The fallout from Thursday's local elections continued this morning when Oxford's Liberal Democrat group leader John Goddard quit his post.

Mr Goddard - who had led his group and Oxford City Council since May, 2006 - tendered his resignation at a Lib Dem group meeting where his long-time deputy David Rundle became his successor.

Mr Rundle was voted in unanimously and Stephen Brown, who defeated Tory group leader Paul Sargent, swiftly becomes deputy group leader.

Meanwhile, Labour city councillor Bob Price was re-elected as group leader, becoming the new leader of the city council in the process.

Ed Turner was voted as his deputy.

In contrast to results up and down the rest of the country, Labour in Oxford picked up four extra seats after Thursday's elections, taking their tally to 23 - one seat short of an overall working majority.

Mr Goddard said: "My first choice would have been to in enough seats to continue leading the council.

"But I am sure what I am doing is the right thing to do. I shall still be a lively member of the group. I am not retiring."

Although he was disappointed Labour in Oxford bucked the national trend, Mr Goddard took a swipe at two former Lib Dem councillors who defected from the ranks to set up a Conservative group without endorsement from the electorate they represented.

Both Mr Sargent and Tia MacGregor were booted out of their seats in Carfax and Quarry and Risinghurst respectively.

Mr Goddard said: "We have wiped the slate clean of Conservatives - and I hope that serves as a lesson people should not defect."

Mr Price said: "We will continue with cross-party working, as we have in the past."

Oxford City Council is now made up of: Labour (23 councillors); Liberal Democrat (16); Green (seven); Independent Working Class Association (two).