Local election results for North Solihull

TWO seats changed hands in North Solihull during one of the most dramatic election days the borough has seen for several years.

In Castle Bromwich, the Greens once again claimed victory after defeating the Conservatives for the second year running.

And in nearby Kingshurst & Fordbridge, Labour edged the Tories in a fight to win a seat previously held by an independent councillor. The gain means they have an all-red ward in Solihull for the first time in several years.

However, the party is failing to make in-roads into neighbouring Chelmsley Wood and Smith's Wood, former heartlands where the Greens now dominate.

This year the sitting councillors were once elected with thumping majorities, in Chelmsley Karl Macnaughton secured more than 80 per cent of the vote and it is thought to be the safest Green seat in the country.

In Bickenhill there had been rumours early on that Coun Bob Sleigh could face a battle to hold on in a seat he has held for some 20 years.

As it was, the Marston Green man - who announced last month that he was standing down as Leader of the Council - was re-elected.

It remains to be seen if he will sit as a backbencher or be offered a more senior role in his successor's cabinet.

Across the borough as a whole the ruling Conservative group suffered losses at the hands of both the Greens and Lib Dems and have seen their majority reduced to one.

A backlash over Brexit was blamed for many Tory voters choosing to stop at home or switching allegiance to other parties.

Coun James Burn, leader of the official opposition, was delighted by the gains which briefly made the Green group the largest in the country - it was overtaken by Brighton when results were declared there a few hours later.

He said the party had benefited from events nationally but believed there was also frustration locally about the Tories' handling of the environment and inequality.

"Solihull is one of the most unequal boroughs in the entire country ... I think people are saying 'actually this is getting embarrassing now and it needs to be addressed'."

Coun Ian Courts, deputy leader of the Conservative group, admitted it wasn't the group's "greatest night".

"Nationally the party is defending a very strong position [from results four years ago], so locally and nationally inevitably things may happen."

But he defended the party's record locally, saying that the council had a good reputation for delivering services and suggesting that anger was born out of events nationally.

Turn-out across the borough as a whole was around 30 per cent, but far lower in many wards in the north.

Bickenhill (inc Marston Green) - CON HOLD

Trevor Barker (Green) - 380

Reece Colley (Lib Dem) - 185

Bob Sleigh (Con) - 1537

Nick Stephens (Lab) - 506

Castle Bromwich - GREEN GAIN

Matt Bond (Lab) - 135

Steve Caudwell (Green) - 1971

Gail Sleigh (Con) - 903

Chelmsley Wood - GREEN HOLD

Karl Macnaughton (Green) 1622

Hazel Dawkins (Lab) 221

David Skelding (Con) 98

Kingshurst & Fordbridge - LABOUR GAIN

Eleanor Aldworth (Green) 352

Marcus Brain (Lab) 616

Alan Feeney (Con) 575

Smith’s Wood - GREEN HOLD

Adrian Duffen (Ind) 103

Bill Lloyd (Lab) 226

Mark Wilson (Green) 1070

Angus Young (Con) 128