Hurrah! Broadhembury to get more councillors

But no-one responded to consultation

The number of people on Broadhembury Parish Council is to rise by a third.

East Devon District Council considered the idea of increasing the number of councillors on Broadhembury Parish Council from nine to 12 at the beginning of this year and thought it was a good one.

A three-month consultation turned up no-one interested enough to comment, so following the deafening silence, the council has given final agreement to the change.

So from the next local elections in May, 12 parish councillors could represent the East Devon village. 

East Devon claims that having a dozen Broadhembury councillors will mean the parish council will be able to reflect the identities and interest of the community more efficiently.

Councillor Sarah Jackson, EDDC’s portfolio holder democracy, transparency and communications, said:

“I am so pleased the residents of Broadhembury will now have greater representation with an increased number of parish councillors, all of whom will be able to look out for the area’s best interest by representing the parish fully and to the best of their ability.”

Chairman of the Broadhembury Parish Council Bob Nelson said: "This means we can better reflect the outlying communities in the parish with Councillors who live or work there. It also means we will be better able to tackle the workload. We are all volunteers, some with full -time jobs and families and Parish Council work is unpaid. We need more help!’

"I’m pleased EDDC has agreed this. It’s very unusual because a 600 electorate would not normally get 12 Parish Councillors to represent them  anywhere in England or Wales."

Editor's note: this story was amended on 23 November to reflect that the councillors are on Broadhembury Parish Council, not East Devon District Council (EDDC). EDDC sent Radio Exe a press release that did not refer to Broadhembury Parish Council, but "representatives on the council" considered at a meeting of East Devon District Council. We have been made aware that the developments refer to Broadhembury Parish Council, which conducted its own consultation before East Devon's consultation, to which 19 responses were received. It was further amended on 24 November to include the quote from Mr Nelson.