Brandwood
Encyclopedia
Brandwood is one of 40 wards which constitute Birmingham City Council and is currently part of the Birmingham Hall Green constituency
until the next General Election
. Following changes to constituency boundaries, after the next General Election it will form part of the constituency of Birmingham Selly Oak. The ward contains a large number of owner-occupied properties around Howard Road, Wheelers Lane, May Lane, Woodthorpe Road, Featherstone Road, Brandwood Road, Lindsworth Road and Alcester Road South, in addition to two big former council estates around Allenscroft Road and Druids Heath, the latter containing 16 high-rise tower blocks.
The area is served by Druids Heath Library, Cocks Moor Woods Leisure Centre and Golf Course, Baverstock School and Brandwood End Cemetery
.
giving an alternative population density of 41.9 people per hectare. There was a slightly higher proportion of females than males in the ward, with females representing 52.2% of the population, compared with 51.6% for Birmingham as a whole.
Brandwood is not an ethnically diverse community with ethnic minorities representing 12.6% (3,102) of the ward's population as opposed to 29.6% for Birmingham. 9.3% of the population was born outside of the United Kingdom
, equal to that of the national percentage. The largest broad ethnic group was the White group at 87.4%. Whilst being above the city average of 70.4%, it was below the national average of 90.9%. The second largest broad ethnic group was Asian at 5.9%. More specifically, the White British group was the largest ethnic group at 81.6%. The White Irish group represented just 4.3%, although this was higher than the city average of 3.2% and the national average of 1.3%. The Black Caribbean ethnic group was the third largest at 2.9%. The most dominant religion in Brandwood was Christianity
with 69.8% of residents stating themselves as Christians. 15.4% had no religion, above the city average of 12.4% and the national average of 14.6%. Islam
was the second largest religion at 3.3%.
The age group representing the largest proportion of the ward's population was the 25-44 years at 27.7%. This is below the national average of 29.3% and the city average of 28.3%. People of a pensionable age represented 20.1% of the population, above the city average of 16.7%. 58.4% of the population was of a working age, below the city average of 59.8%. The ward had an unemployment rate of 8.1%, below the city rate of 9.5% but above the national rate of 5%. Of the unemployed, 40% were in long term unemployment, above the city average of 36.3%. 8.2% had never worked. 16.8% of those in employment worked in the Finance, Real Estate, & Business Activities sector. 16.2% worked in the Manufacturing sector. The largest employer based in the area is Cleaning Contractor Services Group Ltd, employing around 300 people. Moss Construction were the second largest, employing 285 people.
99.1% of the population lived in a household, above the city average of 98.3%. The other 0.9% lived in communal establishments. The total number of occupied households in the ward was 10,049, resulting in an average of 2.3 people per household. This is below the national average of 2.4 and the city average of 2.5. 62.4% of the households were owner occupied, above the city average of 60.4% and below the national average of 68.7%. 26% of households were rented from Birmingham City Council
, above the city average of 19.4%. The majority of houses were semi-detached, with 42.2% of all properties being of that type. 25.1% of households were terraced houses, near to the national average of 25.8%. 21.1% were purpose built blocks of flats. 338 houses were identified as being empty.
/ Conservative marginal for the last 20 years. Local councillors have included: Steve McCabe
(now the Member of Parliament
for Hall Green
Constituency), Roy Pinney, who served as Chair of and later Cabinet Member for Education, in addition to three female councillors, the last of these being Catherine Grundy, who lost her seat in 2004 and was subsequently elected to the Kingstanding
ward in 2006.
Elections since 1984 have returned the following Councillors:
Brandwood has adopted a Ward Support Officer with the current holder of the title being Marcia Greenwood.
also passes through the area.
United Kingdom constituencies
In the United Kingdom , each of the electoral areas or divisions called constituencies elects one or more members to a parliament or assembly.Within the United Kingdom there are now five bodies with members elected by constituencies:...
until the next General Election
General election
In a parliamentary political system, a general election is an election in which all or most members of a given political body are chosen. The term is usually used to refer to elections held for a nation's primary legislative body, as distinguished from by-elections and local elections.The term...
. Following changes to constituency boundaries, after the next General Election it will form part of the constituency of Birmingham Selly Oak. The ward contains a large number of owner-occupied properties around Howard Road, Wheelers Lane, May Lane, Woodthorpe Road, Featherstone Road, Brandwood Road, Lindsworth Road and Alcester Road South, in addition to two big former council estates around Allenscroft Road and Druids Heath, the latter containing 16 high-rise tower blocks.
The area is served by Druids Heath Library, Cocks Moor Woods Leisure Centre and Golf Course, Baverstock School and Brandwood End Cemetery
Brandwood End Cemetery
Brandwood End Cemetery is a cemetery located in the Brandwood Ward of Birmingham, England.-History:Until the early 19th century the Church of England church yards and burial grounds were the only major places available for burials...
.
Demography
The 2001 Population Census found that there were 23,306 people living in the ward with a population density of 4,167 people per km² compared with 3,649 people per km² for Birmingham. The ward has an area of 555.9haHectare
The hectare is a metric unit of area defined as 10,000 square metres , and primarily used in the measurement of land. In 1795, when the metric system was introduced, the are was defined as being 100 square metres and the hectare was thus 100 ares or 1/100 km2...
giving an alternative population density of 41.9 people per hectare. There was a slightly higher proportion of females than males in the ward, with females representing 52.2% of the population, compared with 51.6% for Birmingham as a whole.
