The 2025 Devon County Council election took place on 1 May 2025 to elect members to Devon County Council in Devon, England. All 60 seats were up for election. This was on the same day as other local elections. The council was under Conservative majority control prior to the election. The council went under no overall control at the election, with the Liberal Democrats becoming the largest party.
Background At the 2021 election, the Conservatives won an outright majority of seats. The party had held control of the council since 2009. The council was led by Conservative councillor James McInnes prior to the election; he did not stand for re-election in 2025.
Previous council composition After 2021 election Before 2025 election Party Seats Party Seats 39 40 9 10 7 6 2 2 3 2
Changes 2021–2025 November 2023: Rob Hannaford (Labour) suspended from party June 2024: Rob Hannaford (independent) joins Liberal Democrats July 2024: Rob Hannaford (Liberal Democrats) leaves party to sit as an independent February 2025: Frank Biederman (independent) joins Liberal Democrats; Rob Hannaford (independent) joins Conservatives
Councillors standing down 28 Councillors did not stand for re-election. CouncillorWardFirst electedPartyReferencesJohn HartBickleigh and Wembury2009Conservative
Summary Following the election the council was under no overall control, with the Liberal Democrats the largest party. The Liberal Democrats changed their group leader immediately after the election, with Julian Brazil replacing Caroline Leaver. Julian Brazil was then formally appointed as the new leader of the council at the subsequent annual council meeting on 22 May 2025. The Liberal Democrats took nine of the ten seats on the council's cabinet, and the other place was taken by the Green Party.
Reform UK had no seats on the council prior to the election. They won 18 seats at the election, making them the second largest party on the council. They chose Michael Fife Cook as their new group leader.
Results by district
Candidates marked with an asterisk (*) indicate an incumbent councillor.
East Devon District summary
+East Devon district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 5 12,663 26.6 +17.7Reform UK 2 2 11,876 25.0 +25.0Conservative 1 8 10,758 22.6 –23.4Independent 2 1 6,857 14.4 +2.5Green 1 3,452 7.3 –0.7Labour 0 1,890 4.0 –9.8Heritage 0 57 0.1 N/ATotal1157,703
Division results
Exeter
Despite topping the polls in Exeter, Labour lost all of its seats.
District summary
+Exeter district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Labour 0 7 8,858 27.3 –15.3Reform UK 4 4 7,779 24.0 N/AGreen 3 3 6,492 20.0 +3.6Conservative 1 1 5,071 15.6 –16.4Liberal Democrats 1 1 4,217 13.0 +5.9TUSC 0 38 0.1 N/ATotal932,455
Division results
Mid Devon District summary
+Mid Devon district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 4 8,368 36.5 +15.8Reform UK 1 1 6,650 29.0 N/AConservative 0 5 4,763 20.8 –28.6Labour 0 1,457 6.4 –7.6Green 0 1,224 5.3 –7.4Independent 0 391 1.7 –0.9Heritage 0 52 0.2 N/ACommunist 0 13 0.1 N/ATotal622,918
Division results
North Devon District summary
+North Devon district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 3 9,878 35.8 +13.2Reform UK 1 1 7,456 27.0 N/AConservative 1 4 6,680 24.2 –17.5Green 1 1 2,618 9.5 –3.5Labour 0 900 3.3 –4.2Independent 0 1 47 0.2 –13.4Total827,579
Division results
Note: Frank Lindsay Biederman was previously elected as an Independent with 64.6%. Changes are shown from the Liberal Democrat performance at the previous election.
South Hams District summary
+South Hams district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 3 9,621 35.8 +11.8Conservative 1 3 6,332 23.6 –23.1Reform UK 0 6,162 22.9 +22.6Green 1 3,346 12.5 –1.2Labour 0 1,108 4.1 –8.8Independent 0 197 0.7 N/ATUSC 0 89 0.3 ±0.0Heritage 0 20 0.1 N/ATotal726,875
Division results
Teignbridge District summary
+Teignbridge district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 5 1 11,816 30.7 –5.8Reform UK 4 4 11,190 29.1 +28.9Conservative 1 4 7,157 18.6 –19.8Independent 0 1 2,895 7.5 –0.8Green 0 2,885 7.5 +2.0Labour 0 2,294 6.0 –3.6Liberal 0 92 0.2 N/ATUSC 0 73 0.2 –1.2Heritage 0 60 0.2 N/ATotal1038,462
Division results
Torridge District summary
+Torridge district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 1 1 6,244 31.8 +13.7Reform UK 3 3 6,240 31.7 N/AConservative 1 4 4,778 24.3 –23.2Green 0 1,721 8.8 –0.5Labour 0 679 3.5 –8.4Total519,662
Division results
West Devon District summary
+West Devon district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Reform UK 3 3 4,979 28.9 +27.9Conservative 1 3 4,553 26.4 –20.9Liberal Democrats 0 3,832 22.2 +14.2Green 0 2,095 12.1 –3.6Labour 0 1,030 6.0 –4.1Independent 0 767 4.4 –13.4Total417,256
Division results
References