A motion calling for a 'fairer voting system' and to allow 16-year-olds to take part in elections has been backed by Teignbridge councillors.

Last Thursday's full council meeting saw councillors vote by 24 votes to 18 in favour of the call for electoral reform that had been made by Kenn Valley councillor Andy Swain.

The Liberal Democrat councillor's motion called for a change in the way that elections are organised, from the current first-past-the-post system to a system of preference voting including proportional representation in multi-member wards for local elections as soon as is practicably possible, and that the voting age should be reduced to 16.

Teignbridge District Council will now write to the Home Secretary and the Prime Minister, urging them to commit to changing electoral law to permit such a move, and introduce such a system of voting in any reforms to local government presented to Parliament.

They will also write to Teignbridge's two MPs to ask them to call for changes in electoral law to permit such a system and promote the matter for debate in Parliament.

Cllr Swain's motion said that the move to use a system of preference voting, including proportional representation in multi-member wards for local elections, would elect a council which more accurately represents the range and proportions of political views among Teignbridge residents.

He said: "We should be looking for a better system that elects the representatives that people want. This is a vote for opening a debate and for reform, and we are asking for MPs to call for changes, not for any specific system, but there are a lot better systems than first past the post."