Birmingham election results 2022: Labour retains control of city council

Labour has retained control of Birmingham City Council.

All 101 seats were up for grabs across 69 wards at the largest metropolitan council in England.

Despite losing two councillors compared with 2018, Labour won 65 seats to keep its majority. The Conservatives lost three seats, but remain the second largest party, with 22 seats.

It comes as the Tories also maintained control of Solihull Council, despite losing two seats.

Earlier on Friday it had been confirmed Birmingham City Council's Labour leader Ian Ward had retained his Shard End seat.

He said he was "delighted" to be re-elected and has now held his seat for 27 years.

Speaking following the final result, Mr Ward said it was "swings and roundabouts" for Labour.

"We came into the campaign with 65 seats and come out of it with 65 seats," he said.

"The 2018 [election] was a high mark, so to repeat that is a great election result for Birmingham Labour.

"The Tories lost five seats to us, and in turn we lost four seats to the Lib Dems and one to the Greens."

Conservative group leader Robert Alden said he would take responsibility for any losses rather than seeking to blame Boris Johnson for the performance locally.

In Solihull, the Conservatives increased their majority by one seat, while the Green and Liberal Democrat parties each gained two.

Counting took place at North Solihull Sports Centre during Friday daytime and the result came just before 13:00 BST.

Overall turnout in Solihull was 33%, a decrease from 38% in 2021, with the political make-up now 28 Conservative, 14 Green, five Liberal Democrat and four Independent councillors.

Votes were cast for councillors in a third of the local authority's seats.

Among those contesting their seats was the Conservative leader of the council Ian Courts, who held his Dorridge and Hockley Heath ward.

He said: "We lost two out of our majority, so our majority has reduced, but it was very much following the national picture in terms of gains by the Liberals.

"By and large we held the council, it was a solid hold for us and I am very satisfied really with our performance in a mid-term situation and with everything going on, with the cost of living crisis and all of those things.

"I think we did as well as could be expected and perhaps better."

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