ALL eight county councillors in the Cotswold area for Gloucestershire County Council managed to fight off competition to retain their seats for the next term.

Council elections took place across the Cotswold district last Thursday for the first time in four years.

The split between the two parties in the district remained at five Conservative councillors and three Liberal Democrat councillors in the council.

Liberal Democrat leader at Gloucestershire County Council, Cllr Paul Hodgkinson successfully beat his Conservative challenger, Mark Mackenzie-Charrington by 2,365 votes to 1,581 in the Bourton and Northleach region.

Outgoing Cotswold District Council leader and Conservative councillor Lynden Stowe gained 2,145 votes at Campden Vale, with his closest opponent, Arabella Efstratiou of the Liberal Democrats claiming 721 votes.

Conservative councillor Nigel Moor also retained his seat in Stow-on-the-Wold taking 2,430 to his closest challenger Rachel Coxcoon from the Liberal Democrats' 1,014.

Conservative councillor Roger Wilson took 2,469 votes in Winchcombe and Woodmancote, beating Liberal Democrat Tom Brinicombe who took 960 votes.

The results left Gloucestershire County Council with 31 Conservative councillors, a gain of six since 2013 and an overall majority.

There are also 14 Liberal Democrat councillors, three Labour councillors, two Green councillors, two Labour and Co-Operative councillors and one member from the People Against Bureaucracy Group.

The deputy leader of Oxfordshire County Council lost his seat in a dramatic day.

In Charlbury and Wychwood Liberal Democrat candidate Liz Leffman unseated Conservative candidate Rodney Rose, the deputy leader of the council winning 2,105 votes to 1,572.

Ms Leffman is also the Liberal Democrats' general election candidate on June 8.

Conservative party candidate Hilary Biles retained her seat in Chipping Norton with 1,635 votes and Labour came second with 1,231.

Conservative Suzanne Bartington won the seat in Witney North and East whilst Witney West and Bampton was held by Conservative Ted Fenton.

Laura Price, a Labour councillor, took Witney South and Central.

The Conservative Party took 31 seats during the election , one short of a majority with Labour taking 14 seats and Liberal Democrats taking 13 seats. There are four independent now on the council and the Henley Residents Group claimed one seat.

The leadership of the council for the next term is not yet known.

In Warwickshire, the Conservative party took full control of the council.

Conservative Jo Barker won 2011 votes in Shipston-on Stour comfortably beating Liberal Democrat Roger Billins who gained 647 votes.

Mike Brain gained 1945 votes in Bidford and Welford for the Conservative Party beating Liberal Democrat William Horton with 702 votes.

Kate Rolfe and Jenny Fradgley took Stratford South and Stratford West respectively for the Liberal Democrat Party whilst Keith Lloyd from Stratford First won the seat for Stratford North.