Seaton & Colyton MATTERS

Analysis of DCC results shows the challenge facing the opposition in East Devon

Posted on May 25, 2021

Analysis of the 6th May election results shows the challenge facing the opposition in future elections in East Devon. The bottom line, reported here before, is that the Tories got 83.3 per cent of the seats for 43.8 per cent of the vote. The non-Conservative parties and Independents between them got 16.7 per cent of the seats for 56.2 per cent of the vote.

These figures make an overwhelming case for (1) proportional representation and (2), so long as we’ve got the First Past The Post system, a Progressive Alliance, if the opposition is to win under the existing system.

Indeed a serious worry emerges. The Tory share of the vote which gave them this majority of seats, 43.8, was 7.6 per cent higher than their vote in the EDDC elections of 2019 – when they lost control of the council for the first time (see bottom line of the table). The Tory vote in 2019 was exceptionally low (the result of the pre-Brexit confusion), meaning that even with split opposition votes, they lost a lot of seats.

If the Tories consolidate their return to their normal 40-45 per cent range in 2021, the current progressive majority at EDDC will lose ground unless more serious steps are taken towards a Progressive Alliance strategy.

	Con	Lab	Ind	Ind EDA	Lib Dem	Green	Other	turnout %
AXMINSTER	1672	498		1439	209			38.7
BROADCLIYST*	3159	1170	535		896	1992		32
EXMOUTH & BUDLEIGH	2307	478	460		747	503	146	38.7
EXMOUTH*	5412	2733	2373		1844	1214		30.2
FENITON & HONITON	2094	1491			321			34.1
OTTER VALLEY	1281	134	3224		80	204		43.5
SEATON & COLYTON	2321	306		2176	160		179	42.5
SIDMOUTH	2601	209		2431				42.8
WHIMPLE	2535	624			690	523		39.9
Total votes	23382	7643	6592	6046	4947	4436	325
Average vote per candidate	1948	637	1648	2015	495	887	81
Per cent	43.8	14.3	12.4	11.3	9.3	8.3	0.6
Average % per division	43.8	14.3	32.7	41	10.1	12	1.7
Per cent EDDC 2019	36.2	6.3	14	15.3	15.3	3.4	1.1