2004 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2004 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 10 June 2004 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England. The whole council was up for election with boundary changes since the last election in 2003. The Conservative Party stayed in overall control of the council.[1]

Map of the results of the 2004 Solihull Council election. Conservatives in blue, Labour in red, Liberal Democrats in yellow and Independent in grey.

Campaign

During the lead up to the election the Labour Party suffered 2 defections. Firstly councillor Jim Ryan quit the party to sit as an independent after disagreements over policy.[2] He was then followed in May 2004 by Jeff Potts who defected to join the Conservatives and blamed infighting within the Labour Party for his decision.[2] Both councillors contested the election, Jim Ryan as an independent,[3] and Jeff Potts as a Conservative in Kingshurst and Fordbridge ward.[2]

The election saw the British National Party (BNP) contest 2 seats in Chelmsley Wood and Olton wards,[4] while the National Front contested Silhill ward.[5] The presence of these candidates led the leaders of each of the Conservative, Liberal Democrat and Labour parties on the council to condemn the policies of both the BNP and National Front.[5]

Election result

The results saw the Conservatives stay in control of the council but with their majority cut from 5 to 3 seats.[6] The Conservative dropped by 1 seat, while the Liberal Democrats became the next largest party on the council after gaining 5 seats.[6] Labour dropped by 5 seats, 3 of which could be put down to the boundary changes, while another seat was lost by Labour to the Conservatives in Kingshurst and Fordbridge.[6] The final Labour loss came in Bickenhill where former Labour councillor Jim Ryan was re-elected onto the council as an independent.[6] Overall turnout increased by 10% from 2003 to reach 39%.[6]

Solihull Local Election Result 2004[7][8]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Conservative 27 0 0 0 52.9 46.3 30,098 -12.6%
  Liberal Democrats 15 0 0 0 29.4 32.7 21,232 +10.1%
  Labour 8 0 0 0 15.7 15.6 10,116 -2.6%
  Independent 1 0 0 0 2.0 3.6 2,346 +3.6%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0.0 1.4 935 +1.4%
  National Front 0 0 0 0 0.0 0.4 287 +0.4%

This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections :

Party Previous council New council
Conservatives 28 27
Liberal Democrat 10 15
Labour 13 8
Independent 0 1
Total 51 51
Working majority  5   3 

