Ilfracombe - Governance

Governance

The town lies within the Parliamentary constituency of North Devon, and the European Region of South West England.

The three councils which govern activities in the town are Devon County Council, North Devon District Council, and Ilfracombe Town Council. The councils cover different areas of responsibility:

• Roads, Education, Economic Affairs, Youth Services and Social Services are covered by Devon County Council based in County Hall, Exeter to which Ilfracombe sends one elected member.
• Housing, Refuse Collection, Street Cleaning, Parks & Gardens, Harbour, Leisure & Culture, Licensing and Planning are covered by North Devon District Council, Barnstaple to which Ilfracombe elects five members (two each from West and Central Wards and one from East Ward). North Devon District Council has area offices in the Ilfracombe centre on the High Street.
• The Town Council, which has 3 wards and 18 members (7 from West and Central Wards and 4 from the East Ward) acts as the watchdog to the other two councils whilst also developing local initiatives owning and managing the Ilfracombe Centre and supporting many community associations and activities. Following the success of the town council's development of the Ilfracombe centre, the council has in 2010 developed and published a comprehensive review of the town development strategy outlined in the Strategic Action Plan created by the Ilfracombe Community Alliance. The town council's new document, available on the council's website, gives the framework within which it will lead the future regeneration of the community through to 2025.

Ilfracombe is twinned with Herxheim in Germany and Ifs in France.