# 2008 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2008 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2008 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 gained overall control of the council from no overall control.

## Campaign

17 seats were contested in the election, with the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Labour and Green parties contesting every ward. The British National Party had 12 candidates, up from 5 in the 2007 election, the United Kingdom Independence Party stood 9 candidates and the sole Independent stood in St Alphege, having previously won a seat there in a 2005 by-election for the Conservatives. Among those standing were Jim Ryan, defending Bickenhill as a Conservative, having previously won it as an Independent after over twenty years of being a Labour councillor there, Howard Allen returned to the Liberal Democrats to defend his seat in Shirley West, after time as an Independent and Peter Hogarth in Silhill where he had lost his seat in 2007. Meanwhile, 2 councillors stood down at the election, Conservative Susan Gomm and Liberal Democrat June Gandy from Silhill and Shirley East wards respectively.
The Conservatives had lost their majority on the council at the 2007 election but continued to run it as a minority administration. During the campaign the Conservative party leader David Cameron visited Solihull, saying that the council was well run under the Conservatives and that they were hopeful of making gains. The Liberal Democrats criticised the record of the council on recycling, said they would create more activities for young people to take part in and called for the Liberal Democrats to be represented in the council's cabinet. Meanwhile, Labour said its councillors had a strong impact on the council and had been involved in getting the regeneration project for northern Solihull started.

## Election result

The results saw the Conservatives regain a majority on the council after making 2 gains. The Conservatives gained Kingshurst and Fordbridge from Labour and Blythe from the Liberal Democrats, while Jim Ryan was re-elected as a Conservative in Bickenhill. This meant the Conservatives took a 1-seat majority with 26 of the 51 councillors, although they did lose 1 seat to the Liberal Democrats in Elmdon.
Meanwhile, the Green party won a first seat on the council after winning Smith's Wood ward by 331 votes. The Green's Mike Sheridan defeated the Labour leader on the council, Hugh Hendry, who had been a councillor for 18 years. Sheridan thus became the first Green councillor in the West Midlands conurbation and one of only 4 in the whole Midlands, after a campaign that he said focused on regeneration and preserving green space.
Solihull Local Election Result 2008 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Conservative | 10 | 2 | 1 | +1 | 58.8 | 47.7 | 27,080 | +2.4% |
| Liberal Democrats | 5 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 29.4 | 27.4 | 15,576 | -6.2% |
| Labour | 1 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 5.9 | 8.0 | 4,532 | -1.8% |
| Green | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 5.9 | 4.7 | 2,651 | -0.4% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8.9 | 5,068 | +4.6% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.3 | 1,330 | +1.2% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 592 | +0.2% |
This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections :
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Conservatives | 25 | 26 |
| | Liberal Democrat | 18 | 18 |
| | Labour | 7 | 5 |
| | BNP | 1 | 1 |
| | Green | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 51 | 51 | 51 |
| Working majority | Working majority | -1 | 1 |

