Solihull Council election, 2008
Encyclopedia
The 2008 Solihull 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
.
After the election, the composition of the council was
and Green
parties contesting every ward
. The British National Party
had 12 candidates, up from 5 in the 2007 election
, and the United Kingdom Independence Party
stood 9 candidates. Among those standing were Jim Ryan, defending Bickenhill
as a Conservative after having previously been a Labour party councillor
, and Peter Hogarth in Silhill where he had lost his seat in 2007. Meanwhile 2 councillors stood down at the election, Conservative Susan Gomm and Liberal Democrat June Gandy from Silhill and Shirley
East wards respectively.
The Conservatives had lost their majority on the council at the 2007 election but continued to run it as a minority administration. 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. 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
. Meanwhile Labour said it's councillors had a strong impact on the council and had been involved in getting the regeneration project for northern Solhiull started.
and Fordbridge
from Labour and Blythe from the Liberal Democrats, while Jim Ryan was re-elected as a Conservative in Bickenhill. This meant the Conservatives took a 1 seat majority with 26 of the 51 councillors, although they did lose 1 seat to the Liberal Democrats in Elmdon
.
Meanwhile the Green party won a first seat on the council after winning Smith's Wood
ward by 331 votes. The Green's Mike Sheridan defeated the Labour leader on the council, Hugh Hendry, who had been a councillor for 18 years. 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.
Metropolitan Borough of Solihull
The Metropolitan Borough of Solihull is a metropolitan borough of the West Midlands, in west-central England. It is named after its largest town, Solihull, from which Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council is based. For Eurostat purposes it is a NUTS 3 region and is one of five boroughs or unitary...
Metropolitan Borough
Metropolitan borough
A metropolitan borough is a type of local government district in England, and is a subdivision of a metropolitan county. Created in 1974 by the Local Government Act 1972, metropolitan boroughs are defined in English law as metropolitan districts, however all of them have been granted or regranted...
Council in the West Midlands
West Midlands (county)
The West Midlands is a metropolitan county in western central England with a 2009 estimated population of 2,638,700. It came into existence as a metropolitan county in 1974 after the passage of the Local Government Act 1972, formed from parts of Staffordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire. The...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. One third of the council was up for election and the Conservative party
Conservative Party (UK)
The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
gained overall control of the council from no overall control
No overall control
Within the context of local councils of the United Kingdom, the term No Overall Control refers to a situation in which no single party achieves a majority of seats and is analogous to a hung parliament...
.
After the election, the composition of the council was
- ConservativeConservative Party (UK)The Conservative Party, formally the Conservative and Unionist Party, is a centre-right political party in the United Kingdom that adheres to the philosophies of conservatism and British unionism. It is the largest political party in the UK, and is currently the largest single party in the House...
26 - Liberal Democrat 18
- LabourLabour Party (UK)The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
5 - British National PartyBritish National PartyThe British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
1 - Green PartyGreen Party of England and WalesThe Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
1
Campaign
17 seats were contested in the election, with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, LabourLabour Party (UK)
The Labour Party is a centre-left democratic socialist party in the United Kingdom. It surpassed the Liberal Party in general elections during the early 1920s, forming minority governments under Ramsay MacDonald in 1924 and 1929-1931. The party was in a wartime coalition from 1940 to 1945, after...
and Green
Green Party of England and Wales
The Green Party of England and Wales is a political party in England and Wales which follows the traditions of Green politics and maintains a strong commitment to social progressivism. It is the largest Green party in the United Kingdom, containing within it various regional divisions including...
parties contesting every ward
Wards of the United Kingdom
A ward in the United Kingdom is an electoral district at sub-national level represented by one or more councillors. It is the primary unit of British administrative and electoral geography .-England:...
. The British National Party
British National Party
The British National Party is a British far-right political party formed as a splinter group from the National Front by John Tyndall in 1982...
had 12 candidates, up from 5 in the 2007 election
Solihull Council election, 2007
The 2007 Solihull Council election took place on 4 May 2007 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England...
