# 2015 West Oxfordshire District Council election

The 2015 West Oxfordshire District Council election took place on 22 May 2015 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 40
* Labour 4
* Liberal Democrats 4
* Independent 1

## Background

After the last election in 2014 the Conservatives controlled the council with 40 councillors, while Labour had five seats, the Liberal Democrats had three seats and there was one Independent. 17 seats were contested in 2015, with 2 seats being elected in Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield ward after the resignation of a councillor.
Four councillors stood down at the election, Mark Booty, Eve Coles, Hywel Davies and Simon Hoare, while 13 councillors sought re-election. The Conservative, Labour and Liberal Democrat parties each had a full 17 candidates, the Greens had 16 candidates and the UK Independence Party had 14 candidates.

## Election result

The Conservatives remained in control of the council with 40 councillors after winning 16 of the 17 seats contested. They gained a seat in Chipping Norton from Labour, but in Charlbury and Finstock Liberal Democrat Andy Graham took the seat from the Conservatives. This left both Labour and the Liberal Democrats with four seats, while there remained one independent councillor. All 13 councillors who stood again were re-elected and overall turnout at the election was 71.58%.
West Oxfordshire local election result 2015 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 16 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 94.1 | 53.6 | 23,231 | +4.3% |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.9 | 10.4 | 4,512 | -0.1% |
| Labour | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0 | 17.5 | 7,579 | -1.1% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.5 | 4,126 | -3.2% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.0 | 3,906 | +3.1% |

