# 2012 West Oxfordshire District Council election

The 2012 West Oxfordshire District Council election took place on 3 May 2012 to elect members of West Oxfordshire District Council in Oxfordshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Conservative 41
* Labour 4
* Liberal Democrats 4

## Background

After the last election in 2011 the Conservatives controlled the council with 44 councillors, while the Liberal Democrats had four seats and Labour had one seat. 17 seats were contested in 2012, with the Conservative Party having a full 17 candidates, while Labour had 13, the Liberal Democrats 10 and the Green Party had nine candidates.

## Election result

The Conservatives lost three seats to Labour, but remained in control of the council with 41 councillors. The three Labour gains came in the wards of Chipping Norton, Witney Central and Witney East, taking the party to four seats on the council. This was level with the Liberal Democrats, who remained on four seats, but Liberal Democrat Elizabeth Poskitt did defeat the new Conservative leader of Oxfordshire County Council, Ian Hudspeth, in Woodstock and Bladon by 65 votes. The three Labour gains came in wards with no Liberal Democrat or Green candidates, while the Liberal Democrat gain came in a ward with no Labour or Green candidates, although the parties denied there had been any arrangement. Overall eight of the 11 councillors who stood were re-elected, while average turnout at the election was 34.77%.
West Oxfordshire local election result 2012 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 12 | 1 | 4 | -3 | 70.6 | 50.0 | 9,650 | -5.0% |
| Labour | 3 | 3 | 0 | +3 | 17.6 | 25.4 | 4,913 | +8.0% |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 11.8 | 17.4 | 3,359 | +6.4% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.2 | 1,396 | -6.2% |

## Ward results

Chadlington and Churchill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Neil Owen | 455 | 72.9 | −5.5 |
| | Labour | David Heyes | 78 | 12.5 | +12.5 |
| | Green | Brigitte Hickman | 54 | 8.7 | +8.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amanda Epps | 37 | 5.9 | −15.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 377 | 60.4 | +15.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 624 | 39.2 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Charlbury and Finstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Liz Leffman | 956 | 66.8 | +28.3 |
| | Conservative | Rory MacArthur | 476 | 33.2 | −7.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 480 | 33.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,432 | 49.3 | −10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Chipping Norton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Evans | 966 | 60.0 | +23.4 |
| | Conservative | Patrick McHugh | 644 | 40.0 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 322 | 20.0 | +18.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,610 | 34.5 | −17.5 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Eynsham and Cassington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Edward James | 677 | 37.9 | 0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Andrews | 633 | 35.5 | −0.6 |
| | Labour | Sarah Homer | 337 | 18.9 | +1.5 |
| | Green | Sarah MacDonald | 138 | 7.7 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 2.5 | +0.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,785 | 38.0 | −12.6 |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Freeland and Hanborough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Toby Morris | 607 | 46.0 | −3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Michael Baggaley | 437 | 33.1 | −5.7 |
| | Green | Austen Naughten | 147 | 11.1 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Adam Radford | 130 | 9.8 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 170 | 12.9 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,321 | 39.2 | −37.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Simon Hoare | 572 | 53.9 | −12.7 |
| | Labour | Mary Jay | 246 | 23.2 | +10.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Crick | 124 | 11.7 | +1.9 |
| | Green | Andrew Wright | 120 | 11.3 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 326 | 30.7 | −22.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,062 | 34.0 | −15.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Kingham, Rollright and Enstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Colston | 799 | 71.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Charles Watson | 318 | 28.5 | +10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 481 | 43.1 | −8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,117 | 34.8 | −16.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Milton under Wychwood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeffrey Haine | unopposed | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
North Leigh :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Conservative | Barry Norton | 459 | 69.0 |
| | Labour | Judith Wardle | 206 | 31.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 253 | 38.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 665 | 42.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | |
Standlake, Aston and Stanton Harcourt :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Hilary Fenton | 776 | 66.0 | +8.8 |
| | Labour | Michael Enright | 219 | 18.6 | +18.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Mortimer | 141 | 12.0 | −30.8 |
| | Green | Alma Tumilowicz | 40 | 3.4 | +3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 557 | 47.4 | +32.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,176 | 36.1 | −41.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Stonesfield and Tackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Derrick Millard | 648 | 59.2 | −2.0 |
| | Green | Harriet Kopinska | 293 | 26.8 | +2.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Walton | 153 | 14.0 | −0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 355 | 32.4 | −4.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,094 | 34.7 | −21.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Andrew Coles | 647 | 52.6 | +16.6 |
| | Conservative | Colin Adams | 584 | 47.4 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 5.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,231 | 31.3 | −10.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Witney East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Duncan Enright | 983 | 54.2 | +14.6 |
| | Conservative | Jeanette Baker | 831 | 45.8 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 8.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,814 | 31.3 | −13.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Witney North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | David Snow | 450 | 43.5 | −10.3 |
| | Green | Stuart MacDonald | 286 | 27.6 | +10.0 |
| | Labour | Alfred Fullah | 179 | 17.3 | +2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ross Beadle | 120 | 11.6 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 15.8 | −20.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,035 | 32.5 | −15.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jane Doughty | 577 | 45.0 | −3.1 |
| | Labour | Laura Price | 397 | 31.0 | +10.2 |
| | Green | Kate Griffin | 197 | 15.4 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Olive Minett | 111 | 8.7 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 180 | 14.0 | −13.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,282 | 27.2 | −13.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Louise Chapman | 513 | 61.0 | −7.1 |
| | Labour | Ray Harris | 207 | 24.6 | +4.4 |
| | Green | Andy King | 121 | 14.4 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 306 | 36.4 | −11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 841 | 26.2 | −14.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Woodstock and Bladon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Poskitt | 647 | 52.6 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Ian Hudspeth | 582 | 47.4 | +1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 65 | 5.3 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,229 | 38.3 | −36.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2012 and 2014
### Carterton South

A by-election was held in Carterton South on 2 May 2013 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Joe Walcott. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Lynn Little with a majority of 369 votes over Labour candidate Dave Wesson.
Carterton South by-election 2 May 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lynn Little | 477 | 67.5 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | Dave Wesson | 108 | 15.3 | +5.3 |
| | Green | Alma Tumilowicz | 78 | 11.0 | +4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Amanda Epps | 44 | 6.2 | −8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 369 | 52.2 | −2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 707 | 23.9 | −17.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Witney East

A by-election was held in Witney East on 2 May 2013 after the resignation of Conservative councillor Sian Davies. The seat was held for the Conservatives by Jeanette Baker with a majority of 152 votes over Labour candidate Alfred Fullah.
Witney East by-election 2 May 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeanette Baker | 794 | 46.5 | +0.7 |
| | Labour | Alfred Fullah | 642 | 37.6 | −16.6 |
| | Green | Kate Griffin | 270 | 15.8 | +15.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 152 | 8.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,706 | 29.4 | −1.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

### Chipping Norton

A by-election was held in Chipping Norton on 7 November 2013 after the death of Labour councillor Rob Evans. The seat was held for Labour by Geoff Saul with a majority of 310 votes over Conservative candidate Joe Johnson.
Chipping Norton by-election 7 November 2013 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Geoff Saul | 810 | 57.0 | −3.0 |
| | Conservative | Joe Johnson | 500 | 35.2 | −4.8 |
| | Green | Matthew Clayton | 58 | 4.1 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Crick | 53 | 3.7 | +3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 310 | 21.8 | +1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,421 | 29.1 | −5.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |