# 2011 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2011 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Walsall 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:
* Conservative 28
* Labour 26
* Liberal Democrats 5
* Independent 1

## Background

The council leader Mike Bird was one of the Conservatives who were defending seats at the election, along with a member of his cabinet Barbara McCracken.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives lose their majority on the council after Labour gained 8 seats, including 5 from the Conservatives. This meant the Conservatives had 28 councillors compared to 26 for Labour, leaving the Liberal Democrats, down one on five seats, holding the balance.
Following the election the Conservatives continued to run the council as a minority administration.
Walsall Local Election Result 2011 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 12 | 8 | 0 | +8 | 57.1 | 40.6 | 31,104 | +9.3% |
| Conservative | 8 | 0 | 5 | −5 | 38.1 | 40.0 | 30,592 | +0.5% |
| Liberal Democrats | 1 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 4.8 | 7.1 | 5,430 | −9.0% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.8 | 4,467 | +0.3% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | 3.1 | 2,372 | −0.3% |
| Democratic Labour | 0 | 0 | 1 | −1 | 0 | 2.3 | 1,785 | +0.9% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 307 | −0.7% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 255 | −1.1% |
| English Democrat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 210 | +0.3% |

## Ward results

Aldridge Central and South (2) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Rochelle | 2,719 | | |
| | Conservative | John Murray | 2,553 | | |
| | Labour | Angus McGhee | 976 | | |
| | Labour | Michael Johnson | 967 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy Sheward | 632 | | |
| | UKIP | Bruce Bennett | 552 | | |
| | UKIP | Malcolm Ford | 378 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 8,777 | 44.0 | −24.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Aldridge North and Walsall Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Flower | 2,167 | 56.5 | +2.8 |
| | Labour | Bob Grainger | 1,094 | 28.5 | +6.5 |
| | BNP | Terence Majorwicz | 307 | 8.0 | +8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Greveson | 267 | 7.0 | −13.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,073 | 28.0 | −3.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,835 | 38.3 | −26.3 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Bentley and Darlaston North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Keith Chambers | 1,922 | 65.0 | +22.2 |
| | Conservative | Jeet Sohal | 572 | 19.4 | −10.6 |
| | UKIP | Annette Ford | 418 | 14.1 | +2.2 |
| | Democratic Labour | Alan Paddock | 43 | 1.5 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,350 | 45.7 | +32.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,955 | 32.1 | −23.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Birchills-Leamore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tim Oliver | 1,574 | 55.0 | +17.9 |
| | Conservative | Kamran Aftab | 961 | 33.6 | +0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy Robinson | 167 | 5.8 | −6.9 |
| | Democratic Labour | Alan Davies | 158 | 5.5 | +2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 613 | 21.4 | +17.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,860 | 30.3 | −20.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blakenall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ann Young | 1,256 | 46.0 | +5.1 |
| | Democratic Labour | Peter Smith | 928 | 34.0 | +14.4 |
| | Conservative | Muhammed Afzal | 453 | 16.6 | −10.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Pearce | 95 | 3.5 | −9.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 328 | 12.0 | −2.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,732 | 32.4 | −13.9 |
| | Labour gain from Democratic Labour | Labour gain from Democratic Labour | Swing | | |
Bloxwich East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shaun Fitzpatrick | 1,205 | 42.8 | +1.6 |
| | Conservative | Les Beeley | 1,191 | 42.3 | +6.5 |
| | UKIP | Alan Sheath | 229 | 8.1 | −2.1 |
| | Democratic Labour | Stephen Baggott | 107 | 3.8 | +0.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chris Cockayne | 81 | 2.9 | −6.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 14 | 0.5 | −4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,813 | 33.0 | −21.2 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Bloxwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sue Fletcher-Hall | 1,438 | 45.2 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Des Pitt | 1,360 | 42.8 | +2.1 |
| | Democratic Labour | Michael Ross | 234 | 7.4 | +7.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jeanette Pearce | 146 | 4.6 | −5.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 78 | 2.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,178 | 33.3 | −26.1 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Brownhills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara Cassidy | 1,758 | 52.8 | +16.1 |
| | Conservative | Vivienne Aston | 1,279 | 38.4 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Ryan | 219 | 6.6 | −10.5 |
| | Democratic Labour | Andrew Bradburn | 72 | 2.2 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 14.4 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,328 | 34.0 | −24.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Darlaston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Douglas James | 1,205 | 41.5 | +7.1 |
| | Independent | Chris Bott | 1,112 | 38.3 | +2.3 |
| | Conservative | Michelle Martin | 334 | 11.5 | −8.3 |
