Teignbridge (/ˈtiːnbrɪdʒ/ TEEN-brij) 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, Bovey Tracey, 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.

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:

The new district was named Teignbridge after the medieval hundred of that name which had covered some of the area. 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.

Governance

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

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.

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:

Party in controlYears
Independent1974–1983
No overall control1983–2011
Conservative2011–2019
Liberal Democrats2019–2021
No overall control2021–2023
Liberal Democrats2023–present

Leadership

The leaders of the council since 2003 have been:

CouncillorPartyFromTo
Alan ConnettLiberal Democrats20032011
Jeremy ChristophersConservative2011May 2019
Gordon HookLiberal Democrats20 May 20193 Sep 2020
Alan ConnettLiberal Democrats3 Sep 2020May 2023
Martin WrigleyLiberal Democrats23 May 202330 July 2024
Richard KeelingLiberal Democrats30 July 2024

Composition

Following the 2023 election and subsequent by-elections and changes of allegiance up to May 2025, the composition of the council was:

PartyCouncillors
Liberal Democrats25
Conservative10
Reform1
Independent11
Total47

Ten of the independent councillors form the "Independent Group", the other is not aligned to a group. The next election is due in 2027.

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.

Premises

Old Forde House

The council is based at Forde House on Brunel Road in Newton Abbot.

The council bought the Forde House estate in 1978 for £60,000. The estate comprised a 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. 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".

Settlements in the district include:

External links

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