VOTERS in their thousands go to the polls today to choose their county representatives.

A total of 63 councillors will be elected in 61 divisions across Oxfordshire, with polling stations open from 7am to 10pm.

It comes after party leaders went head-to-head for one last debate at the Oxford Union on Tuesday night.

Attended by several badge-wearing UKIP members and candidates, the talk was steered towards the subject of councillor and civil servants’ salaries.

Council leader Ian Hudspeth, Lib Dem leader Zoe Patrick, Liz Brighouse from Labour and Larry Sanders from the Green Party, all defended the pay they and officers received.

Mrs Patrick said: “If you want a good person to do a job, someone to make sure all your money is spent in a good way, you want someone with a tonne of experience and the skills for the job.”

Mr Sanders added: “All this stuff about worrying whether £8,000-a-year for a councillor is too much money is just nonsense.”

Mrs Brighouse said: “I believe democracy is so important to us all that I do want people to be paid properly.”

Tory Mr Hudspeth said he was paid about £33,000-a-year to run the council. He added: “I probably work 80 to 90 hours a week. I think people get value for money.”

The results will be counted tomorrow at the White Horse Leisure Centre in Abingdon from 10am.