Across Cherwell, we would like to thank all voters who lent their support to Labour candidates in the district council elections.

As the smoke clears, Banbury Labour are celebrating the election of 4/5 Labour candidates in Banbury town, coming within a 100-vote whisker of a 5/5 clean sweep, including Cherwell’s first black district councillor, and a groundbreaking victory in Banbury Hardwick. Elsewhere, in Bicester and across Cherwell, our candidates saw encouraging gains in vote share – your expression of support through the ballot box can start to shift the needle even in seats we did not win this round.

Huge congratulations to our new Banbury councillors Chuk Okeke, Amanda Watkins, Andrew Crichton and Rebecca Biegel.