Blue is the colour of Oxfordshire County Council after the Tories won a landslide victory to seize control of the authority in yesterday's elections, writes Local Government Reporter Giles Sheldrick.

The party won 43 of a possible 74 seats and now have a commanding majority - the first time County Hall has been under the control of a single political group for 20 years.

Conservative county council leader Keith Mitchell and his party now control the decision-making executive and will be able to push through a series of radical reforms, including free evening parking in Oxford and a promise "to end the war on the motorist".

The Tories have pledged to introduce a pilot scheme giving motorists the run of the streets by offering free on-street parking in the city from Monday to Saturday and all day Sunday.

Mr Mitchell told the Oxford Mail: "For the first time in 20 years people will know who is running the county council - and the buck stops with us.

"We have promised to listen to what people want and we will keep to that promise because we will be held to account for what we achieve."

Yesterday's election results signalled a sea change in the political landscape of County Hall, with Labour watching helplessly as key seats - and well-known councillors - wilted against the Tory charge.

Before the election, Labour held 24 seats. They now have nine.

Among the front-line Labour councillors to bite the dust were Mick McAndrews, deputy leader Robert Evans and Brian Hodgson.

Former Liberal Democrat executive member Neil Fawcett lost his Abingdon West seat to the husband-and-wife Tory duo of Charles and Marilyn Badcock.