# 2007 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2007 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 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 stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Conservative 33
* Labour 18
* Liberal Democrats 6
* Independent 2
* Democratic Labour Party 1

## Background

After the last election in 2006 the Conservatives controlled the council with 34 seats, compared to 19 for Labour, 6 Liberal Democrats and 1 independent. However, in July 2006 2 Conservative councillors, Aqeel Aslam and Haqnawaz Khan of Pleck and St Matthews wards respectively, defected to Labour, leaving the Conservatives on 32 seats compared to 21 for Labour.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives gain 1 seat from Labour in Pleck, to move to 33 seats, and stay in control of the council. As well as the loss to the Conservatives, Labour lost a further 2 seats and so fell to 18 councillors. The other Labour losses came in Darlaston South, where independent Chris Bott gained the seat, and in Blakenall, where Peter Smith of the Democratic Labour Party, took the seat by 15 votes. Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats won 2 seats and stayed on 6 councillors.
Walsall Local Election Result 2007 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 12 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 60.0 | 41.1 | 26,455 | +1.8% |
| Labour | 4 | 0 | 3 | -3 | 20.0 | 29.3 | 18,845 | +2.1% |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10.0 | 11.9 | 7,689 | -2.2% |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.0 | 3.9 | 2,483 | +0.6% |
| Democratic Labour | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.0 | 2.8 | 1,818 | -0.1% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.5 | 3,567 | +1.0% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 2,123 | -4.2% |
| Respect | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.3 | 825 | +0.3% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.9 | 566 | +0.7% |

