Solihull Council election, 2010

The 2010 Solihull Council election took place on 6 May 2010 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control.[1]

After the election, the composition of the council was

Contents

Campaign

Before the election the council was run by the Conservatives, but without an overall majority after one of their councillors had become an independent in 2009.[3] 2 sitting councillors stood down at the election, Liberal Democrat Bob Reeves from Lyndon ward and the British National Party's George Morgan from Chelmsley Wood ward.[4] 17 seats were contested in the election with candidates from the Conservative party, Liberal Democrats, Labour party, Green party and British National Party.[4]

There was also a new party contesting 15 of the 17 seats, the Solihull and Meriden Residents' Association. This was formed by a number of independents in response to a council tax rise of 2.5% and to address what they saw as a loss of democracy in local council politics.[4] Among the candidates for the Solihull and Meriden Residents' Association was Trevor Eames a former Independent Ratepayer councillor for 18 years, who had resigned from the council after being jailed for 7 years, but who said he wanted to serve as councillor as "recompense".[5][6]

The Solihull and Meriden Residents' Association wanted to have local referendums, reduce councillors pay and have local council officers deal with graffiti and flytipping.[4] Other issues in the election included the removal of maternity services from Solihull, preserving green space and the future of Jaguar Land Rover.[4]

Election result

The results saw no party win a majority on the council after the Conservatives lost 2 seats to have 23 councillors.[6] The Liberal Democrats had 19 seats after gaining Elmdon from the Conservatives defeating cabinet member Ken Hawkins by 128 votes.[7] Labour gained Kingshurst and Fordbridge ward from the Conservatives by 110 votes and also took Chelmsley Wood from the British National Party finishing ahead of the Green Party candidate by just 22 votes.[7][8] Chelmsley Wood had been the British National Party's only seat, while the results meant Labour held 7 seats after the election.[6] The Solihull and Meriden Residents' Association failed to win any seats, with their most high profile candidate Trevor Eames coming third in Shirley South.[6]

Following the election the Liberal Democrat and Labour parties formed a coalition to run the council, with Liberal Democrat Ian Hedley being elected leader of the council with 26 of the 51 votes on the 25 May.[3]

Solihull Local Election Result 2010[8][2]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/-
  Conservative 8 0 2 -2 47.1 41.6 44,409 -6.1%
  Liberal Democrat 6 1 0 +1 35.3 30.9 32,997 +3.5%
  Labour 3 2 0 +2 17.6 13.1 13,953 +5.1%
  BNP 0 0 1 -1 0 6.2 6,618 -2.7%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 4.2 4,444 -0.5%
  Solihull and Meriden Residents Association 0 0 0 0 0 3.4 3,601 +3.4%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 0.6 605 -0.4%

