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Tory leader David Cameron will be pleased with results in his home constituency

Conservatives gave their leader David Cameron the kind of poll boost he was looking for with the local council results in his own back yard.

The party strengthened its already formidable grip on West Oxfordshire District Council by winning 11 out of the 13 seats going to the polls.

With four more candidates already returned because of no opposition standing against them, they now have 40 councillors in the 49 seat authority.

Mr Cameron, the Witney MP, was not there in person to celebrate with them in the small hours, but jubilant council leader Barry Norton said: "It is a brilliant night of results for the Conservatives."

The council holds elections by a third of its seats.

The opposition to the Tories is now at an all-time low, with just six Liberal Democrats, two independent councillors and just one Labour councillor.

On the night the Tories picked up four gains, two from the Lib Dems and two from independents.

As well as Mr Norton, three other Tories stood were unopposed - Simon Hoare, Dennis Stickley and Jeffrey Haine.

Successful Lib Dem Margaret Stevens, who held on to her seat at Eynsham by just four votes, said: "I think the Cameron factor counted rather than the local issues.

"It was an anti-Labour Government vote.

"Sadly, West Oxfordshire has lost a very good councillor because of it with Elizabeth Bickley in Standlake."

Another successful Lib Dem, Glena Chadwick in Charlbury, said: "I feel very proud and relieved. I was up against David Cameron who actually came round canvassing with his local Tory candidate in the shops and pub."

Duncan Enright, the Labour candidate in Witney East, said: "I am not surprised by the results.

"But, at least in Witney we came second where we had candidates."

Richard Dossett-Davies, a Witney town councillor and one of eight candidates standing for the Greens, came second in Witney North.

He said: "I did not expect to win, but at least my vote held up against the Conservatives."

Former town mayor Peter Green lost his seat as an independent in Witney South.

He said: "I'm disappointed. I would have liked to carry on, but that's the way things are in elections."

UKIP, with two candidates standing in Witney wards, came bottom in each poll.

It was a close run thing for Ian Hudspeth - also a county councillor with responsibility for transport - who held onto his Woodstock and Bladon seat by just 45 votes.

* State of parties now: Conservative 40; Liberal Democrat 6; Independent 2; Labour 1.

1:46am Friday 2nd May 2008

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