The 2025 Oxfordshire County Council election was held on 1 May 2025 to elect members to Oxfordshire County Council in Oxfordshire, England. All 69 seats were elected. This was on the same day as a by-election for the Oxford City Council ward of Headington Hill and Northway, as well as other local elections nationwide. The council had been under no overall control prior to the election, being run by a Liberal Democrat and Green Party coalition, led by Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Leffman. The election saw the Liberal Democrats win overall control of the council for the first time.
Background The council had been under no overall control since 2013. (Put "Oxfordshire" in search box to see specific results.) Following the previous full council election in 2021, a coalition of the Liberal Democrats, Labour, and the Green Party formed to run the council, led by Liberal Democrat councillor Liz Leffman. Labour withdrew from the coalition in September 2023, after which the Liberal Democrats and Greens ran the council as a minority administration.
The 2025 election was held under new ward boundaries.
Previous council composition After 2021 election Before 2025 election Party Seats Party Seats 21 20 21Conservative-Independent Alliance 19 16 14 3 3 1 1 1 6
Changes 2021–2025 November 2022: Hannah Banfield (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent January 2023: Michele Paule (Labour) resigns - by-election held March 2023 March 2023: Trish Elphinstone (Labour) wins by-election September 2023: Damian Haywood (Labour) leaves party to sit as an independent December 2023: Sally Povolotsky (Liberal Democrats) leaves party to sit as an independent March 2024: Kevin Bulmer (Conservative) suspended from party May 2024: Richard Webber (Liberal Democrats) resigns - by-election held June 2024; Jane Murphy (Conservative) leaves party to sit as an independent June 2024: Peter Stevens (Liberal Democrats) wins by-election March 2025: Felix Bloomfield and Kevin Bulmer (both Conservative) join Reform UK.
Summary Election result
Aftermath The Liberal Democrats won a majority of the seats at the elections. It was the first time the party had won a majority on the council . At the subsequent annual council meeting on 20 May 2025, a new cabinet consisting entirely of Liberal Democrats was appointed, with Liz Leffman retaining her position as leader of the council.
In May 2026, Cllr Leffman announced her intention to step down as council leader being replaced by Cllr Bearder later that same month .
Changes in representation from May 2025
In May 2026 Lib Dem Cllr Higgins representing Watlington & Rotherfield left the Lib Dems to sit as an independent . In May 2026 Lib Dem Cllr Cotter representing Bicester South left the Lib Dems to sit as an Independent . In June 2026 Independent Cllr Higgins representing Watlington & Rotherfield rejoined the Lib Dems. In July 2026, Lib Dem Cllr Boucher-Giles representing Chesterton and Launton resigned from the Council saying his family was moving abroad. Dr James Hartley won the subsequent by-election held 3 Sep 2026 with an increased majority (8.8%) over the Conservatives. https://mycouncil.oxfordshire.gov.uk/mgElectionAreaResults.aspx?ID=336&RPID=334288843&$LO$=1
Candidates by division
The Statements of Persons Nominated details the candidates confirmed to be standing in each division. An asterisk (*) indicates an incumbent councillor seeking re-election.
Cherwell
District summary
+Cherwell district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 10 9 11,113 26.3 +10.7Labour 3 1 5,364 12.7 –10.2Conservative 2 7 10,611 25.1 –23.3Green 1 3,763 8.9 -0.6Reform 0 9,215 21.8 +21.6Independent 0 1 1,314 3.11 -0.3Total16 242,241
Oxford
District summary
+Oxford district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Labour 7 4 10,920 31.0 –14.7Green 2 2 6,338 18.0 -0.8Liberal Democrats 2 1 5,358 15.2 -2.8IOA 1 1 5,161 14.6 NewIndependent 1 1 2,061 5.8 +2.3Reform 0 3,332 9.5 NewConservative 0 1,727 4.9 –8.8TUSC 0 173 0.5 NewOxford Community Socialists 0 147 0.4 NewAnimal Welfare 0 10 <0.1 NewTotal13 135,247
South Oxfordshire
District summary
+South Oxfordshire district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 9 5 14,287 29.7 +6.4Green 3 1 6,430 13.4 -1.9Conservative 1 5 9,737 20.3 –19.4Reform 1 1 8,695 18.1 NewHenley Residents 1 1,483 3.1 -1.4Labour 0 2,240 4.7 –8.7SDP 0 90 0.2 +0.1Monster Raving Loony 0 37 0.1 NewTotal15 248,029
Vale of White Horse
District summary
+Vale of White Horse district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Liberal Democrats 11 1 16,807 43.7 -2.7Conservative 2 8,735 22.7 –14.3Green 1 1 4,232 11.0 +4.4Reform 0 5,343 13.9 +13.6Labour 0 1,992 5.2 –2.9Independent 0 892 2.3 +2.0IOA 0 39 0.1 NewTotal14 238,452
West Oxfordshire
District summary
+West Oxfordshire district summaryPartySeats+/-Votes%+/-Conservative 5 1 10,110 29.9 –15.4Liberal Democrats 4 1 10,141 30.0 +6.7Labour 2 1 4,118 12.2 –7.6Reform 0 7,178 21.1 +20.4Green 0 2,083 6.2 -3.2Independent 0 181 0.5 -0.9Heritage 0 15 0.1 NewTotal11 133,826
Post-election changes
Chesterton & Launton
See also Oxfordshire County Council elections
References