FOUR new councillors were formally inducted into West Oxfordshire District council at a full council meeting yesterday afternoon.

Following the May 7 election, Ted Fenton representing Bampton and Clanfield, Andy Graham representing Charlbury and Finstock, Guy Wall for Chipping Norton and Gill Hill for Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield, took up their seats.

Mr Graham, who previously ran an unsuccessful campaign for the Witney parliamentary seat, is a Liberal Democrat and the other three councillors are Conservatives.

Mr Graham, former Mayor of Bishop Stortford, said he would work with the Labour group, and where possible the Conservatives, who have an overwhelming majority of seats.

He said he would try to build policies from the ground up by focussing on community projects.

Freeland and Hanborough councillor Colin Dingwell was appointed to the cabinet.

Council leader Barry Norton said there was a need to increase the cabinet from six to seven due to increased pressure of work. Mr Dingwell will deal with the Vision 2020 project, which is designed to increase co-operation and shared services with other councils.

Other cabinet portfolios were reorganised so responsibilities are more evenly split between members. Robert Courts will take on a new portfolio for Community and Housing and James Mills will take on a new portfolio for leisure and community.

Nominations were made to the council’s 12 committees and Norman Macrae was re-elected as council chairman.