Green and Labour gains in North Solihull

DEMOCRACY IN ACTION: The count gets underway at North Solihull
Sports Centre, with results tallied up for 17 different wards.

CASTLE Bromwich has elected its first Green Party councillor, after the Conservatives suffered a shock defeat at today's local elections.

The historic suburb is usually seen as a shoo-in for the Tories, but in this year's contest their majority collapsed and it was the Greens who won by a landslide. With 11 borough councillors, the Solihull group is now the party's joint largest in the UK.

Labour also celebrated after managing to avenge the loss of their group's leader four years ago, winning back Kingshurst & Fordbridge from UKIP.

Elsewhere, the Greens held both Chelmsley Wood and Smith's Wood, while the Conservatives strolled to victory in Bickenhill (the ward which includes Marston Green).

With the full set of results for 17 wards declared at North Solihull Sports Centre this afternoon, Solihull Council remains in Conservative hands - with the Tories having increased their majority by one.

The ruling group had managed to make gains at the expense of the Liberal Democrats, who lost two seats on the other side of the Coventry Road.

But the Tories were unable to fend off the Green challenge in Castle Bromwich, where the former Mayor, Mike Robinson, was ousted by Cheryl Buxton-Sait (pictured) - who had finished in last place two years ago.

Speaking after the result was announced, she said that members had fought a hard campaign and thanked local people for giving her their backing.

"I think the fact that for 18 months we were embedded in the community talking to people made all the difference," said Coun Buxton-Sait, who joined the party as a teenager.

Coun James Burn, the leader of the Green group, who was re-elected by a thumping majority in his own Chelmsley Wood seat, said he was delighted by this year's results.

He believed that the party's pledge to "listen to people's concerns" had struck a chord, although he confessed that he was surprised to have secured such a "stonking majority" in the traditional Tory stronghold.

"I think this is a wake-up call for the current administration," he said. 

Down the road in Kingshurst & Fordbridge, Labour was able to capitalise on the collapse in support for the UK Independence Party, chalking up their first council gain in the borough for a number of years.

Debbie Evans, who is the party's leader in Solihull, was forced into third place, as the vote ebbed away to her rivals.

The victor, David Cole, the chairman of the local parish council, said he had deliberately engaged with local issues. These included concerns about the doctor's surgery and cuts to the bus services - which he described as "just diabolical".

"I was worried people were not being represented so I started a year long campaign focused on these many, many issues," he said.

Leader of Solihull Council, Coun Bob Sleigh, said he believed that voters had endorsed the Conservatives' plan for growth and job creation in the borough and that his administration remained committed to keeping Solihull as an attractive place to live.

Acknowledging that the Greens had fought an effective campaign in Castle Bromwich, he said the onus would now be on the new councillor to deliver for the area and he was confident his party would "turn the tide."

Full results:

Bickenhill:

Stephen Caudwell (Green) - 172

Reece Colley (Lib Dems) - 115

Alison Rolf (Con) - 1571

Joe Wood (Lab) - 702

CON HOLD

Castle Bromwich:

Cheryl Buxton-Sait (Green) -  2254

Emma Chidler (Lab) - 319

Mike Robinson (Con) - 941

GREEN GAIN FROM CON

Chelmsley Wood:

James Burn (Green) - 1517

Hazel Dawkins (Lab) - 278

David Skelding (Con) - 152

GREEN HOLD

Kingshurst & Fordbridge:

David Cole (Lab) - 784

Debbie Evans (UKIP) - 225

Diane Howell (Con) - 575

Carol Linfield (Green) - 84

LAB GAIN FROM UKIP

Smith's Wood:

Adrian Duffen (UKIP) - 150

Ben Groom (Green) - 986

Lee Skinner (Lab) - 344

Angus Young (Con) - 174

GREEN HOLD