2007 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2007 Sandwell Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 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.[1]

Map of the results of the 2007 Sandwell council election. Labour in red, Conservatives in blue and Liberal Democrats in yellow.

After the election, the composition of the council was

Campaign

Before the election Labour ran the council with 50 councillors, compared to 12 for the Conservatives, 5 Liberal Democrats, 4 British National Party and 1 independent.[3] Labour defended 19 of the seats being contested, with the other parties hoping to make gains from Labour.[4]

The British National Party put up 15 candidates, aiming to build on the 3 gains they had made in the 2006 election.[4] The party campaigned on immigration, housing and crime and were hoping to take all 3 seats in Princes End ward for the first time anywhere in the United Kingdom.[5] However the British National Party was accused of "distortion and lies" by Labour and the Conservatives described the British National Party's councillors as an "embarrassment".[5]

In the last couple of days before polling day, the council sent an advertising van around the area to remind voters about the election.[6]

Election result

The results saw the Labour party easily stay in control of the council, with the Labour leader of the council describing the results as "remarkable".[7] Labour gained one seat from the Conservatives in St Pauls ward to move to 51 seats after winning 20 of the seats contested.[8][9] The Conservatives also lost a seat in Yew Tree to the Liberal Democrats.[8] They meant both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats won 2 seats each in the election,[9] with the Conservatives dropping to 10 seats and the Liberal Democrats going up to 6.[8]

The British National Party failed to win any seats, staying on 4 councillors,[10] coming closest to victory in Princes End where they were 20 votes behind Labour.[8] A further seat was vacant after independent councillor Alan Burkitt was automatically disqualified after having been given a suspended sentence.[11]

Sandwell Local Election Result 2007[12][13]
Party Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Labour 20 1 0 +1 83.3 45.1 34,616 +0.9%
  Conservative 2 0 2 -2 8.3 27.3 20,947 +0.2%
  Liberal Democrats 2 1 0 +1 8.3 11.2 8,639 -3.8%
  BNP 0 0 0 0 0 15.2 11,646 +2.8%
  Green 0 0 0 0 0 0.7 504 +0.3%
  Independent 0 0 0 0 0 0.5 379 -0.3%
  Red and Green Alliance Party 0 0 0 0 0 0.1 66 +0.1%

