# 2011 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2011 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour Party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was:
* Labour 58
* Conservative 9
* Liberal Democrat 3
* Independent 1
* Independent Socialist 1

## Background

Labour defended 22 of the 24 seats which were contested in 2011, compared to 1 seat being defended each for the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats. Labour councillors defending seats included Elaine Costigan, who had defected from the Conservatives, and the deputy leader of the council Steve Eling.
The British National Party only contested 2 seats, compared to 17 when these seats were last contested in 2007 and a full slate in 2010. A new Traditional Conservative Party, led by the former Sandwell Conservative leader Tony Ward, also put up candidates. Ward had left the Conservatives after being deposed as leader in 2010.

## Election result

The results saw Labour maintain a majority on the council after making a gain of one seat from the Liberal Democrats. This meant Labour took 23 of the 24 seats contested and therefore had 58 of the 72 councillors. The only seat not won by Labour was held by the Conservatives in Charlemont with Grove Vale.
Sandwell Local Election Result 2011 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 23 | 1 | | 1 | 95.8 | 65.6 | 50,950 | 18.2 |
| Conservative | 1 | | | | 4.2 | 25.8 | 20,056 | 2.1 |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4.8 | 3,768 | 5.7 |
| Green | 0 | | | | 0 | 1.9 | 1,481 | 0.8 |
| BNP | 0 | | | | 0 | 0.8 | 616 | 10.7 |
| Sandwell Traditional Conservatives | 0 | | | | 0 | 0.5 | 413 | 0.5 |
| National Front | 0 | | | | 0 | 0.5 | 410 | 0.5 |

## Ward results

Abbey :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Steven Eling | 2,651 | 68.5 | 10.9 |
| | Conservative | Hughie Johnson | 696 | 18.0 | 6.3 |
| | Green | Barry Lim | 357 | 9.2 | 2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bryan Manley-Green | 166 | 4.3 | 4.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,955 | 50.5 | 17.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,870 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Blackheath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Robert Price | 1,880 | 58.6 | 17.3 |
| | Conservative | Debbie Elwell | 1,326 | 41.4 | 6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 554 | 17.3 | 11.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,206 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Bristnall :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lucy Cashmore | 2,003 | 66.5 | 20.4 |
| | Conservative | Chris Brown | 1,011 | 33.5 | 4.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 992 | 32.9 | 15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,014 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Charlemont with Grove Vale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Anne Hughes | 1,624 | 44.8 | 4.0 |
| | Labour | Liam Preece | 1,512 | 41.7 | 10.0 |
| | Green | Dell Macefield | 251 | 6.9 | 4.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Fisher | 242 | 6.7 | 8.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 112 | 3.1 | 6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,629 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Cradley Heath and Old Hill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ann Shackleton | 2,223 | 62.2 | 17.9 |
| | Conservative | Alan Bowler | 1,150 | 32.2 | 0.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Johns | 200 | 5.6 | 8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,073 | 30.0 | 18.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,573 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Friar Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joy Edis | 1,555 | 64.8 | 18.5 |
| | Conservative | Paul Farrington | 671 | 28.0 | 0.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mary Wilson | 172 | 7.2 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 884 | 36.9 | 17.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,398 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Great Barr with Yew Tree :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Shirley Hosell | 1,831 | 48.1 | 10.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Keith Allcock | 950 | 24.9 | 4.9 |
| | Conservative | Robert White | 629 | 16.5 | 6.2 |
| | BNP | Terry Lewin | 275 | 7.2 | 3.0 |
| | Sandwell Traditional Conservatives | Margaret Macklin | 125 | 3.3 | 3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 881 | 23.1 | 15.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,810 | | |
| | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Labour gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | | |
Great Bridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pete Allen | 1,928 | 73.8 | 33.5 |
| | Conservative | Steve Simcox | 686 | 26.2 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,242 | 47.5 | 29.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,614 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Greets Green and Lyng :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gurcharan Sidhu | 1,982 | 73.1 | 16.5 |
| | Conservative | Christine Vickers | 532 | 19.6 | 1.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Richard Mitchener | 197 | 7.3 | 2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,450 | 53.5 | 17.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,711 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Hateley Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pat Davies | 1,911 | 66.7 | 14.6 |
| | Conservative | Mark Cowles | 833 | 29.1 | 0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Dorothy Brayshaw | 121 | 4.2 | 4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,078 | 37.6 | 14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,865 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Langley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Yvonne Davies | 2,032 | 67.8 | 22.0 |
| | Conservative | Maria Jones | 966 | 32.2 | 2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,066 | 35.6 | 19.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,998 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Newton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | David Hosell | 1,787 | 49.6 | 15.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kay Allcock | 1,048 | 29.1 | 6.9 |
| | Conservative | Robert Fotzpatrick | 680 | 18.9 | 3.6 |
| | Sandwell Traditional Conservatives | Emma Monasch | 89 | 2.5 | 2.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 739 | 20.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,604 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Old Warley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Trevor Crumpton | 2,027 | 54.9 | 14.7 |
| | Conservative | Maurice Gaunt | 1,102 | 29.9 | 3.9 |
| | Sandwell Traditional Conservatives | John McHard | 199 | 5.4 | 5.4 |
| | Green | Aldo Mussi | 183 | 5.0 | 2.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bob Smith | 179 | 4.9 | 9.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 925 | 25.1 | 18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,690 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Oldbury :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elaine Giles | 2,729 | 81.5 | 15.6 |
| | Conservative | Edward Barnfield | 619 | 18.5 | 3.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,110 | 63.0 | 18.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,348 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Princes End :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Stephen Jones | 1,348 | 55.3 | 13.2 |
| | Conservative | Steve Downing | 750 | 30.8 | 0.6 |
| | BNP | Russ Green | 341 | 14.0 | 12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 598 | 24.5 | 13.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,439 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Rowley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barbara Price | 1,821 | 62.3 | 13.1 |
| | Conservative | Thomas Millward | 1,101 | 37.7 | 2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 720 | 24.6 | 11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,922 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Smethwick :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Keith Davies | 2,419 | 70.7 | 7.7 |
| | Conservative | Gurpeet Cheema | 664 | 19.4 | 5.5 |
| | Green | Neil Barlow | 339 | 9.9 | 9.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,755 | 51.3 | 13.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,422 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Soho and Victoria :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roger Horton | 3,201 | 90.8 | 23.5 |
| | Conservative | Altaf Ahmed | 324 | 9.2 | 3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,877 | 81.6 | 30.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,525 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
St Paul's :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Zahoor Ahmed | 3,123 | 81.9 | 29.8 |
| | Conservative | Nagi Singh | 691 | 18.1 | 3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,432 | 63.8 | 33.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,814 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tipton Green :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Syeda Khatun | 2,181 | 64.4 | 23.1 |
| | Conservative | Nathan Poole | 798 | 23.5 | 6.0 |
| | National Front | Ade Woodhouse | 410 | 12.1 | 12.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,383 | 40.8 | 29.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,389 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Tividale :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lorraine Ashman | 1,884 | 64.7 | 23.8 |
| | Conservative | Ben Elwell | 840 | 28.8 | 0.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joanne Arnold | 189 | 6.5 | 8.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,044 | 35.8 | 24.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,913 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wednesbury North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Elaine Costigan | 2,029 | 67.5 | 29.3 |
| | Conservative | Marc Lucock | 885 | 29.4 | 9.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Gareth Loveridge | 93 | 3.1 | 7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,144 | 38.1 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,007 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wednesbury South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Olwen Jones | 2,372 | 72.2 | 21.1 |
| | Conservative | Bash Hussain | 912 | 27.8 | 6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,460 | 44.5 | 27.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,284 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
West Bromwich Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bawa Dhallu | 2,521 | 69.1 | 11.0 |
| | Conservative | Jack Sabharwal | 566 | 15.5 | 2.5 |
| | Green | David Hawkins | 351 | 9.6 | 6.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Thomas Underhill | 211 | 5.8 | 8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,955 | 53.6 | 13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,649 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |