Solihull Council election, 2006
Encyclopedia
The 2006 Solihull Council election took place on 4 May 2006 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
stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
and 2 independents
. This meant the Liberal Democrats only needed to gain 2 seats to deprive the Conservatives of a majority, with predictions in the press that they could achieve this, after gaining the parliamentary seat
at the 2005 general election
.
The Liberal Democrats campaigned against cuts to Solihull's Music Service, opposed windfall developments and brought the president of the Liberal Democrats Simon Hughes
to Solihull to open their local election campaign. The Conservative leader of the council Ted Richards predicted their record would enable them to stay in control and the party supported the expansion of Birmingham Airport and the bringing of a Super Casino
to the region, both of which the Liberal Democrats opposed. Other issues in the election included proposals for the regeneration of Shirley
and Chelmsley Wood
, and a plan to transform northern Solihull. Apart from the 3 parties with seats on the council, there were also candidates from the British National Party
, Green Party
and 2 independents.
All 3 of the main party group leaders from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties signed a pledge to avoid damaging race relations during the campaign.
from Labour by 19 votes after a recount. This reduced Labour to 7 seats, while the 2 independent councillor
s were not defending seats at the election. Overall turnout
in the election was 38.4%.
The successful British National Party candidate George Morgan described his win as a victory for the ordinary working man and put his success down to disillusionment with politicians, immigration and local social issues such as rubbish. Meanwhile the defeated Labour candidate blamed recent events involving the national Labour government for his defeat. Following the election the other councillors from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties said they would have nothing to do with the British National Party councillor.
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...
stayed in overall control of the council.
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 15
- 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 the Conservatives ran the council with 27 seats, compared to 14 for the Liberal Democrats, 8 for 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 2 independents
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...
. This meant the Liberal Democrats only needed to gain 2 seats to deprive the Conservatives of a majority, with predictions in the press that they could achieve this, after gaining the parliamentary seat
Solihull (UK Parliament constituency)
Solihull is a borough constituency represented in the House of Commons of the Parliament of the United Kingdom. It elects one Member of Parliament by the first past the post system of election.- Boundaries :...
at the 2005 general election
United Kingdom general election, 2005
The United Kingdom general election of 2005 was held on Thursday, 5 May 2005 to elect 646 members to the British House of Commons. The Labour Party under Tony Blair won its third consecutive victory, but with a majority of 66, reduced from 160....
.
The Liberal Democrats campaigned against cuts to Solihull's Music Service, opposed windfall developments and brought the president of the Liberal Democrats Simon Hughes
Simon Hughes
Simon Henry Ward Hughes is a British politician and Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats. He is Member of Parliament for the constituency of Bermondsey and Old Southwark. Until 2008 he was President of the Liberal Democrats...
to Solihull to open their local election campaign. The Conservative leader of the council Ted Richards predicted their record would enable them to stay in control and the party supported the expansion of Birmingham Airport and the bringing of a Super Casino
Regional casino
A Regional Casino, more commonly known as a Super Casino , is the term given to the largest category of casino that was to have been permitted under UK law - equivalent in size to the larger casinos in Las Vegas...
to the region, both of which the Liberal Democrats opposed. Other issues in the election included proposals for the regeneration of 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:...
and 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...
, and a plan to transform northern Solihull. Apart from the 3 parties with seats on the council, there were also candidates from 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...
, 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...
and 2 independents.
All 3 of the main party group leaders from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties signed a pledge to avoid damaging race relations during the campaign.
Election result
The results saw the Conservative keep control of the council, but with their majority reduced to just 1 seat. The Conservative majority was reduced after the Liberal Democrats gained Shirley South from the Conservatives, meaning the Conservatives had 26 seats compared to 15 for the Liberal Democrats. The British National Party won a first seat on the council after winning Chelmsley Wood wardWards 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:...
from Labour by 19 votes after a recount. This reduced Labour to 7 seats, while the 2 independent 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 were not defending seats at the election. 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...
in the election was 38.4%.
The successful British National Party candidate George Morgan described his win as a victory for the ordinary working man and put his success down to disillusionment with politicians, immigration and local social issues such as rubbish. Meanwhile the defeated Labour candidate blamed recent events involving the national Labour government for his defeat. Following the election the other councillors from the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties said they would have nothing to do with the British National Party councillor.