BALLOT papers for Oxfordshire’s next county councillors are being counted today.

Voters went to the polls across the county yesterday, and mixed reports on the turnout were received.

While some politicians remained confident of a higher-than-expected turnout, others reported a poor response at the polling stations.

Everyone in the county had the opportunity to vote for their choice of county councillor, with 63 seats in 61 divisions up for grabs.

Osney Island resident Jean-Pierre Mialon voted at lunchtime at West Oxford Community Centre, and gave his support to incumbent Labour councillor Susanna Pressel.

He said: “She canvasses a lot, and I don’t think I’ve seen any of the other candidates. She’s very helpful.”

Council leader Ian Hudspeth spent the day out and about in his division of Woodstock. He said he had checked in with the polling station in Tackley and had heard turnout was 15 per cent by lunchtime.

He added: “It’s slightly better than I thought it was going to be. We may well get up to 40 per cent.”

But one candidate in Oxford said he didn’t expect the turnout to exceed 30 per cent. Nick Fell, standing for UKIP in Marston and Northway, said: “It’s not very high, but I think I’ll do ok.”

Turnout at the last county council election in 2009 was 38.2 per cent.

Keep up-to-date throughout the day with our live election count coverage at oxfordmail.co.uk/elections2013

  • See tomorrow’s Oxford Mail for full results and reaction.