Labour councillor Duncan Enright re-elected after 70 missing votes found
A Labour councillor has been re-elected after 70 missing ballots were found at a count in West Oxfordshire
Duncan Enright thought he had been defeated by Conservative Suzanne Bartington in Witney East, tweeting: "Thanks for the opportunity to serve".
But after a recount he told followers: "Actually I won! Bundle of votes found under a Tory pile! Delighted!"
The Tories maintained their majority of 33 in West Oxfordshire, while Labour held on to Oxford City Council.
Elsewhere, the Conservatives remain in control of Cherwell District Council.
Labour took two seats off the Greens to increase its hold in Oxford, where it now has a majority of 22.
Bob Price, the council's Labour leader, said he was "delighted" and added that his party had fought "very much a local campaign".
After the West Oxfordshire result, Mr Enright tweeted: "Would you believe it? Thank you to all my neighbours!"
He said: "It was my fault really. I think I jumped the gun in announcing my defeat, because there was a pile of votes which were all for me with the Conservative one on top."
Mr Enright added that he was "delighted and proud and humbled" to have been re-elected.
In 2015 he stood as a parliamentary candidate in Oxfordshire's Witney constituency and came second to David Cameron.
Conservative Harry St John was elected to the North Leigh ward after former council leader and election agent for the prime minister Sir Barry Norton stood down.
He said he was excited to have been successful and added: "I hope I will be able to do as well as Barry Norton has done over the last 30 years."
Meanwhile, voters also re-elected Conservative Anthony Stansfeld as Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley.
The turnout was 25.6% - nearly twice as many as in 2012. The number of votes cast is estimated to be 430,000 compared with 219,071 in 2012.