Ward results

Bickenhill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Alan Martin 2,887 48.9 -17.7
Labour Florence Nash 1,186 20.1 +9.9
Liberal Democrat Martin Smith 983 16.6 +10.7
BNP Patricia Allington 496 8.4 -4.9
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Michelle Wright 189 3.2 +3.2
Green Alexander Hawkeswood 164 2.8 -1.2
Majority 1,701 28.8 -24.5
Turnout 5,905
Conservative hold Swing
Blythe[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Brian Burgess 3,312 46.4 -1.9
Liberal Democrat Charles Robinson 2,322 32.5 -13.9
Labour Raj Singh 682 9.6 +6.4
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Linda Brown 426 6.0 +6.0
BNP George Angus 310 4.3 +4.3
Green Moustafa Osman 89 1.2 -1.0
Majority 990 13.9 +12.0
Turnout 7,141
Conservative hold Swing
Castle Bromwich[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mike Robinson 2,914 47.5 -20.2
Labour Irma Shaw 1,304 21.3 +12.2
Liberal Democrat Andrew Bull 1,039 16.9 +9.6
BNP Eddie Stainfield 668 10.9 -2.2
Green Scott Rhodes 109 1.8 -1.0
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Joanna Hall 102 1.7 +1.7
Majority 1,610 26.2 -28.4
Turnout 6,136
Conservative hold Swing
Chelmsley Wood[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nick Stephens 1,140 25.9 -6.5
Green Ronnie Cashmore 1,118 25.4 +19.9
Conservative Gail Sleigh 897 20.4 -9.0
BNP Andrew Terry 650 14.8 -11.4
Liberal Democrat Liz Adams 542 12.3 +5.8
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Dawn O'Nyons 49 1.1 +1.1
Majority 22 0.5 -2.5
Turnout 4,396
Labour gain from BNP Swing
Dorridge and Hockley Heath[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ian Courts 3,891 58.6 -7.3
Liberal Democrat Jo Hodgson 1,430 21.5 +4.3
Labour Barry Beattie 566 8.5 +5.0
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Andy Moore 443 6.7 +6.7
Green Sara Stevens 175 2.6 -3.4
BNP Andrew Taylor 131 2.0 -5.4
Majority 2,461 37.1 -11.7
Turnout 6,636
Conservative hold Swing
Elmdon[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Martin Hewings 2,721 41.3 +0.9
Conservative Ken Hawkins 2,593 39.4 +4.6
Labour Hugh Hendry 658 10.0 +4.7
BNP Tony Greenshields 402 6.1 -9.1
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Kay Howles 134 2.0 +2.0
Green Elaine Williams 79 1.2 -0.5
Majority 128 1.9 -3.7
Turnout 6,587
Liberal Democrat gain from Conservative Swing
Kingshurst and Fordbridge[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Jamieson 1,385 31.6 +1.5
Conservative Rob Hall 1,275 29.1 -8.1
Liberal Democrat Angi Wright 684 15.6 +9.4
BNP George Rouse 667 15.2 -7.9
Green John Kimberley 210 4.8 +1.5
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Margaret Inglis 165 3.8 +3.8
Majority 110 2.5
Turnout 4,386
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Knowle[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Diana Holl-Allen 3,660 58.2 -5.2
Liberal Democrat Tony Dupont 1,351 21.5 +5.7
Labour Hayley Conboy 450 7.2 +3.5
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Josephine Herbert 326 5.2 +5.2
Green Jane Holt 289 4.6 -0.2
BNP Robert Lassen 217 3.4 -6.6
Majority 2,309 36.7 -10.9
Turnout 6,293
Conservative hold Swing
Lyndon[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Theresa Tedd 3,552 51.7 +2.9
Conservative Greg Goldingay 1,819 26.5 +0.4
Labour Margaret Brittin 803 11.7 +5.5
BNP David Reynolds 559 8.1 -4.6
Green Frances Grice 137 2.0 -0.5
Majority 1,733 25.2 +2.5
Turnout 6,870
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Meriden[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Ken Allsopp 3,845 55.9 -16.1
Liberal Democrat Hugh McCredie 1,362 19.8 +10.8
Labour Cathy Connan 928 13.5 +6.1
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Wayne Wright 369 5.4 +5.4
BNP Russell Phillips 228 3.3 -3.4
Green Roger King 143 2.1 -2.8
Majority 2,483 36.1 -26.9
Turnout 6,875
Conservative hold Swing
Olton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat John Windmill 3,513 50.7 -3.1
Conservative Robert Hulland 2,336 33.7 +0.4
Labour Alan Jacques 524 7.6 +2.9
BNP Stanley Williams 297 4.3 +4.3
Green Joel Butler 164 2.4 -0.8
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Peter Chan 94 1.4 +1.4
Majority 1,177 17.0 -3.6
Turnout 6,928
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Shirley East[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Ian Hedley 2,439 38.8 -5.5
Conservative Mark Parker 2,257 35.9 -6.5
Independent Neill Watts 605 9.6 +9.6
Labour Kevin Raven 575 9.1 +3.8
BNP Raymond Bailey 284 4.5 +4.5
Green Joy Aldworth 129 2.1 -0.2
Majority 182 2.9 +0.9
Turnout 6,289
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Shirley South[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Andy Hodgson 2,989 42.9 +5.9
Conservative Phil Brandum 2,299 33.0 -5.5
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Trevor Eames 599 8.6 +8.6
Labour Shirley Young 569 8.2 +3.4
BNP Christopher White 398 5.7 -8.1
Green Adam Cooley 121 1.7 +0.2
Majority 690 9.9
Turnout 6,975
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Shirley West[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrat Simon Slater 2,855 44.1 +0.2
Conservative Hannah Tildesley 1,988 30.7 +3.8
Labour Ian McDonald 715 11.0 +6.1
BNP Douglas Maund 432 6.7 -5.4
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association John Rogers 320 4.9 +4.9
Green Trevor Barker 162 2.5 -1.1
Majority 867 13.4 -3.6
Turnout 6,472
Liberal Democrat hold Swing
Silhill[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Shiela Pittaway 3,090 46.3 -3.3
Liberal Democrat Steve Green 2,447 36.7 +2.5
Labour Janet Marsh 603 9.0 +4.8
BNP Alan Ashmore 329 4.9 -4.7
Green Roderick Palmer 116 1.7 -0.1
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Hilary Twinberrow 87 1.3 +1.3
Majority 643 9.6 -5.8
Turnout 6,672
Conservative hold Swing
Smith's Wood[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Donald Cornock 1,368 32.5 +4.3
Green Ken Meeson 1,019 24.2 -21.0
Conservative Catherine Price 821 19.5 -2.0
BNP Frank O'Brien 550 13.1 +13.1
Liberal Democrat Tony Ludlow 398 9.4 +4.4
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Rebecca Hammond 57 1.4 +1.4
Majority 349 8.3
Turnout 4,213
Labour hold Swing
St. Alphege[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Stuart Davis 4,525 57.6 -5.1
Liberal Democrat Eimear Fossey 2,370 30.2 +16.1
Labour Paul Tuxworth 497 6.3 +3.1
Solihull and Meriden Residents Association Steven O'Nyons 241 3.1 +3.1
Green Stephen Holt 220 2.8 +0.0
Majority 2,155 27.4 -21.2
Turnout 7,853
Conservative hold Swing

References

  1. ^ "Solihull". BBC News Online. 2009-04-19. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/shared/election2010/council/html/3756.stm. Retrieved 2010-12-20. 
  2. ^ a b "Local elections 2010". London: guardian.co.uk. 2010-05-07. http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/table/2010/may/07/local-elections. Retrieved 2010-12-20. 
  3. ^ a b "Solihull to be run by coalition". Birmingham Mail. 2010-05-26. p. 2. 
  4. ^ a b c d e "New party vying for solihull seats". Birmingham Mail. 2010-04-19. p. 9. 
  5. ^ "Election bid by man who torched wife". Birmingham Mail. 2010-04-26. p. 1. 
  6. ^ a b c d Cross, Sophie (2010-05-08). "Failure of Eames' revived election bid". Birmingham Mail. p. 3. 
  7. ^ a b "Local election results prompt coalition talks between Solihull's Labour and Lib Dems". Solihull News.net. 2010-05-07. http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2010/05/07/solihull-council-local-election-results-prompt-coalition-talks-between-labour-and-lib-dems-105074-26401915/. Retrieved 2010-12-20. 
  8. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "Local Election Results 2010". Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. http://www.solihull.gov.uk/democracy/22041.htm. Retrieved 2010-12-20. 
  9. ^ "Solihull Council local election results". Solihull News.net. 2010-05-07. http://www.solihullnews.net/news/solihull-news/2010/05/07/solihull-council-local-election-results-105074-26401918/. Retrieved 2011-01-16. 
  10. ^ "Vote Solihull and Meriden Residents Association". Solihull and Meriden Residents Association. http://www.solihullandmeriden.org/local2010.html. Retrieved 2011-01-16. 
Preceded by
Solihull Council election, 2008		 Solihull local elections Succeeded by
Solihull Council election, 2011
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