2007 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election

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Map of the results of the 2007 Solihull election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and the Labour in red. Solihull UK local election 2007 map.svg
Map of the results of the 2007 Solihull election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow and the Labour in red.

The 2007 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 4 May 2007 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative Party lost overall control of the council to no overall control. [1]

Contents

Campaign

Before the election there were 25 Conservative, 15 Liberal Democrat, 7 Labour, 1 British National Party and 2 independent councillors. [2] 1 seat was vacant after Conservative councillor of Knowle ward, Les Kyles, died in January 2007. [2] Five councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrats Olive Hogg, Barbara Harber and Susan Reeve and Conservatives Theresa Tedd and David Elsmore. [2] [3] In total 72 candidates stood in the election for 17 seats, including candidates from the 3 leading parties and 5 candidates from the British National Party, after the British National Party won a seat at the 2006 election for the first time. [4] [5] The Green Party stood in all 17 wards and there were 3 candidates from the United Kingdom Independence Party and 2 independents. [2]

The Conservatives pledged to build on their record on recycling which had gone up 26% from 7% over 3 years. [6] They also were confident of their record on education and wanted to get a fairer financial settlement from the national government. [6] The Liberal Democrats said improving transport links in Solihull was a priority, along with better services for the elderly and improving recycling. [7] Meanwhile, Labour wanted to ensure the regeneration programme for the north of Solihull worked and to deliver cost effective services. [8] All 3 parties pledged to address anti-social behaviour as a priority. [6] [7] [8]

Before the campaign began, as in 2006, the leaders of the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties on the council signed a charter to promote good race relations. [9]

Election result

The results saw the Conservative party lose 2 seats to the Liberal Democrats, meaning that no party had a majority on the council, but the Conservatives remained the largest party with 24 seats. [10] The Liberal Democrats gained Shirley South and Silhill wards from the Conservatives to hold 17 seats, with the winner in Silhill, Tim Hodgson, becoming the youngest councillor in Solihull at the age of 21. [10] Labour held onto the seats they were defending, including Chelmsley Wood where they defeated the British National Party by 192 votes in a ward the British National Party had won in 2006. [11] This meant Labour remained on 7 seats, compared to 1 for the British National Party and 2 independents. [11] Overall turnout was 36.5%, down from 38.4% in 2006. [11]

Following the election the leader of the council for the past 8 years, Ted Richards, resigned as leader of the council and Conservative group, after what he described as "disappointing" election results. [12] However the Conservatives continued to run the council as a minority administration. [13]

Solihull Local Election Result 2007 [14] [15]
PartySeatsGainsLossesNet gain/lossSeats %Votes %Votes+/−
  Liberal Democrats 820+247.133.619,494-0.5%
  Conservative 602-235.345.326,266-1.0%
  Labour 300017.69.85,688-1.2%
  Green 000005.12,976+2.2%
  BNP 000004.32,473+0.6%
  UKIP 000001.1638+1.1%
  Independent 000000.8473-1.2%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections : [15]

PartyPrevious councilNew council
Conservatives2624
Liberal Democrat1517
Labour77
Independent22
BNP11
Total5151
Working majority 1  -3 