## Ward results

Aldridge Central and South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Rochelle | 2,310 | 55.7 | +1.1 |
| | UKIP | Tony Lenton | 775 | 18.7 | +18.7 |
| | Labour | Walter Burley | 625 | 15.1 | +2.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Dickins | 436 | 10.5 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,535 | 37.0 | −0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,146 | 38.9 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Aldridge North and Walsall Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mike Flower | 2,175 | 66.9 | +20.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mark Greveson | 548 | 16.9 | +7.2 |
| | Labour | Ian Pearson | 527 | 16.2 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,627 | 50.1 | +22.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,250 | 31.6 | −3.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Bentley and Darlaston North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Keith Chambers | 1,216 | 46.4 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Gurmeet Sohal | 876 | 33.4 | +4.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Pearce | 429 | 16.4 | −1.8 |
| | Democratic Labour | Alan Paddock | 100 | 3.8 | −2.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 340 | 13.0 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,621 | 29.0 | +1.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Birchills Leamore :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tim Oliver | 1,114 | 49.3 | +8.1 |
| | Conservative | Carol Rose | 684 | 30.3 | −8.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Wendy Evans | 290 | 12.8 | −0.4 |
| | Democratic Labour | Alan Davies | 173 | 7.7 | +0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 430 | 19.0 | +16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,261 | 24.4 | −2.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blakenall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Democratic Labour | Peter Smith | 921 | 38.8 | +4.4 |
| | Labour | Robert Robinson | 906 | 38.2 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | Hilda Derry | 343 | 14.5 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Louise Shires | 107 | 4.5 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Karl Macnaughton | 95 | 4.0 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 15 | 0.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,372 | 27.5 | −0.3 |
| | Democratic Labour gain from Labour | Democratic Labour gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Bloxwich East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Lesley Beeley | 1,063 | 41.8 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Robert Thomas | 767 | 30.2 | −10.4 |
| | Independent | Bill Smith | 365 | 14.4 | +14.4 |
| | UKIP | Alan Sheath | 191 | 7.5 | −3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jo Cameron | 105 | 4.1 | +0.1 |
| | Democratic Labour | Louise Bradburn | 52 | 2.0 | −2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 296 | 11.6 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,543 | 29.7 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Bloxwich West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Des Pitt | 1,358 | 43.9 | +6.3 |
| | Labour | Fred Westley | 1,157 | 37.4 | +6.8 |
| | UKIP | Anthony Bryan | 302 | 9.8 | +9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christine Cockayne | 176 | 5.7 | −0.9 |
| | Democratic Labour | David Church | 100 | 3.2 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 201 | 6.5 | −0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,093 | 31.7 | −2.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Brownhills :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara Cassidy | 1,181 | 39.0 | +4.7 |
| | Conservative | Vivienne Aston | 1,122 | 37.0 | +2.0 |
| | BNP | William Locke | 631 | 20.8 | +0.2 |
| | Democratic Labour | Geoffrey Macmanomy | 97 | 3.2 | +0.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 59 | 2.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,031 | 31.5 | +0.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Darlaston South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Chris Bott | 1,127 | 40.1 | −13.5 |
| | Labour | Rose Burley | 1,116 | 39.8 | +7.6 |
| | Conservative | Cerwyn Edwards | 365 | 13.0 | −1.2 |
| | Green | Tim Martin | 199 | 7.1 | +7.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 11 | 0.4 | −21.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,807 | 30.7 | +0.7 |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Paddock :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barry Sanders | 2,049 | 48.4 | +3.7 |
| | Labour | Baldev Mavi | 1,340 | 31.6 | +7.0 |
| | UKIP | Derek Bennett | 589 | 13.9 | −1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Muhammed Miah | 259 | 6.1 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 709 | 16.7 | −3.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,237 | 44.3 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Palfrey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mohammad Yasin | 1,649 | 38.2 | −0.2 |
| | Labour | Allah Ditta | 1,539 | 35.7 | −5.0 |
| | Respect | Arshad Kanwar | 617 | 14.3 | +4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Cullum | 507 | 11.8 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 110 | 2.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,312 | 41.4 | −0.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Pelsall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Marco Longhi | 1,649 | 43.8 | −0.8 |
| | Independent | Sim Mayou | 641 | 17.0 | +17.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Grant Williams | 391 | 10.4 | +10.4 |
| | BNP | Dominic Buglar | 358 | 9.5 | −9.2 |
| | Independent | Amanda Ryder | 350 | 9.3 | +9.3 |
| | Labour | Jack Kelly | 341 | 9.1 | +1.6 |
| | Democratic Labour | Derek Roddy | 32 | 0.9 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,008 | 26.8 | +9.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,762 | 41.8 | −0.4 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Pheasey Park Farm :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Michael Bird | 1,780 | 54.8 | +1.7 |
| | Labour | Douglas James | 679 | 20.9 | −0.2 |
| | UKIP | Steve Grey | 504 | 15.5 | −3.1 |
| | Green | Darren Smith | 144 | 4.4 | +4.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trudy Pearce | 141 | 4.3 | −3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,101 | 33.9 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,248 | 39.0 | −2.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Pleck :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Mushtaq Ahmed | 1,533 | 41.0 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Martin Evans | 1,497 | 40.0 | +3.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Norman Matthews | 452 | 12.1 | −3.1 |
| | UKIP | Rita Oakley | 202 | 5.4 | +5.4 |
| | Democratic Labour | Brian Powell | 58 | 1.5 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 1.0 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,742 | 38.5 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | | |
Rushall Shelfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Albert Griffiths | 1,304 | 42.3 | −0.8 |
| | Labour | Angus McGhee | 725 | 23.5 | +3.5 |
| | BNP | Julie Locke | 648 | 21.0 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Dickins | 310 | 10.0 | +1.2 |
| | Democratic Labour | Andrew Bradburn | 99 | 3.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 579 | 18.8 | +1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,086 | 34.0 | −1.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Short Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eileen Pitt | 1,220 | 43.9 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Chad Pitt | 741 | 26.6 | +5.0 |
| | BNP | Malcolm Moore | 486 | 17.5 | −4.6 |
| | Labour | Aftab Nawaz | 335 | 12.0 | −2.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 479 | 17.2 | −2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,782 | 30.9 | −0.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
St. Matthews :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Barbara McCracken | 1,516 | 39.4 | +2.1 |
| | Labour | Richard Worrall | 1,332 | 34.6 | +6.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Daniel Barker | 438 | 11.4 | −11.0 |
| | Respect | Martin Lynch | 208 | 5.4 | −1.3 |
| | UKIP | Tim Melville | 144 | 3.7 | −1.9 |
| | Green | Robert Bellin | 128 | 3.3 | +3.3 |
| | Democratic Labour | Jack Peate | 80 | 2.1 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 184 | 4.8 | −4.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,846 | 40.5 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Streetly :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gary Clarke | 2,780 | 70.8 | −9.6 |
| | Labour | Steven King | 686 | 17.5 | −2.1 |
| | UKIP | Dorothy Sheath | 461 | 11.7 | +11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,094 | 53.3 | −7.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,927 | 37.7 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Willnenhall North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Peter Hughes | 1,125 | 42.8 | −5.3 |
| | Conservative | Ann Ault | 583 | 22.2 | +5.2 |
| | Labour | Diane Coughlan | 519 | 19.8 | +3.9 |
| | UKIP | Elizabeth Hazell | 399 | 15.2 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 542 | 20.6 | −8.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,626 | 27.5 | −1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |
Willenhall South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Carl Creaney | 1,243 | 46.4 | +5.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nadia Fazal | 755 | 28.2 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Jason Pitt | 575 | 21.5 | −6.8 |
| | Democratic Labour | Stephanie Peart | 106 | 4.0 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 488 | 18.2 | +5.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,679 | 25.2 | −1.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |