2022 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2022 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2022 to elect members of Walsall Council. This was on the same day as other local elections. 21 of the 60 seats were up for election, with 1 ward (Willenhall South) electing 2 councillors.[1]

2022 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election

← 2021 5 May 2022 2023 →

21 of 60 seats on Walsall Council
31 seats needed for a majority
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Mike Bird Aftab Nawaz n/a
Party Conservative Labour Independent
Seats before 37 19 2
Seats after 38 20 2
Seat change Steady Increase1 Steady

Winner of each seat at the 2022 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election

Leader before election

Mike Bird
Conservative

Leader after election

Mike Bird
Conservative

Background

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Since its creation in 1974, Walsall has varied between the Conservatives and Labour. Between 1973 and 2004, Walsall had been under Labour control from 1973 to 1976, 1980 to 1982, 1988 to 1992, 1995 to 1996, and 1999 to 2000.[2] It was then under Conservative control between 2004 and 2011, before reverting to no overall control and being retaken by the Conservatives in 2019.[3] In the 2021 elections, the Conservatives gained 5 seats with 54.1% of the vote, Labour lost 3 with 36.3%, and the Liberal Democrats lost their 2 seats on the council with 2.5%.

The seats up for election this year were last elected in 2018. In that election, the Conservatives gained 5 seats, Labour lost 2, and UKIP lost their 3 seats on the council.[4]

Previous council composition

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After 2021 election Before 2022 election[5] After 2022 election
Party Seats Party Seats Party Seats
Conservative 36 Conservative 37 Conservative 38
Labour 22 Labour 19 Labour 20
Independent 2 Independent 2 Independent 2

Changes:

  • May 2021: Douglas James leaves Labour to sit as an independent[6]
  • July 2021: Harbans Sarohi (Labour) dies; by-election held in December, but winner unable to take seat[7][8]
  • December 2021: Sean Coughlan (Labour) resigns; seat left vacant until 2022 elections[9]

Results

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2022 Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party This election Full council This election
Seats Net Seats % Other Total Total % Votes Votes % +/−
  Conservative 13   1 61.9 25 38 63.3 23,472 44 -10.1
  Labour 8   1 38.1 13 21 35.0 23,712 44.6 +8.2
  Independent 0   0.0 2 2 3.3 2,720 5.1 +3.9
  Liberal Democrats 0   0.0 0 0 0.0 2,994 5.6 +3.1
  Reform UK 0   0.0 0 0 0.0 434 0.8 -0.4

Results by ward

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An asterisk indicates an incumbent councillor.

Aldridge Central and South

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Aldridge Central and South[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Bobby Bains 2,365 68.16 −8.12
Labour Kathryn Smith 1,105 31.84 +17.71
Majority 1,260 36.31
Turnout 3,470
Conservative hold Swing

Aldridge North and Walsall Wood

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Aldridge North and Walsall Wood[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Anthony Harris* 1,690 63.65 −7.88
Labour Michael Bruce 965 36.35 +17.58
Majority 725 27.31
Turnout 2,655
Conservative hold Swing

Bentley and Darlaston North

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Bentley and Darlaston North[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Rose Burley* 1,264 57.59 +1.36
Conservative Mohammed Saghir 553 25.19 −18.58
Independent Sharon Felton 378 17.22 New
Majority 711 32.39
Turnout 2,195
Labour hold Swing

Birchills Leamore

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Birchills Leamore[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Tina Jukes 1,175 53.43 +17.04
Conservative Amy Read 868 39.47 −14.98
Reform UK Elaine Williams 156 7.09 +3.69
Majority 307 13.96
Turnout 2,199
Labour hold Swing

Blakenall

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Blakenall[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Izzy Hussain 809 38.12 +13.1
Labour Matt Ward 692 32.61 −4.57
Independent Dave Taylor 621 29.26 New
Majority 117 5.51
Turnout 2,122
Conservative gain from Labour Swing

Bloxwich East

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Bloxwich East[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Mark Statham* 1,205 60.07 −0.46
Labour Adam Mohammed 660 32.90 −6.57
Liberal Democrats Ben Hodges 141 7.03 New
Majority 545 27.17
Turnout 2,006
Conservative hold Swing

Bloxwich West

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Bloxwich West[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Louise Harrison* 1,499 58.58 −8.3
Labour Michael Coulson 1,060 41.42 +15.62
Majority 439 17.16
Turnout 2,559
Conservative hold Swing

Brownhills

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Brownhills[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative John Murray 1,206 49.00 −6.00
Labour Emma Morgan 990 40.23 +5.93
Independent Lee Chapman 265 10.77 New
Majority 216 8.78
Turnout 2,461
Conservative hold Swing