Ward results

Bickenhill [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Bob Sleigh1,96765.7+1.2
Labour Ian McDonald47916.0−3.3
Liberal Democrats Steve Green30610.2−5.0
Green Alexander Hawkeswood2428.1+8.1
Majority1,48849.7+4.5
Turnout 2,99433.8−0.3
Conservative hold Swing +2.2
Blythe [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Len Cresswell1,83250.1+7.9
Conservative Martin McCarthy1,52241.7−4.8
Labour Margaret Brittin1584.3−0.8
Green Pauline Smith1423.9−2.4
Majority3108.5+4.2
Turnout 3,65438.9+0.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +6.3
Castle Bromwich [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Ian Hillas2,00063.2−4.9
Liberal Democrats Andrew Bull90828.7+8.2
Green Kirsten Henly2598.2+8.2
Majority1,09234.5−13.2
Turnout 3,16735.3−1.9
Conservative hold Swing -6.5
Chelmsley Wood [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Mick Corser91338.9+6.8
BNP Andrew Terry72130.7−2.3
Conservative Sheila Courts41017.4−3.7
Liberal Democrats Bernard Wright1747.4−6.4
Green Ronnie Cashmore1325.6+5.6
Majority1928.2+7.3
Turnout 2,35027.4+1.2
Labour hold Swing +4.5
Dorridge and Hockley Heath [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Andy Mackiewicz2,62970.6+6.8
Liberal Democrats Brenda Davies58715.8−8.1
Green Pam Archer3459.3+1.7
Labour Irma Shaw1654.4−0.2
Majority2,04254.8+14.9
Turnout 3,72644.3−1.1
Conservative hold Swing +7.4
Elmdon [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Jean Hamilton1,96048.3+6.2
Conservative Shay Parekh1,37533.9−15.4
BNP Neil Munnerley3318.2+8.2
Labour Lorraine Essex2907.1−1.5
Green Elaine Williams1052.6+2.6
Majority58514.4+7.3
Turnout 4,06143.5+0.0
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +10.8
Kingshurst and Fordbridge [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Frederick Nash73232.3−5.3
Conservative Pauline Hislop67529.8−9.6
BNP Graham Pringle65428.8+28.8
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Wright1325.8−17.2
Green Clair Garbett753.3+3.3
Majority572.5+0.7
Turnout 2,26825.2+0.3
Labour hold Swing +2.1
Knowle [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Alan Rebeiro2,48769.5+11.2
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Berry68819.2−13.0
Green Jane Holt2807.8+1.8
Labour Catherine Connan1223.4−0.2
Majority1,79950.3+24.2
Turnout 3,57744.1−3.3
Conservative hold Swing +12.1
Lyndon [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Ken Rushen1,88953.2−6.1
Conservative Greg Goldingay94926.7+5.3
Labour Raj Singh2627.4−3.1
UKIP Raymond Mabbott2366.7+6.7
Green Frances Grice2126.0−2.8
Majority94026.5−11.3
Turnout 3,54836.2+0.1
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -5.7
Meriden [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative David Bell2,47270.4+2.6
Liberal Democrats Alan Berry43712.5−7.3
Labour Jonathan Maltman38911.1−1.3
Green Roger King2126.0+6.0
Majority2,03558.0+10.1
Turnout 3,51038.6−0.6
Conservative hold Swing +4.9
Olton [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Norman Davies2,34660.2+8.0
Conservative Richard Williams1,20631.0−5.6
Labour Alan Jacques1814.6−0.6
Green Nilesh Chauhan1614.1−1.9
Majority1,14029.3+13.7
Turnout 3,89441.3−1.9
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +6.8
Shirley East [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats John Reeve1,58846.8+8.0
Conservative Sally Bell1,08632.0+1.0
Independent Neil Watts40311.9−12.5
Labour Kevin Raven2005.9+0.2
Green Sara Stevens1183.5+3.5
Majority50214.8+7.0
Turnout 3,39540.3−2.7
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +3.5
Shirley South [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Tim Hodgson1,92647.1+8.9
Conservative Peter Groom1,36433.3+2.3
BNP Charles Shipman3769.2−7.2
Labour Shirley Young2125.2−2.0
UKIP Lydia Simpson721.8+1.8
Green Claire Henly711.7+1.7
Independent Rosemary Worsley701.7−5.5
Majority56213.7+6.5
Turnout 4,09143.3+0.8
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +3.3
Shirley West [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Brynn Tudor1,67950.0+7.9
Conservative Mark Parker97929.2+5.0
UKIP Nikki Sinclaire3309.8+9.8
Labour Arthur Harper2126.3−0.5
Green Trevor Barker1574.7−1.1
Majority70020.9+3.0
Turnout 3,35737.2−3.8
Liberal Democrats hold Swing +1.4
Silhill [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Liberal Democrats Leela Widger1,82843.4+10.3
Conservative Peter Hogarth1,71340.7−17.1
BNP Alan Ashmore3919.3+9.3
Labour Janet Marsh2235.3−3.8
Green Olga Farooqui561.3+1.3
Majority1152.7+22.0
Turnout 4,21147.7+6.0
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing +13.7
Smith's Wood [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Labour Graham Craig92448.0+1.2
Conservative Jim Williams61331.9−2.6
Liberal Democrats Tony Ludlow22011.4−7.3
Green Michael Sheridan1668.6+8.6
Majority31116.2+4.0
Turnout 1,92321.9+0.0
Labour hold Swing +1.9
St. Alphege [14]
PartyCandidateVotes%±%
Conservative Joe Tildesley2,81965.8+10.4
Liberal Democrats Mamdooh Jalil99423.2−13.3
Green James Hepton2435.7+1.8
Labour Paul Tuxworth2265.3+1.2
Majority1,82542.6+23.7
Turnout 4,28243.1−2.4
Conservative hold Swing +11.8

References

  1. "Solihull". BBC News. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Jeys, Anna (13 April 2007). "No majority as the polls open; May 3 elections: Veteran's death leaves hung council up for grabs". Birmingham Mail . p. 6.
  3. "Women vote to step down; Council". Birmingham Mail . 2 April 2007. p. 17.
  4. Morris, Nigel (13 April 2007). "BNP goes bourgeois as party aims to take its message to rural seats". The Independent . p. 1.
  5. Jeys, Anna (16 April 2007). "Solihull News: BNP stepping up votes campaign; Solihull: Increase in Far Right candidates standing at elections". Birmingham Mail . p. 17.
  6. 1 2 3 "Recycling is top of the Tory agenda". Birmingham Mail . 2 May 2007. p. 24.
  7. 1 2 "Transport a Lib Dem priority". Birmingham Mail . 2 May 2007. p. 24.
  8. 1 2 "Yobs are one target for Labour". Birmingham Mail . 2 May 2007. p. 24.
  9. "United front on race relations". Birmingham Mail . 11 April 2007. p. 19.
  10. 1 2 Connor, Neil (5 May 2007). "Lib Dems waiting in the wings; Solihull local elections". Birmingham Post . p. 2.
  11. 1 2 3 Reynolds, Leda (5 May 2007). "Tory misery as Lib Dems gain; Election results round-up Solihull: Loss of two seats results in hung council". Birmingham Mail . p. 16.
  12. Reynolds, Leda (9 May 2007). "Veteran leader: I'm quitting job; Local politics: Group chief steps down after 'disappointing' results". Birmingham Mail . p. 7.
  13. "Solihull has us to thank for its quality of life, says Tory leader". Birmingham Post . 19 April 2008. p. 4.
  14. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 "Borough Council election" (PDF). Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2010.
  15. 1 2 "Results". The Times. London. 5 May 2007. p. 83.