A MAYOR who cast the deciding vote to initiate her fifth year in office has said she did so because of the work she still has left to do.

Last month the Carterton mayor making ended with a close result.

After councillors Lynn Little and Nick Leverton tied at seven votes each, Mrs Little used her casting vote as the council's chairwoman to install herself back into the role.

Speaking for the first time since the vote, Mrs Little said the decision followed the democratic process and added that she will use her final year continuing to fight for Carterton.

Mrs Little said: “The reason I cast the vote that way is because of the work that I have to do for this town.

“The democratic situation has been and gone and it was legally above board.”

Some questions were raised over the legality of the vote but these claims were rejected by council staff.

Previously council clerk Ron Spurs said he looked at the possibility of a tie very carefully to ensure the legal process was followed correctly.

Mrs Little, who said this year will be her last as mayor of Carterton, said she had a lot of work to do in her remaining time in the position.

She emphasised the importance of regenerating the town centre, and pushing to get major development for the town included in West Oxfordshire District Council’s Local Plan, which is currently under examination by a planning inspector.

She said: “I want to see a secure future for our town centre. My job now is try and attract good tenants into our empty shops and give residents that come here a good shopping experience.

"We need an arts and crafts centre, a hotel and a restaurant.

“We must fight for this town. We have a super base [RAF Brize Norton] that keeps growing and growing. And we’ve got to offer these people something.

"Where, for example are these men and women going at night? We have no night time economy in Carterton.

“We’ve got to get more investment in this town. Every day I try to think of new ways to encourage businesses to come into Carterton.

"We need the town centre to thrive.”

Mrs Little, who has been participating in the examination of the district’s Local Plan – a document which outlines development across the district – said she will continue to fight for a strategic site for the town.

She said a large scale development would be a major boost for investment in Carterton, and wants to work with district planners to see proposals outlined in the town council's own 'master plan' come to fruition.