Darlaston South

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Darlaston South[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Paul Bott* 1,686 78.90 +15.2
Conservative Manju Gill 451 21.10 −15.2
Majority 1,235 57.79
Turnout 2,137
Labour hold Swing

Paddock

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Paddock[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Gurmeet Singh Sohal* 1,638 45.99 −6.61
Labour Rishi Sharma 1,523 42.76 +0.66
Liberal Democrats Daniel Barker 401 11.26 New
Majority 115 3.23
Turnout 3,562
Conservative hold Swing

Palfrey

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Palfrey[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Shakila Hussain 2,101 53.80 −12.00
Independent Shamim Ahmed 1,191 30.50 New
Conservative Moz Khan 613 15.70 −18.50
Majority 910 23.30
Turnout 3,905
Labour hold Swing

Pelsall

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Pelsall[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Edward Lee* 1,707 64.05 −10.75
Labour Patti Lane 680 25.52 +7.92
Reform UK Graham Eardley 278 10.43 +6.83
Majority 1,027 38.54
Turnout 2,665
Conservative hold Swing

Pheasey Park Farm

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Pheasey Park Farm[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Chris Towe* 1,461 57.93 −13.17
Labour Hannah Jones 881 34.93 +13.53
Liberal Democrats Matthew Barker 180 7.14 +3.84
Majority 580 23.00
Turnout 2,522
Conservative hold Swing

Pleck

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Pleck[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Ram Mehmi 1,739 73.56 −1.24
Conservative Leyoh Goodall 625 26.44 +1.24
Majority 1,114 47.12
Turnout 2,364
Labour hold Swing

Rushall-Shelfield

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Rushall-Shelfield[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Vera Waters* 1,280 48.87 +5.37
Labour David Morgan 1,074 41.01 −9.09
Independent Jade Davies 265 10.12 New
Majority 206 7.87
Turnout 2,619
Conservative hold Swing

Short Heath

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Short Heath[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Amandeep Garcha 1,021 46.51 −7.59
Labour Simon Rollason 843 38.41 +16.81
Liberal Democrats Mohammed Yaqub 331 15.08 −9.22
Majority 178 8.11
Turnout 2,195
Conservative hold Swing

St. Matthews

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St. Matthews[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Aftab Nawaz* 2,268 62.39 +11.59
Conservative Vandana Sharma 1,064 29.27 −7.53
Liberal Democrats Roger Watts 303 8.34 New
Majority 1,204 33.12
Turnout 3,635
Labour hold Swing

Streetly

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Streetly[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Suky Samra* 1,944 58.55 −9.35
Liberal Democrats Jennifer Gray 717 21.60 +10.1
Labour Eileen Russell 659 19.85 +4.05
Majority 1,227 36.96
Turnout 3,320
Conservative hold Swing

Willenhall North

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Willenhall North[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative Rob Larden 986 41.64 −4.36
Labour Lee Jeavons 694 29.31 +7.41
Liberal Democrats Stuart Hodges 688 29.05 −0.75
Majority 292 12.33
Turnout 2,368
Conservative hold Swing

Willenhall South

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Willenhall South[10][11]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Simran Cheema 1,653 60.24 +6.7
Labour Connor Horton 1,462 53.28 −0.2
Conservative Poonam Gill 729 26.56 −15.1
Conservative Tony Sadler 677 24.67 −17.0
Liberal Democrats Angela Hodges 233 8.49 +3.7
Majority
Turnout 2,744
Labour hold Swing
Labour hold Swing

References

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  1. ^ "Election timetable in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  2. ^ "Walsall Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  3. ^ Coussins, Jordan (3 May 2019). "Walsall Council local elections 2019: Conservatives take control". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  4. ^ Leather, Harry. "Walsall local election results: Tory gains leave them in pole position". Express and Star. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  5. ^ "Your Councillors by Party". Walsall.gov. 8 April 2022. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Councillor Douglas James". Walsall.com. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  7. ^ Thandi, Gurdip. "'True gentleman' of Walsall politics – due to become mayor next year – dies suddenly". expressandstar.com. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  8. ^ Thandi, Gurdip (17 December 2021). "Candidate who couldn't win by-election WINS it and it's pointless". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  9. ^ Thandi, Gurdip (6 December 2021). "Ex-council boss quits after child sex offence charges". BirminghamLive. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  10. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t "STATEMENT OF PERSONS NOMINATED" (PDF). Walsall Council. Retrieved 9 April 2022.
  11. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t Rowe, Nathan (6 May 2022). "Walsall Council Conservatives reinforce control and take one seat from Labour". Express and Star. Retrieved 7 May 2022.