'Just the start' says Labour's first Solihull councillor since 2021

Sam Greenway

3 May 2024 at 2:38 pm·2-min read

Labour's Hazel Dawkins won victory in the Kinghurst and Fordbridge ward in the local elections on May 2 returning a Labour councillor to Solihull council for the first time since 2021. -Credit:BBC/SamGreenwayLDR

Labour returned to Solihull Council for the first time in years after winning a seat at Thursday's local election. The announcement of Hazel Dawkins victory in the Kinghurst and Fordbridge ward was one of the first announced at the election count on Friday afternoon, (May 3).

It brought hugs and smiles for Labour supporters who have not seen their party have a seat on the council since they suffered defections in 2021. Coun Dawkins, who has lived in Solihull for 13 years, said: “I’m absolutely delighted with the result - I couldn’t have done it without my team.

“It reflects on the national picture. I think people have had enough. I’ve knocked on doors, people have said they have been really left behind.

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"Kingshurst and Fordbridge doesn’t deserve that. It deserves someone who stands up for them.” The victory was a success story for a party which enjoyed gains nationally ahead of a general election expected later this year.

“This is just the start,” Coun Dawkins said. “In 2026 there will also be all out council elections. We will look back what we did in Kinghurst and Fordbridge here and use that across other wards.”

In October 2021 David Cole joined the Tories and Marcus Brain going to the Greens which left Labour unrepresented on the council for the first time in decades.

A third of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s seats were up for grabs and going into polling day on Thursday, (May 2) - the Conservatives had 10 of the 17 seats available - the Greens having five and independents two. When the results were announced on Friday afternoon, (May 3), the Tories were celebrating holding seats in Meriden, Lyndon, St Alephege, Silhill, Shirley East, Dorridge and Hockley Heath, Blythe, Knowle and Castle Bromwich.

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