MAKE sure you vote on Thursday in the local elections.

Who will get your vote in the Bovey Ward of Teignbridge Council, where three candidates will be your next councillors?

Here's some information on each of the candidates:

Imca works for the NHS as a data analyst. She is a mother of two young children and lives in Bovey Tracey. 

Imca is involved in the community and volunteers for the Bovey Food Hub. 

Given the current housing crisis, with rent and housing prices being unsustainably high, Imca is committed to advocating for sustainable growth in Teignbridge and making sure that local amenities are improved to support this growth.

I am a local publican and have also served as a Town Councillor for 12 years. I am standing for Teignbridge as an independent candidate. 

Party politics have been a hindrance to the district council from acting in the best interests of our residents. Having a party obeying national manifestos and agendas prevents freedom of policy. I believe that we should have greater power at a town and parish level in order to be more self governing. 

I want to focus on:

Returning car parks to Town Council ownership

A greater say for the area in planning applications

Infrastructure to be in place before housing is built

increased support for local businesses

creation of tourist facilities to encourage visitors to the area. I am asking you to vote for me to improve our locality.’

SALLY Morgan has been a campaigner for our community for over two decades and continues to represent and stand up for our area. 

She has been a County, District and Town councillor as well as a school governor (St Catherine’s), a member of the Dartmoor National Park Authority and has also been a trustee of local arts and children’s charities.

Sally was part of the very effective ‘Save Bonds Meadow’ team, working to save 3 acres of woodland (owned by the National Trust) from destruction.

Sally runs the Breakfast Club at Bovey Tracey Primary is a local employer

I live in Bovey Tracey and I am an active member of the community and have been instrumental in re-invigorating Fairtrade Bovey. I’m dedicated to working for a community powered council and using my energy and experience for the people of town by working to provide opportunities for everyone, rewarding endeavour and helping people who need support.

I retired from being a professional engineer and senior manager for a regional utility company, and have experience as a school governor and a local councillor. I have also been a board member for a social housing provider and is a trustee for an environmental charity.

I’m committed to focus on changing the culture of the Council so that it involves our communities and reflects their wishes. I believe that climate change is the most significant challenge to our young people’s future.

JACK grew up in Devon and returned in 2019 to raise his two young children. Working for the NHS as a junior doctor, Jack is confronted daily with the effects that the cost of living crisis is having on the physical and mental health of Devon residents. 

Jack firmly believes that everyone deserves to have good quality of life, regardless of their background. 

He therefore feels very passionately about supporting residents through the cost of living crisis and about promoting equal opportunities for residents. 

AS a pragmatic, collaborative voice, I would vehemently support our local services. For 20 years, I’ve lived in Bovey raising my family, working/volunteering on community projects and working at the primary school.  

I bring people together for a common purpose and though politics is tough, I stay true to my values. I was 2017/2019’s Central Devon Labour Parliamentary Candidate. I am a Human Resources professional.  

The Government’s approach to the climate emergency is supremely weak. The cost-of-living and energy crisis policies are short-term and patchy. 

I pledge to bring the environment and local people to the heart of my decisions – focusing on families, housing, retail, amenities, transport, biodiversity, green spaces. 

MARTIN grew up in Liverton and Ilsington, where he was heavily involved in the local twinning and football clubs, and now lives in Bovey Tracey. 

Early in his career he represented small businesses in Westminster and Brussels, achieving policy results like closing a tax loophole that large retailers had used to unfairly undercut small independent sellers. 

He also worked as a researcher for an MP, preparing the questioning of bank executives during the Libor scandal. 

Martin is now a management consultant, helping businesses to save money and operate more efficiently – a skillset he hopes will help Teignbridge District Council.

Rob Speht lives and works in Bovey Tracey with his family including 3 children and a golden-doodle! 

He can often be seen on the school-run, cheering from the touchline at local under 12’s football matches and out with the family at our town parks and swimming pool.

Rob has been a community campaigner, councillor, environmental charity trustee and school governor as well as a campaigner for sustainable transport and a director of various renewable energy companies.

Rob runs his own renewable energy company and is a local employer.

STUART lives in Bovey Tracey and is the Head of Business Improvement at a company that helps long-term unemployed people back into work. 

This involves breaking down the barriers people face getting back into sustainable employment and encouraging them to play an active role in their community. 

A keen runner, Stuart has been involved with Bovey Valley Runners for many years and served on its committee.

CHARLIE has lived in Bovey Tracey for over 10 years, and in Teignbridge for 20 years. 

He has worked in South Devon as a Child Protection Social Worker for the last 25 years. He has been a District Councillor and Town Councillor in Teignbridge. He has been elected as a Town Councillor for Bovey Tracey.

‘I want to ensure greater access and decision -making at Teignbridge, and continued support for the pressure of cost of living that is hitting absolutely everyone. 

‘Most of all I want to provide Bovey ward with a hard-working Councillor who listens, and provides active responses to casework all year round, Bovey residents deserve better than report-backs just at election time.’

A proud mum of three, including to a disabled daughter with a range of complex needs, Cathie has 20 years’ experience dealing with mental health and social care services. 

For four years she served as Chair of Devon Parent Carers Voice – a voluntary organisation that supports parents and carers of children in Devon with additional needs. 

Cathie lives in Bovey Tracey and runs a local community group for women (Bovey Ladies) with fortnightly events held locally to support cafés and pubs in Bovey.