The High Court on Wednesday 11th August 2021 has declared that Mark Cherry was duly elected as the Labour ands Co-operative Party County Councillor for Banbury Ruscote Division in the May County Council election.

This followed an election petition brought by Mark to the Court for a recount of the election result of 9th May 2021.

The recount confirmed that an administrative error by the Returning Officer had caused the votes cast for Mark to be wrongly recorded as being those cast for the Conservative candidate. This resulted in the Conservative candidate being erroneously declared to be elected

The Court ordered all costs of the case to be borne by the Returning Officer

“I am personally very relieved that as a result of my petition, the High Court has confirmed that I am the duly elected  County Councillor for Banbury Ruscote Division.

It has been a difficult time for me since the result of the count on May 9th 2021.

I wish to thank the Labour Party, their legal team led by specialist solicitor Gerald Shamash and Gavin Millar QC, and fellow Labour councillors for their strong support. I look forward to returning to County Hall and representing my constituents as the member of Oxfordshire County Council for Banbury Ruscote Division as part of the Labour team of County and District councillors.”

Councillor Mark Cherry