Lib Dems Celebrate Sensational Victory In The Vale

5.00.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Fri 4th May 2007

Vale Liberal Democrats have celebrated a stunning victory on the Vale of White Horse District Council, bucking the national trend which generally favoured the Tories across the south of England on May 3rd.

In the Vale Liberal Democrats won five more seats than at the 2003 election, bringing their total to 34. The opposition Conservative Party slumped to 17 seats. The scale of the hard fought contest across the district was reflected in a relatively high turnout of 41.5%.

The victory also saw the election of 9 new female councillors for the Liberal Democrats, significantly increasing the number of women on the Vale. The Liberal Democrats now have 17 female councillors, half the new ruling Group.

The victory means that the Liberal Democrats will run the Vale for a further four years after twelve years in control. The Lib Dems took control of the Vale in 1995.

Cllr Jerry Patterson said: "This is the best result we have had since 1995. For the last twelve years we have faced some very difficult decisions and much criticism from the opposition. Today's result shows that voters recognise that Liberal Democrat Councillors are effective and active locally and I am sure I speak for all my colleagues in thanking everyone for their continued support for us. I am almost out of superlatives to describe the scale of our victory after 12 years in control of the Vale. We won and we won big!