1998 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election

(1996 ←) United Kingdom 1998 United Kingdom local elections (→ 1999) 1998 UK local government election March 2020 March 2020 right|thumb|474px|Map of the results for the 1998 Solihull council election. The 1998 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 7 May 1998 to elect members of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council in the West Midlands, England. One third of the council was up for election and the council stayed under no overall control. Policy and politics: Local Elections: Analysis: Council poll results The Guardian 16 1998-05-09 "Solihull M. B. C. Election Results Sheet, 7 May 1998", Solihull M.B.C.(1998). https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/special/vote2012/council/E08000029.stm Vote 2012: Solihull 2013-01-26 BBC News Online Campaign Before the election the Conservative party held 17 seats, compared to 16 for Labour and 12 Liberal Democrats. Shirley in spotlight Birmingham Mail 25 1998-04-07 However the council was run by the Labour party who governed with an agreement with the Liberal Democrats. With the split in seats between the parties the council was expected to remain without any party having a majority with Labour defending 6 seats, compared to 5 for the Conservatives and 4 for the Liberal Democrats. Stephen Harrison Tories could unseat Labour at Solihull Voters across the West Midlands go to the polls in local elections next Thursday. Today, Local Government Correspondent Stephen Harrison looks at the fight for votes in Solihull and Coventry Birmingham Post 4 1998-05-01 Meanwhile, the independent candidates who were defending a seat in Shirley South and 2 seats in Shirley West ward were expected to come under pressure. During the campaign another independent councillor Trevor Eames, who was not defending a seat in the election, resigned from the council after being jailed for 7 years causing a by-election to be held later in the summer. Steve Swingler Eames: No appeal over verdict Birmingham Mail 13 1998-04-21 Election result The results saw all 3 independents who were defending seats defeated, reducing the number of Independent Ratepayers on the council to 2. Steve Swingler Backlash hits independents Birmingham Mail 7 1998-05-08 Labour gained 1 seat from the independents in Shirley West, while the Conservative took the other 2 in Shirley South and Shirley West. The Conservatives also won a seat from the Liberal Democrats in Packwood ward, with the former leader of the council Ken Meeson being returned to the council. Overall turnout in the election was 29%, varying between a high of 40% and a low of 15% in Smithswood ward. Chris Gray Voters and politicians are polls apart People once died to be able to vote. Chris Gray wonders why now they cannot even be bothered to walk to a polling booth. Birmingham Post 61 1998-05-09 Following the election the Conservatives elected a new group leader, Ted Richards, after the previous leader Ron Herd stepped down. Mohammed Ilyas New leader to help Tories reclaim borough Birmingham Post 4 1998-05-09 However, despite holding 20 seats, compared to 17 for Labour and 11 for the Liberal Democrats, the Conservatives remained in opposition, with Labour running the council with support from the Liberal Democrats. Tories look on bright side Birmingham Mail 14 1998-05-11 Solihull local election result 1998 Local Elections results The Times 46 1998-05-09 Conservative Party (UK) 8 3 0 +3 44.4 45.0 20,883 +7.9% Labour Party (UK) 7 1 0 +1 38.9 25.4 11,809 -1.5% Liberal Democrats (UK) 3 0 1 -1 16.7 23.3 10,831 -2.4% |- style="background-color:#F9F9F9" ! style="background-color: Independent (politician)" | | Independent Ratepayers & Residents | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 0 | align="right" | 2 | align="right" | -2 | align="right" | 0.0 | align="right" | 4.6 | align="right" | 2,132 | align="right" | -3.4% |- Independent (politician) 0 0 1 -1 0.0 1.7 767 +1.2% This result had the following consequences for the total number of seats on the council after the elections : Steve Swingler Damning verdict for Independents after Eames scandal Birmingham Mail 3 1998-05-08 PartyPrevious councilNew council Conservatives 17 20 Labour 16 17 Liberal Democrat 12 11 Independent Ratepayers & Residents 5 3 Independent 1 0 Total 51 51 Working majority #FFBF00 -17 darkgray #FFBF00 -11 darkgray Ward results Bickenhill Labour Party (UK) James Ryan 2,036 58.5 +21.4 Conservative Party (UK) Robert Sleigh 1,278 36.7 -11.6 Liberal Democrats (UK) D. Moore 167 4.8 -1.8 758 21.8 +10.6 3,481 35.3 +0.7 Labour Party (UK) +16.5 Castle Bromwich Conservative Party (UK) Beryll Kellie 1,717 62.1 +2.4 Labour Party (UK) Ann Wood 799 28.9 -2.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) John Knight 251 9.1 +0.1 918 33.2 +5.0 2,767 29.5 -8.1 Conservative Party (UK) +2.5 Chelmsley Wood Labour Party (UK) Robert Reed 883 69.6 -3.6 Conservative Party (UK) Graham Juniper 280 22.1 +3.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) Olive Hogg 105 8.3 +0.4 603 47.6 -6.8 1,268 16.6 -5.2 Labour Party (UK) -3.4 Elmdon Labour Party (UK) Sheila Brookes 1,431 51.0 -4.0 Conservative Party (UK) John Bramham 1,153 41.1 +4.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) Barbara Harber 221 7.9 -1.0 278 9.9 -8.9 2,805 36.1 -7.4 Labour Party (UK) -4.4 Fordbridge Labour Party (UK) Arthur Harper 618 68.4 -2.2 Conservative Party (UK) Neil Archer 209 23.1 +5.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) Bernard Wright 77 8.5 +1.5 409 45.2 -8.0 904 14.4 -6.6 Labour Party (UK) -4.0 Kingshurst Labour Party (UK) Jeffrey Potts 526 44.4 -20.9 Independent Residents Brian Carter 383 32.3 +32.3 Conservative Party (UK) D. Cleghorn 227 19.1 -7.0 Liberal Democrats (UK) Christopher Hayes 50 4.2 -4.4 143 12.1 -27.1 1,186 20.9 -5.0 Labour Party (UK) -26.6 Knowle Conservative Party (UK) Diana Holl-Allen 1,792 62.3 -1.4 Labour Party (UK) David George 635 22.1 +9.3 Liberal Democrats (UK) Brenda Chapple 448 15.6 -7.9 1,157 40.2 -0.1 2,875 32.4 -5.0 Conservative Party (UK) -5.3 Lyndon Liberal Democrats (UK) Norman Chapple 1,331 56.4 -1.6 Conservative Party (UK) Neill Watts 677 28.7 +6.3 Labour Party (UK) John Kimberley 351 14.9 -4.6 654 27.7 -7.9 2,359 30.3 -7.1 Conservative Party (UK) -3.9 Meriden Conservative Party (UK) Peter Lea 1,990 68.9 +31.0 Labour Party (UK) Kenneth Harrop 551 19.1 -3.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) Richard Morris 347 12.0 -0.6 1,439 49.8 +38.5 2,888 32.6 -8.6 Conservative Party (UK) +17.4 Olton Liberal Democrats (UK) John Windmill 1,710 51.9 -0.9 Conservative Party (UK) Donald Jones 1,145 34.8 -5.1 Labour Party (UK) Donald Bargery 283 8.6 +1.3 Independent Ratepayers David Bayliss 156 4.7 +4.7 565 17.1 +4.2 3,294 36.4 -6.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) +2.1 Packwood Conservative Party (UK) Kenneth Meeson 2,119 51.7 +5.2 Liberal Democrats (UK) Peter Lee 1,783 43.5 -4.8 Labour Party (UK) Frederick Nash 199 4.9 -0.4 336 8.2 +6.4 4,101 40.0 -3.9 Conservative Party (UK) Liberal Democrats (UK) +5.0 Shirley East Liberal Democrats (UK) Michael Southcombe 1,547 47.7 -2.0 Conservative Party (UK) Susan Rosten 1,240 38.2 +1.3 Labour Party (UK) James Burman 321 9.9 -3.5 Independent Ratepayers Robert Gill 135 4.2 +4.2 307 9.5 -3.3 3,243 35.1 -6.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) -1.6 Shirley South Conservative Party (UK) David Evans 1,444 40.5 +40.5 Independent Ratepayers Richard Jackson 1,114 31.3 -30.3 Labour Party (UK) Bernard McElholm 683 19.2 -3.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) Eric Widger 323 9.1 -6.4 330 9.3 -29.4 3,564 27.1 -2.9 |- style="background-color:#F6F6F6" ! style="background-color: Conservative Party (UK)" | | colspan="2" | Conservative gain from Independent Ratepayers | align="right" | Swing | align="right" | +35.4 |- Shirley West Conservative Party (UK) Richard Lewis 1,040 32.7 +32.7 Labour Party (UK) Peter Metcalfe 844 26.5 +0.1 Conservative Party (UK) Stuart Davis 822 Independent (politician) Brenda Otton 767 24.1 +24.1 Independent (politician) Jean Duddy 569 Labour Party (UK) Marcus Brain 541 Independent Ratepayers John Rogers 344 10.8 -52.0 Liberal Democrats (UK) Linda Whitlock 189 5.9 -4.9 196 6.2 -30.3 3,184 29.6 -2.5 Conservative Party (UK) Independent (politician) +16.2 |- style="background-color:#F6F6F6" ! style="background-color: Labour Party (UK)" | | colspan="2" | Labour gain from Independent Ratepayers | align="right" | Swing | align="right" | |- Silhill Conservative Party (UK) Sheila Pittaway 1,704 47.4 -0.5 Liberal Democrats (UK) David Puckering 1,504 41.8 +4.0 Labour Party (UK) Richard Sumner 389 10.8 -3.4 200 5.6 -4.5 3,597 36.6 -4.5 Conservative Party (UK) -2.2 Smith's Wood Labour Party (UK) Hugh Hendry 861 70.1 -3.8 Conservative Party (UK) Timothy Vernon 261 21.3 +3.8 Liberal Democrats (UK) Jennifer Wright 106 8.6 -0.1 600 48.9 -7.6 1,228 15.3 -7.3 Labour Party (UK) -3.8 St. Alphege Conservative Party (UK) Kathleen Wild 2,607 70.9 +7.3 Liberal Democrats (UK) J. Herbert 672 18.3 -5.4 Labour Party (UK) Arthur Brill 399 10.8 -1.9 1,935 52.6 +12.7 3,678 33.1 -5.4 Conservative Party (UK) +6.3 By-elections between 1998 and 1999 Shirley South by-election 16 July 1998 Steve Swingler Comeback for Otton ends in failure Birmingham Post 3 1998-07-17 Conservative Party (UK) James Boy 1,070 44.8 +4.3 Independent Ratepayer John Rogers 612 25.6 -5.7 Labour Party (UK) Bernard McElholm 437 18.3 -0.9 Liberal Democrats (UK) Eric Widger 176 7.4 -1.7 Democratic Reform Association Brenda Otton 92 3.8 +3.8 458 19.2 +9.9 2,387 17.7 -9.4 |- style="background-color:#F6F6F6" ! style="background-color: Conservative Party (UK)" | | colspan="2" | Conservative gain from Independent Ratepayers | align="right" | Swing | align="right" | +5.0 |- References Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election 1998 Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council election, 1998