# 2024 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2024 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 2 May 2024 to elect members of Walsall Council in the West Midlands. This was on the same day as other local elections. 20 of the 60 seats were up for election.

## Background

Since its creation in 1974, Walsall has varied between the Conservatives and Labour. Between 1973 and 2004, Walsall had been under Labour control from 1973 to 1976, 1980 to 1982, 1988 to 1992, 1995 to 1996, and 1999 to 2000. It was then under Conservative control between 2004 and 2011, before reverting to no overall control and being retaken by the Conservatives in 2019. In the 2023 elections, the Conservatives retained all 13 seats up for election, receiving 46.1% of the vote, Labour gained 1 seat with 40.9%, and the Liberal Democrats received 4.7%. Despite only standing in 9 of the 20 wards, Reform UK received 3.1%, performing best in Birchills-Leamore, where they received 12.6% of the vote.
The seats up for election this year were last elected in 2021. In that election, the Conservatives gained 5 seats with 54% of the vote, and Labour lost 3 seats with 36%.

### Predictions

YouGov released an MRP poll, conducted between 14-29 April 2024. Their findings are expecting "significant" labour gains across the country. YouGov expect this to be replicated in Walsall. Their poll has the Conservative Party on 36.1%, Labour on 41.9% and Reform UK on 13.2%.

## Previous council composition

| After 2023 election | After 2023 election | After 2023 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | Before 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election | After 2024 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Conservative | 38 | | Conservative | 37 | | Conservative | 37 |
| | Labour | 20 | | Labour | 12 | | Labour | 14 |
| | Independent | 2 | | Independent | 10 | | Independent | 9 |
Changes 2023–2024:
* November 2023: Hajran Bashir, Sabina Ditta, Naheed Gultasib, Farhana Hassan, Khizar Hussain, Saiqa Nasreen, Aftab Nawaz, and Abdus Nazir leave Labour to sit as independents

## Summary

The Conservatives retained their majority on the council. Less than a week after the election the Conservative leader of the council, Mike Bird, was suspended from the party. He has subsequently resigned and was replaced as leader by Garry Perry at a council meeting on 3 June 2024.

### Election result

2024 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Conservative | 12 | | 60.0 | 25 | 37 | 61.7 | 21,750 | 37.1 | –9.0 |
| | Labour | 5 | 2 | 25.0 | 9 | 14 | 23.3 | 20,240 | 34.5 | –6.4 |
| | Independent | 3 | 2 | 15.0 | 6 | 9 | 15.0 | 7,618 | 13.0 | +10.4 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 5,171 | 8.8 | +5.7 |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,935 | 3.3 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1,887 | 3.2 | –1.5 |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 101 | 0.2 | N/A |

## Ward results
### Aldridge Central and South

Aldridge Central and South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tim Wilson | 2,268 | 59.9 | –1.3 |
| | Labour | James Harrison | 926 | 24.5 | +0.8 |
| | Reform UK | Irene Henery | 378 | 10.0 | +4.1 |
| | Green | Guan Chan | 214 | 5.7 | –2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,342 | 35.4 | –2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,786 | 35.2 | +7.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,824 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.1 | |

### Aldridge North and Walsall Wood

Aldridge North and Walsall Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keith Sears | 1,399 | 51.2 | –2.3 |
| | Labour | Dean Margetts | 696 | 25.5 | –5.9 |
| | Reform UK | Lesley Lynch | 428 | 15.7 | +6.0 |
| | Green | Shaun McKenzie | 123 | 4.5 | –0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nigel Walker | 85 | 3.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 703 | 25.7 | +3.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,731 | 27.7 | +3.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,913 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.8 | |

### Bentley and Darlaston North

Bentley and Darlaston North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lucie Nahal | 952 | 36.4 | –22.0 |
| | Independent | Nahid Ahmed | 788 | 30.1 | +8.8 |
| | Reform UK | Stuart Chapman | 414 | 15.8 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Kyra Murphy | 389 | 14.9 | –3.1 |
| | Independent | Abul Kalam | 75 | 2.9 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 6.3 | –30.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,618 | 27.3 | +7.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,651 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 15.4 | |

### Birchills-Leamore

Birchills-Leamore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Amo Hussain* | 1,089 | 40.6 | –6.0 |
| | Labour | Elliot Pfebve | 936 | 34.9 | –5.7 |
| | Reform UK | Elaine Williams | 406 | 15.1 | +2.5 |
| | Green | Toyin Oshaniwa | 165 | 6.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Paul Wild | 89 | 3.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 153 | 5.7 | –0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,685 | 25.1 | +2.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,794 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.2 | |

### Blakenall

Blakenall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Peter Smith* | 971 | 42.6 | N/A |
| | Labour | Ian Robertson | 807 | 35.4 | –1.5 |
| | Reform UK | Peggy Coop | 230 | 10.1 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Ana-Maria Zinica | 206 | 9.0 | –18.4 |
| | Green | Andrea Maynard | 67 | 2.9 | +0.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 164 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,281 | 22.2 | +2.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,361 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Bloxwich East

Bloxwich East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gary Flint* | 843 | 40.9 | –10.0 |
| | Labour | Stephen Wade | 814 | 39.5 | +0.6 |
| | Reform UK | Sue Spencer | 338 | 16.4 | +11.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Angela Hodges | 66 | 3.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 29 | 1.4 | –10.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,061 | 23.4 | +2.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,875 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.3 | |

