Sidbury has been reunited with the rest of the Sid Valley under an independent body’s final recommendations to redraw Devon County Council’s boundaries.

From the 2017 election, there is set to be a single division for Sidmouth – double the size of the current one – that mirrors the shape of the parish.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England’s (LGBCE) proposals follow a two-year process aimed at achieving electoral equality and reflecting community identities.

Commission chairman Professor Colin Mellors said: “We are extremely grateful to people across Devon who took the time and effort to send us their views.

“The commission considered every piece of evidence it received before finalising these recommendations.

“Across the county, we have sought to balance the views expressed to us by local people with the criteria we must apply when we are deciding on new electoral arrangements.

“As such, we believe these recommendations deliver electoral equality for voters as well as reflecting the identities of communities in Devon.”

The existing Sidmouth/Sidford division is represented by Councillor Stuart Hughes.

Sidbury is currently part of the Ottery St Mary Rural division, which is represented by Cllr Claire Wright. It also covers Ottery St Mary and stretches as far as West Hill and Payhembury.

The new Otter Valley division will centre on Ottery and reach from Fenny Bridges to Otterton and from Tipton St John to Aylesbeare.

Beer and Branscombe will form part of a new Seaton and Colyton division.

The LGBCE also recommends cutting the total number of councillors from 62 to 60. Each division will represented by a single member, except Exmouth and Broadclyst, which will each have two.

The proposed new arrangements must now be implemented by Parliament.