Conservatives to lead Cherwell District Council after impasse broken

The Conservatives' Barry Wood (left) defeated Labour's Sean Woodcock in the decisive vote

A minority Conservative administration will run Cherwell District Council, ending a political deadlock following May's local elections.

The Tories lost Cherwell, their last remaining council in Oxfordshire, to no overall control.

Conservative Barry Wood was deposed as leader in a vote on Thursday but councillors failed to agree a replacement.

A second meeting has reinstated Mr Wood after a council officer intervened.

Following legal advice, the monitoring officer said one last vote would be held with the nominee with the highest number of votes elected leader.

Mr Wood secured 21 votes while Labour group leader Sean Woodcock got 11 votes, with 10 abstentions.

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