Ward results
Bickenhill[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jim Ryan 2,346 48.5 N/A
Conservative Robert Sleigh 1,510 31.2 N/A
Conservative Alan Martin 1,472
Conservative James Williams 1,079
Labour Arthur Harper 554 11.4 N/A
Labour Ann Wood 464
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Wright 430 8.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats Jean Hamilton 413
Majority 836 17.3 N/A
Turnout 4,840 40.4 N/A
Independent win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Blythe[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Margaret Allen 1,720 46.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats Leonard Cresswell 1,664
Conservative Brian Burgess 1,605 43.4 N/A
Conservative David Skelding 1,589
Liberal Democrats Charles Robinson 1,555
Conservative Rosemary Worsley 1,553
Labour Shirley Young 376 10.2 N/A
Majority 115 3.1 N/A
Turnout 3,701 40.5 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Castle Bromwich[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative George Richards 2,603 64.5 N/A
Conservative Ian Hillas 2,133
Conservative Michael Robinson 2,074
Labour Kenneth Nye 796 19.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Daniell 639 15.8 N/A
Labour Patricia Harrop 636
Majority 1,807 44.7 N/A
Turnout 4,038 38.3 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Chelmsley Wood[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alfred Hill 1,051 40.1 N/A
Labour Michael Corser 871
Labour Nicholas Stephens 778
BNP George Morgan 679 25.9 N/A
Conservative Gail Sleigh 510 19.5 N/A
Conservative Martin McCarthy 487
Conservative Graham Juniper 484
Liberal Democrats John Scriven 380 14.5 N/A
Majority 372 14.2 N/A
Turnout 2,620 25.5 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Dorridge and Hockley Heath[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kenneth Meeson 2,889 59.2 N/A
Conservative Andrzej Mackiewicz 2,710
Conservative Ian Courts 2,533
Liberal Democrats Claire Berry 1,398 28.6 N/A
Labour Janet Fletcher 595 12.2 N/A
Majority 1,491 30.5 N/A
Turnout 4,882 47.6 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Elmdon[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Bramham 1,832 44.8 N/A
Liberal Democrats Barbara Harber 1,651 40.3 N/A
Conservative Kenneth Hawkins 1,642
Conservative James Wild 1,612
Liberal Democrats Nigel Dyer 1,553
Liberal Democrats Christine Reeves 1,519
Labour Frederick Churchill 609 14.9 N/A
Majority 181 4.4 N/A
Turnout 4,092 41.5 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Kingshurst and Fordbridge[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Kimberley 872 40.2 N/A
Labour Frederick Nash 840
Conservative Robert Hall 831 38.3 N/A
Labour Kenneth Harrop 811
Conservative Jeffrey Potts 775
Conservative Elspeth Martin 757
Liberal Democrats Christopher Hayes 468 21.5 N/A
Majority 41 1.9 N/A
Turnout 2,169 24.2 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Knowle[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative James Blake 2,617 61.6 N/A
Conservative Leslie Kyles 2,384
Conservative Diana Holl-Allen 2,370
Liberal Democrats Anthony Verduyn 1,050 24.7 N/A
Labour Alan Jacques 581 13.7 N/A
Majority 1,567 36.9 N/A
Turnout 4,248 44.8 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Lyndon[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Irene Chamberlain 2,319 58.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Olive Hogg 2,100
Liberal Democrats Robert Reeves 1,983
Conservative Theresa Tedd 1,143 28.8 N/A
Conservative David Williams 1,106
Conservative Shailesh Parekh 980
Labour Catherine Connan 506 12.7 N/A
Majority 1,176 29.6 N/A
Turnout 3,968 38.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Meriden[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Peter Lea 2,489 62.9 N/A
Conservative David Bell 2,182
Conservative Kenneth Allsopp 2,087
Liberal Democrats Mark Johnson 888 22.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats Peter Whitlock 759
Liberal Democrats Hugh McCredie 742
Labour Jonathan Maltman 581 14.7 N/A
Majority 1,601 40.4 N/A
Turnout 3,958 40.9 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Olton[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Honor Cox 2,209 51.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats Norman Davies 2,161
Liberal Democrats John Windmill 2,009
Conservative Charles Drayson 1,489 34.5 N/A
Conservative Peter Groom 1,375
Conservative Dipak Shah 1,033
Labour Gerald Dufficy 362 8.4 N/A
BNP Mark James 256 5.9 N/A
Majority 720 16.7 N/A
Turnout 4,316 45.1 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Shirley East[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats June Gandy 2,181 53.4 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Reeve 2,058
Liberal Democrats Ian Hedley 1,841
Conservative Neill Watts 1,540 37.7 N/A
Conservative Patricia Handslip 1,431
Conservative Joseph Tidesley 1,391
Labour Kevin Raven 360 8.8 N/A
Majority 641 15.7 N/A
Turnout 4,081 46.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Shirley South[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gary Allport 2,158 52.0 N/A
Conservative David Elsmore 1,999
Conservative John Hawkswood 1,922
Liberal Democrats Howard Knight 1,312 31.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Roger Gemmell 1,253
Liberal Democrats Ian Lynes 1,030
Labour James Burman 676 16.3 N/A
Majority 846 20.4 N/A
Turnout 4,146 40.4 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Shirley West[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Howard Allen 1,802 52.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Susan Reeve 1,753
Liberal Democrats Elsie Cotton 1,741
Conservative James Pike 1,315 38.4 N/A
Conservative Lee Watts 1,152
Conservative Jeffrey Stocks 1,119
Labour Rajeshwar Singh 308 9.0 N/A
Majority 487 14.2 N/A
Turnout 3,425 38.2 N/A
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Liberal Democrats win (new seat)
Silhill[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Susan Gomm 2,005 51.4 N/A
Conservative Peter Hogarth 1,944
Conservative Sheila Pittaway 1,846
Liberal Democrats Brenda Davies 1,158 29.7 N/A
Liberal Democrats John Knight 1,042
Liberal Democrats Douglas Hogg 976
Labour Una Kimberley 453 11.6 N/A
National Front Norman Tomkinson 287 7.3 N/A
Majority 847 21.7 N/A
Turnout 3,903 43.2 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Smith's Wood[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Hugh Hendry 1,014 47.1 N/A
Labour Graham Craig 1,004
Labour Donald Cornock 994
Conservative Daniel Kettle 713 33.1 N/A
Conservative Robert Jolley 544
Conservative Clive Nelson 537
Liberal Democrats Bernard Wright 427 19.8 N/A
Majority 301 14.0 N/A
Turnout 2,154 23.5 N/A
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
Labour win (new seat)
St Alphege[7]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Kathleen Wild 2,849 63.7 N/A
Conservative Jean Clark 2,799
Conservative Stuart Davis 2,664
Liberal Democrats Brenda Chapple 1,202 26.9 N/A
Liberal Democrats David Small 1,023
Liberal Democrats Andrew Hodgson 980
Labour Michelle Cluney 422 9.4 N/A
Majority 1,647 36.8 N/A
Turnout 4,473 44.6 N/A
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)
Conservative win (new seat)

By-elections between 2004 and 2006
St Alphege by-election 3 March 2005[9]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Theresa Tedd 1,760 49.4 -14.3
Liberal Democrats Christine Reeves 1,673 46.9 +20.0
Labour Janet Fletcher 133 3.7 -5.7
Majority 87 2.5 -34.3
Turnout 3,566 36.0 -8.6
Conservative hold Swing -17.1
Knowle by-election 15 September 2005[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Jefrey Potts 1,247 46.6 -15.0
Liberal Democrats Geoffrey Berry 1,232 46.0 +21.3
Green Christopher Williams 134 5.0 +5.0
Labour Ian McDonald 63 2.3 -11.4
Majority 15 0.6 -36.3
Turnout 2,676 32.8 -12.0
Conservative hold Swing -18.1

References
  1. "Solihull council". BBC News Online. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  2. Dale, Paul (12 May 2004). "Solihull councillor blames party in-fighting as he quits Labour to rejoin Tories". Birmingham Post. p. 5.
  3. Bell, David (8 June 2004). "Local council election nominations: Labour fears end of an era". Birmingham Mail. p. 30.
  4. Johnson, Steve (14 May 2004). "Row on BNP vote push; Party branded 'Nazis in sharp suits'". Birmingham Mail. p. 2.
  5. Jeys, Anna (15 May 2004). "Poll surprise for wealthy; NF candidate stands". Birmingham Mail. p. 12.
  6. "Election 2004: Tories stay in control to face new opposition". Birmingham Mail. 12 June 2004. p. 7.
  7. "Borough Council election" (PDF). Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council. Archived from the original (PDF) on 16 May 2011. Retrieved 14 December 2010.
  8. "Ballot box". The Times. 12 June 2004. p. 26.
  9. "Tories hold St Alphege by whisker". Birmingham Post. 5 March 2005. p. 4.
  10. "Tories slam Lib Dems after poll". Birmingham Post. 17 September 2005. p. 2.
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