Brandwood is not an ethnically diverse community with ethnic minorities representing 12.6% (3,102) of the ward's population as opposed to 29.6% for Birmingham. 9.3% of the population was born outside of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, equal to that of the national percentage. The largest broad ethnic group was the White group at 87.4%. Whilst being above the city average of 70.4%, it was below the national average of 90.9%. The second largest broad ethnic group was Asian at 5.9%. More specifically, the White British group was the largest ethnic group at 81.6%. The White Irish group represented just 4.3%, although this was higher than the city average of 3.2% and the national average of 1.3%. The Black Caribbean ethnic group was the third largest at 2.9%. The most dominant religion in Brandwood was Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
with 69.8% of residents stating themselves as Christians. 15.4% had no religion, above the city average of 12.4% and the national average of 14.6%. Islam
Islam
Islam . The most common are and . : Arabic pronunciation varies regionally. The first vowel ranges from ~~. The second vowel ranges from ~~~...
was the second largest religion at 3.3%.
The age group representing the largest proportion of the ward's population was the 25-44 years at 27.7%. This is below the national average of 29.3% and the city average of 28.3%. People of a pensionable age represented 20.1% of the population, above the city average of 16.7%. 58.4% of the population was of a working age, below the city average of 59.8%. The ward had an unemployment rate of 8.1%, below the city rate of 9.5% but above the national rate of 5%. Of the unemployed, 40% were in long term unemployment, above the city average of 36.3%. 8.2% had never worked. 16.8% of those in employment worked in the Finance, Real Estate, & Business Activities sector. 16.2% worked in the Manufacturing sector. The largest employer based in the area is Cleaning Contractor Services Group Ltd, employing around 300 people. Moss Construction were the second largest, employing 285 people.
99.1% of the population lived in a household, above the city average of 98.3%. The other 0.9% lived in communal establishments. The total number of occupied households in the ward was 10,049, resulting in an average of 2.3 people per household. This is below the national average of 2.4 and the city average of 2.5. 62.4% of the households were owner occupied, above the city average of 60.4% and below the national average of 68.7%. 26% of households were rented from Birmingham City Council
Birmingham City Council
The Birmingham City Council is the body responsible for the governance of the City of Birmingham in England, which has been a metropolitan district since 1974. It is the most populated local authority in the United Kingdom with, following a reorganisation of boundaries in June 2004, 120 Birmingham...
, above the city average of 19.4%. The majority of houses were semi-detached, with 42.2% of all properties being of that type. 25.1% of households were terraced houses, near to the national average of 25.8%. 21.1% were purpose built blocks of flats. 338 houses were identified as being empty.
Politics
The ward has been a 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...
/ Conservative marginal for the last 20 years. Local councillors have included: Steve McCabe
Steve McCabe (politician)
Stephen James McCabe is a British Labour Party politician who was the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Hall Green from 1997 to 2010, when he was elected for Birmingham Selly Oak.-Early life:...
(now the Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Hall Green
Hall Green
Not to be confused with Hall Green, Wolverhampton or Hall Green, SandwellHall Green is an area and ward in south Birmingham, England. It is also a council constituency, managed by its own district committee...
Constituency), Roy Pinney, who served as Chair of and later Cabinet Member for Education, in addition to three female councillors, the last of these being Catherine Grundy, who lost her seat in 2004 and was subsequently elected to the Kingstanding
Kingstanding
Kingstanding is an area in north Birmingham, England. It gives its name to a ward in the Erdington council constituency. Kingstanding ward includes the areas; Perry Common, St. Mary's College, Witton Lakes and parts of Kingstanding, Wyrley Birch and New Oscott...
ward in 2006.
Elections since 1984 have returned the following Councillors:
- 1984: Len Gregory (Con) (defeated 1988)
- 1986: Bob Tyler (Con) (defeated 1990)
- 1987: John Lena (Con) (did not seek re-election 1991)
- 1988: Jane Slowey (Lab) (defeated 1992)
- 1990: Steve McCabe (Lab) (re-elected 1994)
- 1991: John Trojnacki (Con) (defeated 1995)
- 1992: Graeme Coombes (Con) (did not seek re-election 1996)
- 1994: Steve McCabe (Lab) (did not seek re-election 1998)
- 1995: Roy Pinney (Lab) (re-elected 1999)
- 1996: Fiona Williams (Lab) (defeated 2000)
- 1998: Catherine Grundy (Lab) (re-elected 2002)
- 1999: Roy Pinney (Lab) (defeated 2003)
- 2000: Mark Hill (Con) (re-elected 2004)
- 2002: Catherine Grundy (Lab) (defeated 2004)
- 2003: Neville Summerfield (Con) (re-elected 2004)
- 2004: Neville Summerfield (Con) (in office), Mark Hill (Con) (re-elected 2007), Ken Hardeman (Con) (re-elected 2006)
- 2006: Ken Hardeman (Con) (died 2007)
- 2007: Mark Hill (Con) (in office)
- 2007 (by-election): Mike Leddy (Lab) (for the remainder of the term ending in 2010)
- 2010 Mike Leddy (Lab) (re-elected 2014)
Brandwood has adopted a Ward Support Officer with the current holder of the title being Marcia Greenwood.
Transport
The main road through the area is the A435 Alcester Road. The Stratford-upon-Avon CanalStratford-upon-Avon Canal
The Stratford-upon-Avon Canal is a canal in the south Midlands of England.The canal, which was built between 1793 and 1816, runs for in total, and consists of two sections. The dividing line is at Kingswood Junction, which gives access to the Grand Union Canal...
also passes through the area.