Labour chose their executive board members last night to run Oxford City Council -- and there are no seats for the opposition.

Just days after an emphatic victory in the local elections, the Labour group revealed its intention to take full responsibility for running the town hall.

Under the previous Liberal Democrat-Green administration, there were four Liberal Democrats on the executive board, two Greens, and four Labour.

Labour councillors were able to vote on key issues, and although they did not have sufficient numbers to push through their own policies, they had a say on key decisions.

The Labour group is back in control of the council following a two-year break, and has decided there should no longer be party politics in the boardroom.

Alex Hollingsworth was declared the new leader of the council at last night's Labour Group Annual General Meeting and appointed former Lord Mayor Bill Baker as his deputy.

Cllr Hollingsworth will have responsibility for strategic finance while Cllr Baker will have responsibility for council staff.

The other eight portfolios are: Housing, Cllr Val Smith; Property/estates and information technology, Bob Price; Culture, Cllr Maureen Christian; Leisure facilities, Cllr Peter Johnson; Environment, Cllr Mary Clarkson; Economic Development and Planning, Cllr Colin Cook; Local services, Cllr Richard Tarver; Crime and community safety, Cllr Susan Brown. However, Cllr John Goddard, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said: "Decisions made by Labour could now be a rubber-stamping of what has already been decided in private session.

"We will use the scrutiny committees, area committees and full council to question decisions made by the board."