THE sea of blue woken up to by a nation yesterday was reflected in Cherwell district, where the Conservatives retained an unshakeable majority.

Counting began at 1.30pm today and was concluded by late afternoon. Overall, the Conservatives gained one seat across the 17 wards up for grabs, bringing their overall total to 41. Labour still has seven seats and Les Sibley, Independent, kept his single seat in Bicester West. The Liberal Democrats saw their number halved, with just one seat now remaining on the District Council.

Shortly after counting got under way, Conservative leader Barry Wood said: “The local elections always shadow the national ones. You can expect to see improved majorities for the Conservative councillors.”

Among the Conservatives to keep their seats was Melanie Magee, who won 1,757 votes in Bicester North after coming second in the Oxford East parliamentary race the day before, last achieved by a Conservative in 1987.

She said: “I’m ecstatic. I would like to thank all the voters for believing in me.”

Labour councillors Mark Cherry, for Banbury Ruscote, and Andrew Beere, Banbury Grimsbury and Castle, will both keep their seats on the district council.

Mr Cherry said: “It’s a nice bit of bright in the darkness of the results nationally. Ruscote residents have stuck with me through good times and bad.”

The Liberal Democrats fared less well, with the one seat up for grabs, Kidlington North, poached from Alaric Rose by the Conservatives’ Sandra Rhodes.

Mr Rose was not in attendance but Kidlington South candidate Joe Claxton said the party could “absolutely” recover on the local level.