New figures have revealed that the total vote polled by Green candidates in the Oxford City Council elections compared favourably with two years ago.

The Liberal Democrat-Green administration lost control of the council in the elections on May 2, and the Labour group is now back in charge.

After the Greens lost four out of seven seats on the council, the Oxford Mail reported incorrectly that their vote had "collapsed".

The editor, Jim McClure said: "An understandable mistake, given it was made on election night, after the Greens lost control of the council and before figures were available, but a mistake nonetheless for which I offer an unreserved apology -- our whole aim is to get things right for our readers."

Green group leader Dr Mike Woodin, councillor for Carfax ward, protested that the Greens' total vote compared well with the previous city council elections in 2000, and with the results of the county council elections in 2001.

On May 2, the Greens polled 18.7 per cent of the total in the city, compared with 18.6 per cent in 2000.

In 2001, at county council elections, the Greens polled 16.3 per cent of the total votes cast in the city, so the May 2 total share of the vote was an improvement on the county council results.

Dr Woodin said: "It is pleasing that the Green vote held up overall but it is also frustrating that we were pipped at the post in a number of marginal wards.

"Especially as it was the highest districtwide Green vote anywhere in the United Kingdom."

Former Lord Mayor Peter Moss, who was not re-elected to the city council after 21 years' service, has asked us to point out that he did not lose his seat in St Mary's, a new ward, where elections were held for the first time.

He previously represented Littlemore ward.

The breakdown of votes cast for May 2 is as follows:

Labour -- 38.5 per cent

Lib Dem -- 26.1 per cent

Green -- 18.7 per cent

Conservative -- 14.6 per cent

Independent Working Class Association -- 1.3 per cent

Socialist Alliance -- 0.6 per cent

Local Government Reform -- 0.2 per cent

The figures for the last city elections in May 2000 were:

Labour -- 30.3 per cent

Lib Dem -- 30.8 per cent

Conservative -- 19.5 per cent

Green -- 18.6 per cent

Liberal -- 0.3 per cent

Local Government Reform -- 0.37 per cent