## Ward results

Bickenhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jim Ryan | 2,106 | 66.6 | +0.9 |
| | BNP | Patricia Allington | 419 | 13.2 | +13.2 |
| | Labour | Ian McDonald | 323 | 10.2 | −5.8 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brenda Davies | 187 | 5.9 | −4.3 |
| | Green | Alexander Hawkeswood | 128 | 4.0 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,687 | 53.3 | +3.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,163 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -6.1 | |
Blythe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Martin McCarthy | 1,714 | 48.3 | +6.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Maggie Allen | 1,647 | 46.4 | −3.7 |
| | Labour | Raj Singh | 112 | 3.2 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Moustafa Osman | 79 | 2.2 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 1.9 | −6.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,552 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Conservative gain from Liberal Democrats | Swing | +5.1 | |
Castle Bromwich :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ted Richards | 2,118 | 67.7 | +4.5 |
| | BNP | Marcus Higgins | 410 | 13.1 | +13.1 |
| | Labour | Kieran Dooley | 285 | 9.1 | +9.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Bull | 230 | 7.3 | −21.4 |
| | Green | Iain MacNaughton | 87 | 2.8 | −5.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,708 | 54.6 | +20.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,130 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -4.3 | |
Chelmsley Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alfred Hill | 698 | 32.4 | −6.5 |
| | Conservative | Gail Sleigh | 634 | 29.4 | +12.0 |
| | BNP | Andrew Terry | 565 | 26.2 | −4.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Bernard Wright | 139 | 6.5 | −0.9 |
| | Green | Ronnie Cashmore | 118 | 5.5 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 64 | 3.0 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,154 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.2 | |
Dorridge and Hockley Heath :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ken Meeson | 2,440 | 65.9 | −4.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Knight | 635 | 17.2 | +1.4 |
| | BNP | Andrew Taylor | 273 | 7.4 | +7.4 |
| | Green | Sara Stevens | 222 | 6.0 | −3.3 |
| | Labour | Irma Shaw | 131 | 3.5 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,805 | 48.8 | −6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,702 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.0 | |
Elmdon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glenis Slater | 1,596 | 40.4 | −7.9 |
| | Conservative | John Bramham | 1,375 | 34.8 | +0.9 |
| | BNP | George Rouse | 602 | 15.2 | +7.0 |
| | Labour | Lorraine Essex | 209 | 5.3 | −1.8 |
| | UKIP | David Hossell | 101 | 2.6 | +2.6 |
| | Green | Elaine Williams | 68 | 1.7 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 221 | 5.6 | −8.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,951 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative | Swing | -4.4 | |
Kingshurst and Fordbridge :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Debbie Evans | 749 | 37.2 | +7.4 |
| | Labour | John Kimberley | 606 | 30.1 | −2.2 |
| | BNP | Graham Pringle | 464 | 23.1 | −5.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jennifer Wright | 125 | 6.2 | +0.4 |
| | Green | Scott Rhodes | 67 | 3.3 | +0.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 143 | 7.1 | +4.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,011 | | |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +4.8 | |
Knowle :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Jeff Potts | 2,342 | 63.4 | −6.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Geoffrey Berry | 584 | 15.8 | −3.4 |
| | BNP | Frank O'Brien | 371 | 10.0 | +10.0 |
| | Green | Jane Holt | 179 | 4.8 | −3.0 |
| | Labour | Catherine Connan | 136 | 3.7 | +0.3 |
| | UKIP | Mark Penny | 83 | 2.2 | +2.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,758 | 47.6 | −2.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,695 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -1.3 | |
Lyndon :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Irene Chamberlain | 1,673 | 48.8 | −4.4 |
| | Conservative | Greg Goldingay | 895 | 26.1 | −0.6 |
| | BNP | Russell Phillips | 436 | 12.7 | +12.7 |
| | Labour | Margaret Brittin | 212 | 6.2 | −1.2 |
| | UKIP | Ray Mabbott | 128 | 3.7 | −3.0 |
| | Green | Frances Grice | 85 | 2.5 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 778 | 22.7 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,429 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -1.9 | |
Meriden :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Lea | 2,564 | 72.0 | +1.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ann Berry | 321 | 9.0 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Arthur Davis | 264 | 7.4 | −3.7 |
| | BNP | Wesley Jones | 237 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| | Green | Nigel Dyer | 176 | 4.9 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,243 | 63.0 | +5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,562 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 | |
Olton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Honor Cox | 1,938 | 53.8 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | Helen Eyre | 1,198 | 33.3 | +2.3 |
| | UKIP | Lydia Simpson | 180 | 5.0 | +5.0 |
| | Labour | Alan Jacques | 169 | 4.7 | +0.1 |
| | Green | Roger King | 114 | 3.2 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 740 | 20.6 | −8.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,599 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -4.3 | |
Shirley East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Rose | 1,522 | 44.3 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative | Mark Parker | 1,455 | 42.4 | +10.4 |
| | UKIP | Jayne Hall | 196 | 5.7 | +5.7 |
| | Labour | Kevin Raven | 183 | 5.3 | −0.6 |
| | Green | Olga Farooqui | 79 | 2.3 | −1.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 67 | 2.0 | −12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,435 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -6.4 | |
Shirley South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Gary Allport | 1,506 | 38.5 | +5.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Nick John | 1,449 | 37.0 | −10.1 |
| | BNP | Charles Shipman | 541 | 13.8 | +4.6 |
| | Labour | Shirley Young | 187 | 4.8 | −0.4 |
| | UKIP | Linda Brown | 170 | 4.3 | +2.5 |
| | Green | Angela Henery | 59 | 1.5 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 57 | 1.5 | −12.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,912 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +7.6 | |
Shirley West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Howard Allen | 1,424 | 43.9 | −6.1 |
| | Conservative | Dennis Eyre | 873 | 26.9 | −2.3 |
| | BNP | Tony Greenshields | 394 | 12.1 | +12.1 |
| | UKIP | Nikki Sinclaire | 276 | 8.5 | −1.3 |
| | Labour | Nick Stephens | 158 | 4.9 | −1.4 |
| | Green | Trevor Barker | 118 | 3.6 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 551 | 17.0 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,243 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | -1.9 | |
Silhill :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Peter Hogarth | 2,055 | 49.6 | +8.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Tony Dupont | 1,417 | 34.2 | −9.2 |
| | BNP | Alan Ashmore | 356 | 8.6 | −0.7 |
| | Labour | Janet Marsh | 175 | 4.2 | −1.1 |
| | Green | Clair Garbett | 74 | 1.8 | +0.5 |
| | UKIP | Christopher Boxall | 64 | 1.5 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 638 | 15.4 | +12.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,141 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +9.0 | |
Smith's Wood :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Green | Mike Sheridan | 881 | 45.2 | +36.6 |
| | Labour | Hugh Hendry | 550 | 28.2 | −19.8 |
| | Conservative | Jim Williams | 420 | 21.5 | −10.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Ludlow | 98 | 5.0 | −6.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 331 | 17.0 | +0.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,949 | | |
| | Green gain from Labour | Green gain from Labour | Swing | +28.2 | |
St. Alphege :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Kate Wild | 2,636 | 62.7 | −3.1 |
| | Independent | Theresa Tedd | 592 | 14.1 | +14.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Mamdoch Jalil | 591 | 14.1 | −9.1 |
| | Labour | Paul Tuxworth | 134 | 3.2 | −2.1 |
| | UKIP | David Faulkner | 132 | 3.1 | +3.1 |
| | Green | James Hepton | 117 | 2.8 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,044 | 48.6 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,202 | | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -8.6 | |