2008 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2008 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 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 gained overall control of the council from no overall control.[1]

Map of the results of the 2008 Solihull election. Conservatives in blue, Liberal Democrats in yellow, Labour in red, Green party in green.

Campaign

17 seats were contested in the election, with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Green parties contesting every ward.[2] The British National Party had 12 candidates, up from 5 in the 2007 election, the United Kingdom Independence Party stood 9 candidates and the sole Independent stood in St Alphege, having previously won a seat there in a 2005 by-election for the Conservatives.[2] Among those standing were Jim Ryan, defending Bickenhill as a Conservative, having previously won it as an Independent after over twenty years of being a Labour councillor there, Howard Allen returned to the Liberal Democrats to defend his seat in Shirley West, after time as an Independent and Peter Hogarth in Silhill where he had lost his seat in 2007.[2] Meanwhile, 2 councillors stood down at the election, Conservative Susan Gomm and Liberal Democrat June Gandy from Silhill and Shirley East wards respectively.[3]

The Conservatives had lost their majority on the council at the 2007 election but continued to run it as a minority administration.[4] During the campaign the Conservative party leader David Cameron visited Solihull, saying that the council was well run under the Conservatives and that they were hopeful of making gains.[4] The Liberal Democrats criticised the record of the council on recycling, said they would create more activities for young people to take part in and called for the Liberal Democrats to be represented in the council's cabinet.[5] Meanwhile, Labour said its councillors had a strong impact on the council and had been involved in getting the regeneration project for northern Solihull started.[6]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives regain a majority on the council after making 2 gains.[7] The Conservatives gained Kingshurst and Fordbridge from Labour and Blythe from the Liberal Democrats,[8] while Jim Ryan was re-elected as a Conservative in Bickenhill.[7] This meant the Conservatives took a 1-seat majority with 26 of the 51 councillors,[7] although they did lose 1 seat to the Liberal Democrats in Elmdon.[8]

Meanwhile, the Green party won a first seat on the council after winning Smith's Wood ward by 331 votes.[9] The Green's Mike Sheridan defeated the Labour leader on the council, Hugh Hendry, who had been a councillor for 18 years.[9] Sheridan thus became the first Green councillor in the West Midlands conurbation and one of only 4 in the whole Midlands, after a campaign that he said focused on regeneration and preserving green space.[7]

Solihull Local Election Result 2008[10][11]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 10 2 1 +1 58.8 47.7 27,080 +2.4%
  Liberal Democrats 5 1 1 0 29.4 27.4 15,576 -6.2%
  Labour 1 0 2 -2 5.9 8.0 4,532 -1.8%
  Green 1 1 0 +1 5.9 4.7 2,651 -0.4%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 8.9 5,068 +4.6%
  UKIP 0 0 0 0 0 2.3 1,330 +1.2%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 1.0 592 +0.2%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections :[12]

Party Previous council New council
Conservatives 25 26
Liberal Democrat 18 18
Labour 7 5
BNP 1 1
Green 0 1
Total 51 51
Working majority  -1   1 

