Solihull Council election, 2007
Encyclopedia
The 2007 Solihull 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
.
After the election, the composition of the council was
, 1 British National Party
and 2 independent
councillor
s. 1 seat was vacant after Conservative councillor of Knowle
ward
, Les Kyles, died in January 2007. Five councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrats Olive Hogg, Barbara Harber and Susan Reeve and Conservatives Theresa Tedd and David Elsmore. 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. The Green Party
stood in all 17 wards and there were 3 candidates from the United Kingdom Independence Party
and 2 independents.
The Conservatives pledged to build on their record on recycling
which had gone up 26% from 7% over 3 years. They also were confident of their record on education and wanted to get a fairer financial settlement from the national government. The Liberal Democrats said improving transport links in Solihull was a priority, along with better services for the elderly and improving recycling. Meanwhile Labour wanted to ensure the regeneration programme for the north of Solihull worked and to deliver cost effective services. All 3 parties pledged to address anti-social behaviour
as a priority.
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.
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. 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. This meant Labour remained on 7 seats, compared to 1 for the British National Party and 2 independents. Overall turnout
was 36.5%, down from 38.4% in 2006.
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. However the Conservatives continued to run the council as a minority administration.
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...
lost overall control of the council to 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...
24 - Liberal Democrat 17
- 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...
7 - IndependentIndependent (politician)In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
2 - 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
Campaign
Before the election there were 25 Conservative, 15 Liberal Democrat, 7 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...
, 1 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...
and 2 independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
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:...
s. 1 seat was vacant after Conservative councillor of Knowle
Knowle
Knowle is a large village a few miles southeast of the town of Solihull, UK. Knowle lies within the historic county boundaries of Warwickshire, and since 1974 it has been part of the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull within the West Midlands...
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:...
, Les Kyles, died in January 2007. Five councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrats Olive Hogg, Barbara Harber and Susan Reeve and Conservatives Theresa Tedd and David Elsmore. 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
Solihull Council election, 2006
The 2006 Solihull Council election took place on 4 May 2006 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England...
for the first time. The Green Party
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...
stood in all 17 wards and there were 3 candidates from 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...
and 2 independents.
The Conservatives pledged to build on their record 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...
which had gone up 26% from 7% over 3 years. They also were confident of their record on education and wanted to get a fairer financial settlement from the national government. The Liberal Democrats said improving transport links in Solihull was a priority, along with better services for the elderly and improving recycling. Meanwhile Labour wanted to ensure the regeneration programme for the north of Solihull worked and to deliver cost effective services. All 3 parties pledged to address anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour
Anti-social behaviour is behaviour that lacks consideration for others and that may cause damage to society, whether intentionally or through negligence, as opposed to pro-social behaviour, behaviour that helps or benefits society...
as a priority.
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.
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. The Liberal Democrats gained ShirleyShirley, 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:...
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. Labour held onto the seats they were defending, including Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood
Chelmsley Wood is a neighbourhood, civil parish and large housing estate in the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull, England, with a population of 13,010. It is located near Birmingham International Airport and the National Exhibition Centre. It lies adjacent to Birmingham...
where they defeated the British National Party by 192 votes in a ward the British National Party had won in 2006. This meant Labour remained on 7 seats, compared to 1 for the British National Party and 2 independents. Overall turnout
Voter turnout
Voter turnout is the percentage of eligible voters who cast a ballot in an election . After increasing for many decades, there has been a trend of decreasing voter turnout in most established democracies since the 1960s...
was 36.5%, down from 38.4% in 2006.
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. However the Conservatives continued to run the council as a minority administration.