## Ward results

Alvescot and Filkins :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ross McFarlane | 709 | 66.4 | −7.5 |
| | UKIP | Ken Clark | 102 | 9.6 | +9.6 |
| | Labour | Richard Kelsall | 100 | 9.4 | +9.4 |
| | Green | Alma Tumilowicz | 87 | 8.2 | −17.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gilly Workman | 69 | 6.5 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 607 | 56.9 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,067 | 74.3 | +21.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Bampton and Clanfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ted Fenton | 1,319 | 59.4 | −21.9 |
| | UKIP | Susan Cummins | 284 | 12.8 | +12.8 |
| | Labour | Patrick Brennan | 216 | 9.7 | −9.0 |
| | Green | Maurice Fantato | 214 | 9.6 | +9.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glena Chadwick | 186 | 8.4 | +8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,035 | 46.6 | −15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,219 | 75.2 | +33.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Carterton North East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Norman MacRae | 1,528 | 59.7 | +10.5 |
| | UKIP | Leandra Edmands | 386 | 15.1 | −12.2 |
| | Labour | Dave Wesson | 361 | 14.1 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mike Baggaley | 153 | 6.0 | +6.0 |
| | Green | Paul Creighton | 130 | 5.1 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,142 | 44.6 | +22.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,558 | 64.3 | +39.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Carterton North West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Pete Handley | 1,328 | 60.0 | −3.1 |
| | UKIP | Barclay Lawrence | 371 | 16.7 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | Melvin Long | 270 | 12.2 | −8.1 |
| | Green | Andy King | 129 | 5.8 | −10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Mann | 117 | 5.3 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 957 | 43.2 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,215 | 67.7 | +36.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Carterton South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Brennan | 1,363 | 61.5 | +7.0 |
| | UKIP | Martyn Webb | 342 | 15.4 | −14.6 |
| | Labour | Moira Swann | 254 | 11.5 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Madden | 133 | 6.0 | +6.0 |
| | Green | Tony Barrett | 124 | 5.6 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,021 | 46.1 | +20.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,216 | 67.4 | +34.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Charlbury and Finstock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Graham | 1,108 | 43.2 | −23.6 |
| | Conservative | Rory MacArthur | 790 | 33.5 | +0.3 |
| | Green | Celia Kerslake | 255 | 10.8 | +10.8 |
| | Labour | Georgia Mazower | 171 | 7.3 | +7.3 |
| | UKIP | Stephen Nash | 123 | 5.2 | +5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 228 | 9.7 | −23.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,357 | 77.5 | +28.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Chipping Norton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Guy Wall | 1,782 | 51.9 | +11.1 |
| | Labour | Sian O'Neill | 887 | 25.8 | −19.4 |
| | UKIP | Jim Stanley | 309 | 9.0 | −5.0 |
| | Green | Charles Averill | 273 | 8.0 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ivan Melet | 181 | 5.3 | +5.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 895 | 26.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,432 | 73.3 | +29.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Eynsham and Cassington :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Kelland | 1,513 | 41.6 | +1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Gordon-Banks | 680 | 18.7 | −5.1 |
| | Labour | Judith Wardle | 557 | 15.3 | −3.5 |
| | Green | Karl Gay | 494 | 13.6 | +13.6 |
| | UKIP | Jonathan Miller | 394 | 10.8 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 833 | 22.9 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,638 | 74.7 | +32.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Hailey, Minster Lovell and Leafield (2 seats) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gill Hill | 1,374 | | |
| | Conservative | Warwick Robinson | 1,220 | | |
| | Labour | Liz Blount | 391 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andy Crick | 346 | | |
| | Labour | Mary Jay | 343 | | |
| | Green | Andrew Wright | 341 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Mortimer | 257 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,272 | 76.0 | +42.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Kingham, Rollright and Enstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Andrew Beaney | 1,433 | 60.7 | −10.8 |
| | Labour | Andrew Scott | 337 | 14.3 | −14.2 |
| | UKIP | Alistair Scott | 204 | 8.6 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jenny Tatton | 197 | 8.3 | +8.3 |
| | Green | Nicholas Goodwin | 191 | 8.1 | +8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,096 | 46.4 | +3.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,362 | 72.3 | +37.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Stonesfield and Tackley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Charles Cottrell-Dormer | 1,448 | 57.7 | +1.6 |
| | Labour | Dave Baldwin | 430 | 17.1 | −7.7 |
| | Green | Harriet Kopinska | 334 | 13.3 | +13.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Tatton | 296 | 11.8 | −7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,018 | 40.6 | +9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,508 | 78.7 | +36.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Dorward | 1,180 | 46.0 | −1.4 |
| | Labour | Kate Walsh | 813 | 31.7 | −20.9 |
| | UKIP | Clive Taylor | 225 | 8.8 | +8.8 |
| | Green | Jenny Guildford | 199 | 7.8 | +7.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Blount | 149 | 5.8 | +5.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 367 | 14.3 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,566 | 66.7 | +35.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeanette Baker | 2,274 | 53.9 | +11.5 |
| | Labour | Duncan Hume | 1,017 | 24.1 | −4.6 |
| | Green | Kate Griffin | 419 | 9.9 | −0.2 |
| | UKIP | James Mawle | 327 | 7.8 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ross Beadle | 182 | 4.3 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,257 | 29.8 | +16.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,219 | 72.9 | +37.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Richard Langridge | 1,120 | 49.6 | +6.1 |
| | Labour | Trevor License | 419 | 18.6 | +1.3 |
| | Green | Brigitte Hickman | 323 | 14.3 | −13.3 |
| | UKIP | Stephen Westwood | 259 | 11.5 | +11.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | William Griffiths | 136 | 6.0 | −5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 701 | 31.1 | +15.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,257 | 70.1 | +37.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Alvin Adams | 1,497 | 47.2 | +9.8 |
| | Labour | Stephen Parkinson | 697 | 22.0 | +1.8 |
| | UKIP | James Robertshaw | 559 | 17.6 | −10.7 |
| | Green | Alex Friend | 248 | 7.8 | −1.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Emma Tatton | 171 | 5.4 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 800 | 25.2 | +16.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,172 | 67.4 | +32.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Witney West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Harry Eaglestone | 1,353 | 61.3 | +0.3 |
| | Labour | Calvert McGibbon | 316 | 14.3 | −10.3 |
| | UKIP | Max Everett | 241 | 10.9 | +10.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diane West | 151 | 6.8 | +6.8 |
| | Green | Rosanna Pearson | 145 | 6.6 | −7.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,037 | 47.0 | +10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,206 | 70.5 | +44.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2015 and 2016

A by-election was held in Witney North on 20 August 2015 after independent councillor David Snow resigned from the council in June 2015. David Snow had been originally elected as a Conservative but resigned from the party in May 2013. The seat was gained for the Conservatives by Carol Reynolds with a majority of 63 votes over Liberal Democrat Diane West.
Witney North by-election 20 August 2015 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Carol Reynolds | 264 | 33.9 | −15.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Diane West | 201 | 25.8 | +19.8 |
| | Green | Brigitte Hickman | 136 | 17.5 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | Trevor License | 114 | 14.6 | −4.0 |
| | UKIP | James Robertshaw | 64 | 8.2 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 63 | 8.1 | −23.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 779 | 24.1 | −46.0 |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | | |