Reform UK say voters have been ‘positive on doorstep’

Sixteen seats out of 49 were up for grabs in Friday’s district council election, with the election count taking place at the Windrush Leisure Centre in Witney.

Reform UK had only one councillor before the election and that situation has not changed, although there has been a change in personnel.

READ MORE: Local elections 2026: Cherwell and West Oxfordshire results

Reform UK’s Natalie King lost out to Conservative Tammy Abarno in the Carterton South ward.

Ms King polled 440 votes, while Ms Abarno won with 518.

Sarah Evans, however, won in the Carterton North West ward. She got 600 votes while Conservative Tom Cripps was in second place with 489 votes.

Ms Evans said: “The public responded very positively to Reform on the doorstep. Reform is definitely here to stay.”

Ms King added: “I only lost by about 70 votes.”

Ms King became Reform UK’s first ever representative on West Oxfordshire District Council after leaving the Liberal Democrats. She had represented the Carterton North West ward since 2022.

Before the election, Reform UK said its plans for West Oxfordshire included building more infrastructure around housing developments, as well as pushing back on the county council’s 20mph rollout.

Regarding the congestion charge in Oxford, and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, Reform UK pledged before the election to scrap them all.

Regarding education, it added: “Oxfordshire schools have falling standards and those families with children with special educational needs have been seriously let down across the county.

“Reform UK supports knowledge-based education free from gender ideology and climate alarmism.”