THE Labour group has taken control of Didcot Town Council after four years of Conservative rule.

Following Friday’s local election results, the council has 11 Labour councillors, nine Tories and one Independent, Neville Harris.

Previously, there were 15 Conservative councillors, four Labour, one Liberal Democrat and one vacancy.

Margaret Davies, the leader of the council’s Labour group, said: “We are delighted. I have a good chance of being the leader of the council and that decision will be made at a group meeting on Tuesday.

“I was town council leader for three years from 2003 to 2007, so I have the experience and would consider myself to be the favourite.”

Mrs Davies, also a district councillor for South Oxfordshire District Council’s Didcot Park ward, said the Labour group did not plan to object to Conservative Phil Hayward becoming mayor.

She said: “Being mayor is not a political role so we wouldn’t want to take that away from him.”

Stuart Carter, deputy clerk of the town council, said the annual meeting of the council would be held at Willowbrook Leisure Centre, Ladygrove, next Monday, at 7.30pm.

He said: “At the meeting the membership of all the committees will be agreed and the leader of the council and the mayor will be voted in.”

If Mrs Davies becomes council leader, she will replace Bill Service, who was leader for two years after John Flood served as leader for two years.

Mr Flood has been mayor of Didcot for the past year.