Ward results
Abbey[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Steven Elling 1,835 54.5 +5.6
Liberal Democrats David Nikel 810 24.0 +2.6
Conservative Ewart Johnson 725 21.5 -8.2
Majority 1,025 30.4 +11.2
Turnout 3,370
Labour hold Swing
Blackheath[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Robert Price 1,341 42.8 -1.4
Conservative Debbie Elwell 1,027 32.8 -13.7
BNP Ryan Brigdale 633 20.2 +20.2
Green Aldo Mussi 132 4.2 +4.2
Majority 314 10.0
Turnout 3,133
Labour hold Swing
Bristnall[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Mary Griffin 1,255 45.2 -4.7
Conservative Terry Grainger 1,149 41.3 +4.7
Liberal Democrats Sandra Berisford 375 13.5 +0.0
Majority 106 3.8 -9.6
Turnout 2,779
Labour hold Swing
Charlemont with Grove Vale[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anne Hughes 1,460 37.5 -11.1
Labour Ralph Perkins 970 24.9 +3.9
BNP Arthur Copson 788 20.3 +20.3
Liberal Democrats Martin Roebuck 671 17.3 -5.9
Majority 490 12.6 -12.8
Turnout 3,889
Conservative hold Swing
Cradley Heath and Old Hill[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ann Shackleton 1,483 45.1 -7.9
Conservative Alan Nugent 989 30.1 -16.9
BNP Martin Phillips 584 17.8 +17.8
Green Theresa Yates 230 7.0 +7.0
Majority 494 15.0 +9.1
Turnout 3,286
Labour hold Swing
Friar Park[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Joy Edis 1,168 41.7 -6.2
BNP Scott Dale 868 31.0 +31.0
Conservative Barry Nelson 620 22.1 -16.3
Liberal Democrats Dorothy Brayshaw 145 5.2 -8.5
Majority 300 10.7 +1.2
Turnout 2,801
Labour hold Swing
Great Barr with Yew Tree[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Keith Allcock 1,207 32.5 +1.0
Labour Steve Melia 955 25.7 +0.8
BNP Terry Lewin 807 21.7 -3.5
Conservative Margaret Macklin 747 20.1 +1.8
Majority 252 6.8 +0.5
Turnout 3,716
Liberal Democrats gain from Conservative Swing
Great Bridge[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Peter Allen 1,417 45.3 +6.6
BNP Jenny Howells 941 30.1 -15.0
Conservative Mac Beckley 528 16.9 +16.9
Independent Raymond Crawford 138 4.4 +4.4
Liberal Democrats Philip Roberts 104 3.3 -13.0
Majority 476 15.2
Turnout 3,128
Labour hold Swing
Greets Green and Lyng[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Gurchuran Sidhu 1,448 47.5 +1.0
BNP Gordon Howells 764 25.0 -2.5
Conservative Elaine Fitzpatrick 620 20.3 +3.8
Liberal Democrats Dot Jones 218 7.1 -1.4
Majority 684 22.4 +3.4
Turnout 3,050
Labour hold Swing
Hateley Heath[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Yvonne Davies 1,591 48.7 +3.6
BNP Alice Dale 964 29.5 -0.9
Conservative Stephanie Page 444 13.6 +2.4
Liberal Democrats Richard Mitchener 270 8.3 -5.0
Majority 627 19.2 +4.5
Turnout 3,269
Labour hold Swing
Langley[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Martin Prestidge 1,453 47.3 +7.5
Conservative Ronald Griffiths 729 23.7 -0.8
BNP David Howells 666 21.7 -5.9
Liberal Democrats Michael Allcock 226 7.4 -0.7
Majority 724 23.6 +11.4
Turnout 3,074
Labour hold Swing
Newton[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Martyn Smith 1,327 42.3 -0.6
Labour David Hosell 1,075 34.3 +0.6
Conservative Valerie Ward 733 23.4 +0.0
Majority 252 8.0 -1.2
Turnout 3,135
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
Oldbury[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Elaine Giles 2,041 64.4 -0.1
Conservative Abdul Qayyum 1,129 35.6 +8.4
Majority 912 28.8 -8.5
Turnout 3,170
Labour hold Swing
Old Warley[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Trevor Crumpton 1,572 45.8 +6.8
Conservative David Hadley 1,401 40.8 -2.9
Liberal Democrats Christopher Reed 462 13.4 -3.9
Majority 171 5.0
Turnout 3,435
Labour hold Swing
Princes End[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Raymond Howes 898 35.7 -4.8
BNP Karen Parkes 878 34.9 -8.6
Conservative Beatrice Owen 498 19.8 +3.8
Independent June Newell 241 9.6 +9.6
Majority 20 0.8
Turnout 2,515
Labour hold Swing
Rowley[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Barbara Price 1,511 52.1 -4.0
Conservative Chris Kelly 760 26.2 -17.7
BNP John Salvage 489 16.9 +16.9
Green Vicky Dunn 142 4.9 +4.9
Majority 751 25.9 +13.7
Turnout 2,902
Labour hold Swing
St Pauls[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Patricia Davies 2,378 60.8 +7.3
Conservative Nahim Rubani 1,534 39.2 +5.8
Majority 844 21.6 +1.5
Turnout 3,912
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
Smethwick[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Keith Davies 1,611 53.6 -8.1
Conservative Bhervinder Singh 810 26.9 +26.9
Liberal Democrats Roger Prior 587 19.5 -11.1
Majority 801 26.6 -4.5
Turnout 3,008
Labour hold Swing
Soho and Victoria[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Roger Horton 1,697 55.6 -9.5
Liberal Democrats Shamim Ahmed 982 32.2 +8.3
Conservative Victoria Barnett 305 10.0 +10.0
Red and Green Alliance Party Shari Temochin 66 2.2 +2.2
Majority 715 23.4 -18.2
Turnout 3,050
Labour hold Swing
Tipton Green[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Syeda Khatun 1,667 47.1 +11.4
BNP Steven Parkes 1,024 28.9 -4.7
Conservative Gaz Khan 581 16.4 -14.3
Liberal Democrats Ronald Hackett 266 7.5 +7.5
Majority 643 18.2 +16.1
Turnout 3,538
Labour hold Swing
Tividale[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour David Hinton 1,309 41.6 +5.6
BNP Sharon Butler 938 29.8 -7.2
Conservative Robert Lawrence 567 18.0 +0.5
Liberal Democrats Diane Gorton 333 10.6 +1.0
Majority 371 11.8
Turnout 3,147
Labour hold Swing
Wednesbury North[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Elaine Costigan 1,559 55.9 -5.7
Labour Tony Mallam 726 26.0 -0.5
BNP Derrick Dale 504 18.1 +18.1
Majority 833 29.9 -5.2
Turnout 2,789
Conservative hold Swing
Wednesbury South[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour George Turton 1,365 40.7 +1.3
Conservative Michael Middleton 996 29.7 +3.9
BNP Mark Paskin 798 23.8 -4.0
Liberal Democrats Bob Smith 198 5.9 -1.1
Majority 369 11.0 -0.6
Turnout 3,357
Labour hold Swing
West Bromwich Central[12][14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Bawa Dhallu 1,850 55.3 +1.2
Conservative Robert White 1,036 31.0 +17.4
Liberal Democrats Jarnail Sandhu 458 13.7 -18.6
Majority 814 24.3 +2.5
Turnout 3,344
Labour hold Swing

References
  1. "Sandwell". BBC News Online. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  2. "National: Elections 2007: Town and country go to the polls". The Guardian. 4 May 2007. p. 6.
  3. Johnson, Steve (5 April 2007). "It's your decision; Tories facing uphill struggle for power: Nominations May 3 elections". Birmingham Mail. p. 6.
  4. Williams, Dale; Deeley, Tony (2 May 2007). "Big battalions go for total victory; Local elections: Labour and Tories aim for clean sweep of town halls". Birmingham Mail. p. 23.
  5. Hardy, James (20 April 2007). "Are BNP set for Sandwell gains?". BBC News Online. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  6. "Roving reminder for voters". Birmingham Mail. 2 May 2007. p. 23.
  7. Deeley, Tony (4 May 2007). "Snub for BNP in elections". Birmingham Mail. p. 1.
  8. Deeley, Tony (4 May 2007). "Labour still on top; Election results round-up Sandwell:Bad night for Tories as controlling party gain seat". Birmingham Mail. p. 29.
  9. "No change as two councils declare". BBC News Online. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
  10. "BNP fails to turn votes into seats". Evening Standard. 4 May 2007. p. 1.
  11. Deeley, Tony (10 May 2007). "June bid for by-election; West Bromwich: High hopes after shamed councillor sacked". Birmingham Mail. p. 24.
  12. "Sandwell". Local Elections Archive Project. Retrieved 26 February 2011.
  13. "Results". The Times. 5 May 2007. p. 83.
  14. "Local election results round-up". Express & Star. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 27 February 2011.
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