Your council
Torridge: what’s happening where you live
What the council itself has published on the five things it most shapes for a household: homes, getting about, the bill, the local environment and schools. Each line is quoted from the council’s own document, with the link. This page says what was decided or proposed; it never says whether it was right.
Torridge District Council: Non-metropolitan district (lower tier), England, South West; within the county of DEV. GOV.UK lists it as a district council, within Devon County Council.
Do it online
- Household waste collection: Providing information
- Household waste collection: Reporting
- Bulky household waste collections: Applications for service
- Household garden waste: Providing information
- Recycling bags and containers: Providing information
- Flytipping: Reporting
- Noise pollution: Reporting
- Council tax annual notification: Providing information
- Council tax annual notification: Collecting revenue
- Council tax discount: Applications for service
- Council tax benefit new claim: Applications for service
- Housing benefit new claim: Providing information
- Electoral register: Providing information
- Electoral register: Applications for service
- Parking permits: Providing information
- Planning decision notices: Providing information
- Councillors directory: Providing information
- Complaints procedure: Providing information
Housing
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Transport
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Council tax
Band D set by Torridge for 2026–27: £201.01 of a £2,601.42 total bill in the area.
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Environment
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Education
We haven't read this council's own publications yet. The council’s website
Changes to schools in this area recorded by the Department for Education Updated automatically
- The Clinton Church of England Primary School (primary) — open, but proposed to close; reason recorded: fresh start; proposed date 30 September 2026
- The Clinton Church of England Primary School (primary) — proposed to open; reason recorded: fresh start; proposed date 1 October 2026
In the last twelve months: 1 opened (1 new provision), 0 closed
- Holme Court School Devon — open; reason recorded: new provision, 8 September 2026
What the council plans to spend, 2026–27
| Service | Budget |
|---|---|
| Education services | none budgeted |
| Highways and transport services | −£946,000 |
| Children's social care | none budgeted |
| Adult social care | none budgeted |
| Public health | none budgeted |
| Housing services (general fund only) | £1.4 million |
| Cultural and related services | £1.1 million |
| Environmental and regulatory services | £6.9 million |
| Planning and development services | £2.3 million |
| Police services | none budgeted |
| Fire and rescue services | none budgeted |
| Central services | £3.3 million |
| Other services | none budgeted |
| Total service expenditure | £14.1 million |
Torridge in numbers
- Total population
- 69,841 people
- Median age
- 52 years
- Gross disposable household income per head
- £23,212
- Gross median weekly pay
- £573
- Children in relative poverty after housing costs
- 29.7%
- Claimant Count
- 2.8%
- Average house price
- £263,378
- Housing affordability ratio (residence-based)
- 8.1 affordability ratio
- Greenhouse gas emissions
- 8.6 tCO2e per capita
- Gigabit capable broadband
- 60.0%
- Public electric vehicle chargers
- 107.4 per 100,000 population
- Active businesses
- 2,615 number of enterprises
Who runs the council
36 seats in 2026. Run by: independents, with a majority.
Councillors by party: Independent / Other 13, Liberal Democrats 12, Conservative and Unionist 5, Green Party (E&W) 4, Labour Party 2.
Next scheduled council election: 6 May 2027.
All 36 councillors, by ward
- Kerry O'Rourke (Liberal Democrats) — Appledore
- Peter Hames (Green Party (E&W)) — Appledore
- Huw Thomas (Green Party (E&W)) — Bideford East
- James Craigie (Green Party (E&W)) — Bideford East
- Jude Gubb (Independent / Other) — Bideford East
- Doug Bushby (Independent / Other) — Bideford North
- Teresa Tinsley (Liberal Democrats) — Bideford North
- Trevor Johns (Liberal Democrats) — Bideford North
- David Brenton (Labour Party) — Bideford South
- Simon Inch (Independent / Other) — Bideford South
- Annie Brenton (Labour Party) — Bideford West
- Carl Hawkins (Independent / Other) — Bideford West
- Philip Hackett (Independent / Other) — Broadheath
- Stephen Gibson (Conservative and Unionist) — Broadheath
- Chris Bright (Liberal Democrats) — Great Torrington
- Doug Smith (Liberal Democrats) — Great Torrington
- Lauren Bright (Liberal Democrats) — Great Torrington
- Anna Dart (Independent / Other) — Hartland
- Shirleyann Andrews (Liberal Democrats) — Hartland
- Stephen Harding (Conservative and Unionist) — Hartland
- Lyndon Piper (Liberal Democrats) — Holsworthy
- Peter Shepherd (Independent / Other) — Holsworthy
- Ken James (Independent / Other) — Milton & Tamarside
- Nigel Kenneally (Liberal Democrats) — Milton & Tamarside
- Philip Pennington (Independent / Other) — Monkleigh & Putford
- Robert Hicks (Independent / Other) — Monkleigh & Putford
- Chris Leather (Independent / Other) — Northam
- Jane Whittaker (Conservative and Unionist) — Northam
- Wendy Lo-Vel (Green Party (E&W)) — Northam
- Cheryl Cottle-Hunkin (Liberal Democrats) — Shebbear & Langtree
- Chris Wheatley (Liberal Democrats) — Shebbear & Langtree
- Rosemary Lock (Conservative and Unionist) — Two Rivers & Three Moors
- Thomas Elliott (Conservative and Unionist) — Two Rivers & Three Moors
- Claire Hodson (Independent / Other) — Westward Ho!
- Louis Bach (Independent / Other) — Westward Ho!
- Stephen Middleton (Liberal Democrats) — Winkleigh