, and the United Kingdom Independence Party
United Kingdom Independence Party
The United Kingdom Independence Party is a eurosceptic and right-wing populist political party in the United Kingdom. Whilst its primary goal is the UK's withdrawal from the European Union, the party has expanded beyond its single-issue image to develop a more comprehensive party platform.UKIP...
stood 9 candidates. Among those standing were Jim Ryan, defending Bickenhill
Bickenhill
Bickenhill is a village, civil parish and ward in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, West Midlands, England, on the fringes of the West Midlands conurbation.-History:...
as a Conservative after having previously been a Labour party councillor
Councillor
A councillor or councilor is a member of a local government council, such as a city council.Often in the United States, the title is councilman or councilwoman.-United Kingdom:...
, and Peter Hogarth in Silhill where he had lost his seat in 2007. Meanwhile 2 councillors stood down at the election, Conservative Susan Gomm and Liberal Democrat June Gandy from Silhill and Shirley
Shirley, West Midlands
Shirley is a district of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the county of West Midlands, England. It is a residential and shopping neighbourhood, and a suburb of Solihull.-History:...
East wards respectively.
The Conservatives had lost their majority on the council at the 2007 election but continued to run it as a minority administration. During the campaign the Conservative party leader David Cameron
David Cameron
David William Donald Cameron is the current Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, First Lord of the Treasury, Minister for the Civil Service and Leader of the Conservative Party. Cameron represents Witney as its Member of Parliament ....
visited Solihull, saying that the council was well run under the Conservatives and that they were hopeful of making gains. The Liberal Democrats criticised the record of the council on recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
, 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
Cabinet (government)
A Cabinet is a body of high ranking government officials, typically representing the executive branch. It can also sometimes be referred to as the Council of Ministers, an Executive Council, or an Executive Committee.- Overview :...
. Meanwhile Labour said it's councillors had a strong impact on the council and had been involved in getting the regeneration project for northern Solhiull started.
Election result
The results saw the Conservatives regain a majority on the council after making 2 gains. The Conservatives gained KingshurstKingshurst
Kingshurst is a post war housing estate and civil parish in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, in the West Midlands. It lies about east of Birmingham city centre...
and Fordbridge
Fordbridge
Fordbridge is a civil parish and suburb between Kingshurst and Chelmsley Wood in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, which is in the West Midlands county, and also part of the West Midlands conurbation. It is east of Birmingham City Centre. It has a town council...
from Labour and Blythe from the Liberal Democrats, while Jim Ryan was re-elected as a Conservative in Bickenhill. This meant the Conservatives took a 1 seat majority with 26 of the 51 councillors, although they did lose 1 seat to the Liberal Democrats in Elmdon
Elmdon, West Midlands
Elmdon is a village within the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the county of West Midlands, England.The name Elmdon means hill of the elms. It is primarily a residential area. It was formerly home to Elmdon Aerodrome, which is now Birmingham Airport...
.
Meanwhile the Green party won a first seat on the council after winning Smith's Wood
Smith's Wood
Smith's Wood is a residential area in the north of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull in the West Midlands of England. It is a civil parish with a population of 10,943, according to the 2001 census....
ward by 331 votes. The Green's Mike Sheridan defeated the Labour leader on the council, Hugh Hendry, who had been a councillor for 18 years. Sheridan thus became the first Green councillor in the West Midlands conurbation
West Midlands conurbation
The West Midlands conurbation is the name given to the large conurbation that includes the cities of Birmingham and Wolverhampton and the large towns of Dudley, Walsall, West Bromwich, Solihull, Stourbridge, Halesowen in the English West Midlands....
and one of only 4 in the whole Midlands
English Midlands
The Midlands, or the English Midlands, is the traditional name for the area comprising central England that broadly corresponds to the early medieval Kingdom of Mercia. It borders Southern England, Northern England, East Anglia and Wales. Its largest city is Birmingham, and it was an important...
, after a campaign that he said focused on regeneration and preserving green space.