Hundreds of candidates are waiting to see how the people of Oxfordshire will vote in next week’s county council elections.

In total, 315 candidates are running for 74 seats.

Oxfordshire County Council, which is split into 58 divisions, is currently run by the Conservatives. In 2005, they won a commanding majority — the first time County Hall had been under the control of a single group for 20 years.

Of the 74 seats, 44 are Tory, 15 Liberal Democrat, seven Labour, five Green and three Independent.

The county’s electorate goes to the polls on Thursday, while the counting of the votes takes place the following day at Abingdon’s White Horse Leisure Centre, starting at 10am.

The Conservatives have pledged to build strong and confident communities and keep taxes low if they retain power.

Leader Keith Mitchell said: “My ambition is to support strong growth in our economy without damaging the superb environment for which Oxford and the county are recognised.”

The Liberal Democrats promised to focus on improving education, the roads and social services if they were elected.

Leader Zoe Patrick said: “If Oxfordshire was staffed at the average of other counties, we would have another 50 social workers.”

Labour leader Liz Brighouse said her party would spend more on older people and improve rural bus services if they snatched power.

She added: “With the economic downturn, the Tories find themselves struggling to balance the books. This situation arose from their own failure to plan the council’s finances prudently.”

Green leader Larry Sanders added: “We need a strong Green presence on the county council to help steer Oxfordshire through the current economic turmoil, fight for public services and tackle climate change.”

On the same day, Oxfordshire will also be voting to elect politicians to represent the South East in the European Parliament.

tshepherd@oxfordmail.co.uk