### Bloxwich West

Bloxwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Michael Coulson | 1,065 | 40.2 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Tony Sadla | 1,043 | 39.4 | –8.8 |
| | Reform UK | Nicky Barker | 474 | 17.9 | +10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Stuart Hodges | 66 | 2.5 | –0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 22 | 0.8 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,648 | 27.2 | +2.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,844 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | 5.0 | |

### Brownhills

Brownhills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kerry Murphy* | 1,056 | 44.0 | –8.6 |
| | Labour | Michael Bruce | 779 | 32.5 | –7.6 |
| | Reform UK | Joshua Dixon | 401 | 16.7 | N/A |
| | Independent | Karl Andrews | 162 | 6.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 277 | 11.5 | –1.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,398 | 25.0 | +3.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,649 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 0.5 | |

### Darlaston South

Darlaston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris Bott* | 1,612 | 65.7 | –8.9 |
| | Reform UK | Peter Burton | 380 | 15.5 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Owen Webster | 360 | 14.7 | –10.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Isaac Crosby | 103 | 4.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,232 | 50.2 | +0.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,455 | 23.0 | +6.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,829 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold | Labour hold |

### Paddock

Paddock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Nick Gandham* | 1,485 | 37.3 | –12.3 |
| | Labour | Bob Thomas | 1,085 | 27.3 | –6.9 |
| | Independent | Ghulam Papu | 789 | 19.8 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dan Barker | 279 | 7.0 | –3.1 |
| | Reform UK | Peter Faultless | 187 | 4.7 | N/A |
| | Green | Gordon Shipley | 155 | 3.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 400 | 10.0 | –5.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,980 | 41.0 | +2.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,832 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 2.7 | |

### Palfrey

Palfrey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Sabina Ditta* | 2,134 | 48.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Zulkifi Ahmed | 1,044 | 23.7 | –26.8 |
| | Conservative | Shamim Ahmed | 693 | 15.7 | –24.3 |
| | Green | Sadat Hussain | 298 | 6.8 | +1.6 |
| | Reform UK | Dexter Williams | 240 | 5.4 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,090 | 24.7 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,409 | 40.1 | +8.7 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,086 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Pelsall

Pelsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Garry Perry* | 1,801 | 67.2 | +7.7 |
| | Labour | Robert Lipke | 510 | 19.0 | –2.8 |
| | Reform UK | Graham Eardley | 369 | 13.8 | +4.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,291 | 48.2 | +10.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,680 | 31.2 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,682 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 5.3 | |

### Pheasey Park Farm

Pheasey Park Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Adrian Andrew* | 1,614 | 61.0 | +4.0 |
| | Labour | Mark Bradley | 825 | 31.2 | –3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Barker | 208 | 7.9 | ±0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 789 | 28.8 | +7.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,647 | 30.9 | +6.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,655 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 3.9 | |

### Pleck

Pleck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Naheed Gultasib* | 1,459 | 39.4 | N/A |
| | Labour | Adam Mohammed | 1,323 | 35.8 | –40.8 |
| | Conservative | Akbar Ali | 557 | 15.1 | –7.3 |
| | Green | Mary Beddows | 260 | 7.0 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Jonathan Stanley | 101 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 136 | 3.6 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,700 | 36.0 | +13.3 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,430 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold | Independent hold |

### Rushall-Shelfield

Rushall-Shelfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jade Chapman | 1,068 | 41.8 | –11.3 |
| | Labour Co-op | David Morgan | 951 | 37.3 | –9.7 |
| | Reform UK | Pete Page | 351 | 13.8 | N/A |
| | Green | Joe Belcher | 182 | 7.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 117 | 4.5 | –1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,552 | 27.9 | +4.1 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,248 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Independent | Conservative gain from Independent | Swing | 0.8 | |

### Short Heath

Short Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Josh Whitehouse* | 1,093 | 46.8 | +4.2 |
| | Labour | Lee Jeavons | 922 | 39.5 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Chad Pitt | 322 | 13.8 | –4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 171 | 7.3 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,337 | 27.2 | +4.4 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,712 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.8 | |

### St Matthews

St Matthews :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Eileen Russell | 1,430 | 34.5 | –16.9 |
| | Independent | Mushtaq Ahmed | 1,240 | 29.9 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Vandana Sharma | 894 | 21.6 | –7.9 |
| | Green | Raja Akhtar | 296 | 7.1 | –5.3 |
| | Reform UK | Robin Perry | 287 | 6.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 190 | 4.6 | –17.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,147 | 37.2 | +7.8 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,230 | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent |

### Streetly

Streetly :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Keir Pedley* | 2,203 | 60.5 | –1.0 |
| | Labour | Harjinder Nahal | 801 | 22.0 | –3.4 |
| | Reform UK | Ruby Ki-Kydd | 288 | 7.9 | +4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kieran Smith | 176 | 4.8 | –4.9 |
| | Green | Alison Walters | 175 | 4.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,402 | 38.5 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,643 | 35.4 | +6.0 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,400 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 1.2 | |

### Willenhall North

Willenhall North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Stacie Elson* | 997 | 42.6 | –3.6 |
| | Labour | Tal Singh | 989 | 42.2 | +6.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Benjamin Hodges | 355 | 15.2 | –2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 8 | 0.4 | –9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,341 | 26.1 | +2.9 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,177 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | 4.9 | |

### Willenhall South

Willenhall South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Klara Margetts | 1,773 | 68.1 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Walter Eze | 692 | 26.6 | –0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leandra Gebrakedan | 138 | 5.3 | –4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,081 | 41.5 | +6.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,603 | 22.8 | +4.2 |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 11,669 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | 3.0 | |