former districts and part of a seventh, which were all abolished at the same time:^[2]

• Ashburton Urban District
• Buckfastleigh Urban District
• Dawlish Urban District
• Newton Abbot Rural District
• Newton Abbot Urban District
• St Thomas Rural District (parts south-west of Exeter, rest went to East Devon)
• Teignmouth Urban District

The new district was named Teignbridge after the medieval hundred of that name which had covered some of the area.^[3] The hundred in turn had been named after the bridge over the River Teign on Exeter Road west of Kingsteignton, where there had been a number of bridges since Roman times.^[4][5]

Governance

Teignbridge District Council provides district-level services. County-level services are provided by Devon County Council.^[6] The whole district is also covered by civil parishes, which form a third tier of local government.^[7]

In the parts of the district within the Dartmoor National Park, town planning is the responsibility of the Dartmoor National Park Authority. The district council appoints two of its councillors to serve on the 19-person National Park Authority.^[8]

Political control

The council has been under Liberal Democrat majority control since the 2023 election.

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:^[9][10]

Party in control		Years
	Independent	1974–1983
	No overall control	1983–2011
	Conservative	2011–2019
	Liberal Democrats	2019–2021
	No overall control^[11]	2021–2023
	Liberal Democrats	2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:^[12]

Councillor	Party		From	To
Alan Connett^[13]		Liberal Democrats	2003	2011
Jeremy Christophers^[14]		Conservative	2011	5 May 2019
Gordon Hook^[15]		Liberal Democrats	20 May 2019	3 Sep 2020
Alan Connett		Liberal Democrats	3 Sep 2020	7 May 2023
Martin Wrigley		Liberal Democrats	23 May 2023

Composition

Following the 2023 election, the composition of the council was:^[16]

Party		Councillors
	Liberal Democrats	26
	Alliance	10
	Conservative	9
	Independent	2
Total		47

The next election is due in 2027.

Elections

See also: Teignbridge District Council elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2019 the council has comprised 47 councillors representing 24 wards, with each ward electing one, two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.^[17]

Premises

 

Old Forde House

The council is based at Forde House on Brunel Road in Newton Abbot.^[18]

The council bought the Forde House estate in 1978 for £60,000.^[19] The estate comprised an 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.^[20] The new office building now takes the name Forde House, with the old mansion now called Old Forde House.

Parishes and settlements

The district is entirely divided into civil parishes. Some of the smaller parishes have a parish meeting rather than a parish council. The parish councils for Ashburton, Buckfastleigh, Dawlish, Kingsteignton, Newton Abbot and Teignmouth take the style "town council".^[21]

Settlements in the district include:

• Abbotskerswell
• Ashburton
• Ashcombe
• Ashton
• Bickington
• Bishopsteignton
• Bovey Tracey
• Bridford
• Brimley
• Broadhempston
• Buckfastleigh
• Buckland in the Moor
• Christow
• Chudleigh
• Chudleigh Knighton
• Cockwood
• Coffinswell
• Combe Fishacre
• Combeinteignhead
• Dainton
• Dawlish
• Dawlish Warren
• Denbury
• Doddiscombsleigh
• Dunchideock
• Dunsford
• Exminster
• Forder Green
• Gabwell
• Gappah
• Haytor vale
• Heathfield
• Hennock
• Holcombe
• Humber
• Ide
• Ideford
• Ilsington
• Ipplepen
• Kenn
• Kennford
• Kenton
• Kingskerswell
• Kingsteignton
• Liverton
• Lustleigh
• Luton
• Mamhead
• Manaton
• Moretonhampstead
• Nadderwater
• Netherton
• Newton Abbot
• North Bovey
• North Whilborough
• Ogwell
• Pathfinder Village
• Ponsworthy
• Poundsgate
• Powderham
• Ringmore
• Shaldon
• Shillingford Abbot
• Shillingford St George
• Sigford
• South Knighton
• Starcross
• Stokeinteignhead
• Tedburn St Mary
• Teign Village
• Teigngrace
• Teignmouth
• Torbryan
• Trusham
• Water
• Whitestone
• Widecombe-in-the-Moor
• Woodland

References

1. Clark, Daniel (15 January 2018). "Father of Love Island star Jessica Shears appointed as Teignbridge's new boss". Devon Live. Retrieved 24 June 2023.
2. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Definition) Order 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1972/2039, retrieved 30 July 2023
3. "The English Non-metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 1973/551, retrieved 31 May 2023
4. Historic England. "Teign Bridge (Grade II) (1317451)". National Heritage List for England.
5. Arngart, Olof Sigfrid (1934). The English Hundred-names. H. Ohlsson. p. 98. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
6. "Local Government Act 1972", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, 1972 c. 70, retrieved 31 May 2023
7. "Election Maps". Ordnance Survey. Retrieved 25 July 2023.
8. "Who are the members?". Dartmoor National Park Authority. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
9. "Teignbridge". BBC News Online. Retrieved 19 March 2010.
10. Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael. Teignbridge District Council Election Results 1973–2011 (PDF). The Elections Centre, Plymouth University. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
11. Heptinstall, Ollie (10 December 2021). "Teignbridge Lib Dems go to war". Radio Exe Devon. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
12. "Council minutes". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
13. Nero, Paul (3 September 2020). "Connett back as Teignbridge leader". Radio Exe Devon. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
14. Clark, Daniel (8 May 2019). "Former Teignbridge leader speaks after losing his seat in the local elections". Devon Live. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
15. Clark, Daniel (11 August 2020). "Teignbridge Council leader to resign". Devon Live. Retrieved 29 July 2022.
16. "Local elections 2023: live council results for England". The Guardian.
17. "The Teignbridge (Electoral Changes) Order 2017", legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives, SI 2017/1081, retrieved 1 August 2023
18. "Contact us". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
19. "Space for museum". Herald Express. Torquay. 25 July 1978. p. 3. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
20. "Doorway to the future". Herald Express. Torquay. 28 April 1987. p. 11. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
21. "Parish council contact details". Teignbridge District Council. Retrieved 1 August 2023.

50°34′55″N 3°37′41″W / 50.582°N 3.628°W / 50.582; -3.628