| | Independent | Ashley Lovell | 138 | 4.8 | +4.8 |
| | Green | Tim Martin | 114 | 3.9 | +3.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 3.2 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,903 | 31.2 | −22.3 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |
Paddock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barbara McCracken | 2,124 | 41.8 | −1.1 |
| | Labour | Nasar Ali | 1,795 | 35.3 | +7.5 |
| | Independent | Barry Sanders | 570 | 11.2 | +2.0 |
| | UKIP | Derek Bennett | 471 | 9.3 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Abdul Malik | 119 | 2.3 | −8.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 329 | 6.5 | −8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 5,079 | 52.8 | −18.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Palfrey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Allah Ditta | 3,008 | 60.2 | +10.0 |
| | Conservative | Mohammad Yasin | 1,755 | 35.1 | +4.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sadat Hussain | 235 | 4.7 | −14.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,253 | 25.1 | +5.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,998 | 48.4 | −15.7 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Pelsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marco Longhi | 2,085 | 57.3 | +11.4 |
| | Labour | Stephen Wade | 979 | 26.9 | +8.4 |
| | UKIP | Dorothy Sheath | 315 | 8.7 | +2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Shirley Balgobin | 185 | 5.1 | +5.1 |
| | Democratic Labour | Derek Roddy | 77 | 2.1 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,106 | 30.4 | +4.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,641 | 41.0 | −25.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Pheasey Park Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Bird | 1,782 | 48.3 | −1.8 |
| | Labour | Jack Kelly | 1,161 | 31.5 | +6.2 |
| | UKIP | Steven Grey | 429 | 11.6 | −1.6 |
| | English Democrat | Christopher Newey | 210 | 5.7 | +5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anne Willoughby | 104 | 2.8 | −8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 621 | 16.8 | −7.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,686 | 42.4 | −26.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Pleck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Khazar Hussain | 2,449 | 58.5 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | Mushtaq Ahmed | 767 | 18.3 | −13.3 |
| | Independent | Mark Dabbs | 475 | 11.3 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mohammed Yaqub | 331 | 7.9 | −6.4 |
| | Democratic Labour | Brian Powell | 166 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,682 | 40.2 | +30.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,188 | 43.8 | −16.3 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Rushall-Shelfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lorna Rattigan | 1,337 | 42.2 | −1.6 |
| | Labour | Richard Worrall | 1,309 | 41.3 | +14.3 |
| | UKIP | Timothy Melville | 273 | 8.6 | +0.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Roy Smitb | 159 | 5.0 | −12.8 |
| | Green | Mike Walters | 92 | 2.9 | −0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 28 | 0.9 | −15.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,170 | 35.5 | −24.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Short Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Barker | 924 | 31.3 | −6.9 |
| | Labour | Doug Cleaver | 813 | 27.5 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Theresa Smith | 805 | 27.2 | −1.5 |
| | UKIP | Darren Hazell | 287 | 9.7 | −1.0 |
| | Independent | Malcolm Moore | 77 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Leandra Gebrakedan | 49 | 1.7 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 111 | 3.8 | −5.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,955 | 32.9 | −26.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
St. Matthews :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eileen Russell | 1,984 | 47.2 | +11.4 |
| | Conservative | Gerry McCracken | 1,650 | 39.2 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Khosru Miah | 287 | 6.8 | −7.4 |
| | UKIP | Rita Oakley | 284 | 6.8 | +6.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 334 | 8.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,205 | 42.7 | −20.4 |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |
Streetly :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gary Clarke | 2,897 | 60.6 | +0.4 |
| | Labour | Steven King | 1,200 | 25.1 | +7.3 |
| | UKIP | Paul Valdmanis | 391 | 8.2 | +1.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | John Garfitt | 294 | 6.1 | −7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,697 | 35.5 | −6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,782 | 44.3 | −26.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Willenhall North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gareth Illmann-Walker | 1,012 | 30.9 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Hughes | 943 | 28.8 | −4.1 |
| | Conservative | Abi Pitt | 875 | 26.8 | −2.0 |
| | UKIP | Liz Hazell | 440 | 13.5 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 69 | 2.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,270 | 34.6 | −27.1 |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Willenhall South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Carl Creaney | 1,999 | 63.1 | +18.0 |
| | Conservative | Clive Rudd | 926 | 29.2 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Uppal Singh | 242 | 7.6 | −15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,073 | 33.9 | +18.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,167 | 29.7 | −24.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |