THE Conservatives have dramatically strengthened their control on Vale of White Horse District Council as the Liberal Democrats suffered another miserable day.
The Vale's local election followed its national precursor as the Lib Dems lost considerable ground on their blue counterparts.
Tories secured 29 out of a possible 38 seats (76 per cent) with the Lib Dems taking the remaining nine (24 per cent).
In 2011, when there were 51 seats up for grabs, the Conservatives recorded 53 per cent of the seats to the Lib Dems' 43 per cent.
From 2pm today the White Horse Leisure and Tennis Centre filled up with counters and candidates - as it had done 12 hours earlier for the Oxford West and Abingdon count.
The count dragged on until late into Friday evening with the last result being called at 8.40pm.
An electoral review in 2013 led to the make up of the council's ward boundaries being changed.
As a result the number of councillors was reduced from 51 to 38 and the number of wards from 29 down to 24, made up of 10 single-member wards and 14 two-member wards.
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