The results of the local elections held for Oxford City Council have been announced. Labour have retained control of the Council, taking a total of 17 seats, whilst the Liberal Democrats won five, and the Greens won three.
The elections for the City Council and the European Parliament were held yesterday, with polls open from 7am to 10pm. However, the results of the European elections will not be announced until Sunday.
In Carfax ward, which encompasses several central colleges, Ruthi Brandt won the seat for the Green Party with 483 votes, beating Labour and Co-op candidate Alex Hollingsworth into second with 448 votes. DPhil student Maryam Ahmed, running for the Conservatives took 315 votes. The incumbent Tony Brett trailed in with 276 votes for the Liberal Democrats, while the Mad Hatter – known for his walking tours – took 45 votes for the Monster Raving Loony Party.
This result was something of an upset, with Lib Dem Brett having served as Deputy Lord Mayor for the last year, and Hollingsworth being a former City Council Leader.
In Holywell, former OULC Co-Chair Aled Jones came second, with 369 votes, to the Green Party’s David Thomas who polled 675 votes to steal the seat from the Liberal Democrats – whose candidate trailed in last.
Jones told Cherwell, “Overall it’s been a great day for Labour, with three seats gained and a brilliant result in Iffley Fields. Though I’m disappointed (but my tutor’s probably aren’t!) it’s good to see Labour clearly ahead of the Lib Dems and Tories in Holywell, and that UKIP have done poorly in the local elections.”
The Liberal Democrats did however hold both of their seats in Summertown.
The first result was announced at 1.24pm today, with Rae Humberstone holding the Blackbird Leys ward for Labour.
Labour also managed to take the Iffley Fields ward from the Greens, with Richard Tarver taking 986 votes to Steve Dawe’s 904.
James Johnson, a student at Brasenose who ran unsuccessfully representing the Conservatives in Barton, told Cherwell, “Despite not making the breakthrough we would have liked to see, these elections have been a step in the right direction for Oxford Conservatives. We’ve seen increases in our vote across the board and that’s a testimony to the great work on the ground by all members of the Association. We now need to continue connecting with voters and telling them about the long term economic plan the Conservative Party continues to offer them.”
In Churchill ward, Labour’s Susan Brown has retained her seat comfortably.
Overall, turn out in Oxford City was 37% for the City Council and 38% for the European elections.
The new make-up of the City Council now looks like this:
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