Ward results
Bickenhill[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jim Ryan 2,106 66.6 +0.9
BNP Patricia Allington 419 13.2 +13.2
Labour Ian McDonald 323 10.2 -5.8
Liberal Democrats Brenda Davies 187 5.9 -4.3
Green Alexander Hawkeswood 128 4.0 -4.1
Majority 1,687 53.3 +3.6
Turnout 3,163
Conservative hold Swing -6.1
Blythe[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Martin McCarthy 1,714 48.3 +6.6
Liberal Democrats Maggie Allen 1,647 46.4 -3.7
Labour Raj Singh 112 3.2 -1.1
Green Moustafa Osman 79 2.2 -1.7
Majority 67 1.9 -6.6
Turnout 3,552
Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats Swing +5.1
Castle Bromwich[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ted Richards 2,118 67.7 +4.5
BNP Marcus Higgins 410 13.1 +13.1
Labour Kieran Dooley 285 9.1 +9.1
Liberal Democrats Andrew Bull 230 7.3 -21.4
Green Iain MacNaughton 87 2.8 -5.4
Majority 1,708 54.6 +20.1
Turnout 3,130
Conservative hold Swing -4.3
Chelmsley Wood[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alfred Hill 698 32.4 -6.5
Conservative Gail Sleigh 634 29.4 +12.0
BNP Andrew Terry 565 26.2 -4.5
Liberal Democrats Bernard Wright 139 6.5 -0.9
Green Ronnie Cashmore 118 5.5 -0.1
Majority 64 3.0 -5.2
Turnout 2,154
Labour hold Swing -9.2
Dorridge and Hockley Heath[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ken Meeson 2,440 65.9 -4.7
Liberal Democrats Howard Knight 635 17.2 +1.4
BNP Andrew Taylor 273 7.4 +7.4
Green Sara Stevens 222 6.0 -3.3
Labour Irma Shaw 131 3.5 -0.9
Majority 1,805 48.8 -6.0
Turnout 3,702
Conservative hold Swing -3.0
Elmdon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Glenis Slater 1,596 40.4 -7.9
Conservative John Bramham 1,375 34.8 +0.9
BNP George Rouse 602 15.2 +7.0
Labour Lorraine Essex 209 5.3 -1.8
UKIP David Hossell 101 2.6 +2.6
Green Elaine Williams 68 1.7 -0.9
Majority 221 5.6 -8.8
Turnout 3,951
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing -4.4
Kingshurst and Fordbridge[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Debbie Evans 749 37.2 +7.4
Labour John Kimberley 606 30.1 -2.2
BNP Graham Pringle 464 23.1 -5.7
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Wright 125 6.2 +0.4
Green Scott Rhodes 67 3.3 +0.0
Majority 143 7.1 +4.6
Turnout 2,011
Conservative gain from Labour Swing +4.8
Knowle[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jeff Potts 2,342 63.4 -6.1
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Berry 584 15.8 -3.4
BNP Frank O'Brien 371 10.0 +10.0
Green Jane Holt 179 4.8 -3.0
Labour Catherine Connan 136 3.7 +0.3
UKIP Mark Penny 83 2.2 +2.2
Majority 1,758 47.6 -2.7
Turnout 3,695
Conservative hold Swing -1.3
Lyndon[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Irene Chamberlain 1,673 48.8 -4.4
Conservative Greg Goldingay 895 26.1 -0.6
BNP Russell Phillips 436 12.7 +12.7
Labour Margaret Brittin 212 6.2 -1.2
UKIP Ray Mabbott 128 3.7 -3.0
Green Frances Grice 85 2.5 -3.5
Majority 778 22.7 -3.8
Turnout 3,429
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -1.9
Meriden[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lea 2,564 72.0 +1.6
Liberal Democrats Ann Berry 321 9.0 -3.5
Labour Arthur Davis 264 7.4 -3.7
BNP Wesley Jones 237 6.7 +6.7
Green Nigel Dyer 176 4.9 -1.1
Majority 2,243 63.0 +5.0
Turnout 3,562
Conservative hold Swing +2.5
Olton[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Honor Cox 1,938 53.8 -6.4
Conservative Helen Eyre 1,198 33.3 +2.3
UKIP Lydia Simpson 180 5.0 +5.0
Labour Alan Jacques 169 4.7 +0.1
Green Roger King 114 3.2 -0.9
Majority 740 20.6 -8.7
Turnout 3,599
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -4.3
Shirley East[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Sue Rose 1,522 44.3 -2.5
Conservative Mark Parker 1,455 42.4 +10.4
UKIP Jayne Hall 196 5.7 +5.7
Labour Kevin Raven 183 5.3 -0.6
Green Olga Farooqui 79 2.3 -1.2
Majority 67 2.0 -12.8
Turnout 3,435
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -6.4
Shirley South[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gary Allport 1,506 38.5 +5.2
Liberal Democrats Nick John 1,449 37.0 -10.1
BNP Charles Shipman 541 13.8 +4.6
Labour Shirley Young 187 4.8 -0.4
UKIP Linda Brown 170 4.3 +2.5
Green Angela Henery 59 1.5 -0.2
Majority 57 1.5 -12.2
Turnout 3,912
Conservative hold Swing +7.6
Shirley West[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Howard Allen 1,424 43.9 -6.1
Conservative Dennis Eyre 873 26.9 -2.3
BNP Tony Greenshields 394 12.1 +12.1
UKIP Nikki Sinclaire 276 8.5 -1.3
Labour Nick Stephens 158 4.9 -1.4
Green Trevor Barker 118 3.6 -1.1
Majority 551 17.0 -3.9
Turnout 3,243
Liberal Democrats hold Swing -1.9
Silhill[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Hogarth 2,055 49.6 +8.9
Liberal Democrats Tony Dupont 1,417 34.2 -9.2
BNP Alan Ashmore 356 8.6 -0.7
Labour Janet Marsh 175 4.2 -1.1
Green Clair Garbett 74 1.8 +0.5
UKIP Christopher Boxall 64 1.5 +1.5
Majority 638 15.4 +12.7
Turnout 4,141
Conservative hold Swing +9.0
Smith's Wood[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Green Mike Sheridan 881 45.2 +36.6
Labour Hugh Hendry 550 28.2 -19.8
Conservative Jim Williams 420 21.5 -10.4
Liberal Democrats Anthony Ludlow 98 5.0 -6.4
Majority 331 17.0 +0.8
Turnout 1,949
Green gain from Labour Swing +28.2
St. Alphege[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kate Wild 2,636 62.7 -3.1
Independent Theresa Tedd 592 14.1 +14.1
Liberal Democrats Mamdoch Jalil 591 14.1 -9.1
Labour Paul Tuxworth 134 3.2 -2.1
UKIP David Faulkner 132 3.1 +3.1
Green James Hepton 117 2.8 -2.9
Majority 2,044 48.6 +6.0
Turnout 4,202
Conservative hold Swing -8.6

References
  1. "Solihull". BBC News Online. Retrieved 18 December 2010.
  2. Reynolds, Leda (9 April 2008). "Leader in plea over BNP battle". Birmingham Mail. p. 19.
  3. Reynolds, Leda (16 April 2008). "Poll dramas on hold until dawn". Birmingham Mail. p. 12.
  4. "Solihull has us to thank for its quality of life, says Tory leader". Birmingham Post. 19 April 2008. p. 4.
  5. "Upbeat Lib Dem leader's cabinet call". Solihull Times. 23 April 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  6. "Fighting for the north". Solihull Times. 30 April 2008. Retrieved 19 December 2010.
  7. Connor, Neil (3 May 2008). "Local elections: Green party candidate topples Solihull leader". Birmingham Post. p. 3.
  8. Reynolds, Leda (3 May 2008). "Three seat gain". Birmingham Mail. p. 12.
  9. Reynolds, Leda (2 May 2008). "Labour deflated as leader loses seat". Birmingham Mail. p. 1.
  10. "Election Results 2008". Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original on 5 May 2008. Retrieved 9 February 2012.
  11. "Results". The Times. 3 May 2008. p. 14.
  12. "National: Full election results". The Guardian. 3 May 2008. p. 45.
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