The Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025
The Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025 implements recommendations from the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, abolishing existing wards and creating 17 new ones in Solihull.
The order specifies the number of councillors for each ward, schedules elections for 2026 and subsequent years, and outlines the retirement process for existing councillors.
Changes also affect parish wards in Bickenhill & Marston Green, Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood, with new ward structures and councillor allocations detailed in Schedule 2.
The changes aim for fairer representation and more effective local government.
Arguments For
Improved Representation: The restructuring of wards aims to create fairer and more representative electoral boundaries, ensuring each councillor represents a similar-sized population. This is based on the recommendations of the independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which uses objective criteria for boundary delineation.
Enhanced Local Democracy: By adjusting boundaries, the reforms may increase engagement in local government and improve the connection between councilors and their constituents.
Efficiency and Effectiveness: The revised ward structure might optimize local government resource allocation and administrative functions which in turn can improve the quality of service delivery.
Legal Basis: The changes are implemented under the powers granted by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, upholding existing legal frameworks.
Arguments Against
Disruption to Existing Systems: The creation of new wards and changes to electoral schedules can cause confusion and require significant administrative effort for updates in voter registration, election management, and council processes.
Community Divisiveness: Redrawn boundaries may disrupt established communities of interest and lead to dissatisfaction among residents who prefer existing electoral arrangements.
Unintended Consequences: The exact impact of the new ward structure on local politics and representation may not be immediately apparent and might lead to unexpected outcomes, including unforeseen political imbalances.
Cost Implications: Implementing the changes involves costs associated with administrative tasks, public consultations, and updating electoral materials.
- Citation, commencement and extent (1) This Order may be cited as the Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025. (2) This article and article 2 come into force on the day after the day on which this Order is made. (3) Articles 3 and 4 come into force— (a) for purposes preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2025; (b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026. (4) Article 5 comes into force— (a) for purposes preliminary or relating to the election of councillors, on 15th October 2026; (b) for all other purposes, on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027. (5) This Order extends to England and Wales.
This section provides the order's title, effective dates, and geographical scope.
The Order's name is established as 'Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025'.
Articles 1 and 2 take effect immediately after it's enacted.
Articles 3 and 4 begin on October 15th, 2025, for preliminary purposes, and on the standard election day in 2026 otherwise. Article 5's commencement is similar, starting on October 15th, 2026, and the 2027 general election day.
The Order covers England and Wales.
- Interpretation (1) In this Order, “the Map” means the map marked “Map referred to in the Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025”, held by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England. (2) Where a boundary is showing on the Map as running along a road, railway line, footway, watercourse, or similar geographical feature, it is to be treated as running along the centre line of the feature.
This section defines terms. 'The Map' refers to a specific map held by the Local Government Boundary Commission that depicts the new ward boundaries.
If a boundary on the map follows a geographical feature (road, rail line, etc.), it's considered to run along the center of that feature.
- Wards of Solihull and number of councillors (1) The existing wards of Solihull are abolished. (2) Solihull is divided into the 17 wards listed in Schedule 1. (3) Each ward comprises the area identified on the Map by reference to the name of the ward. (4) The number of councillors to be elected for each ward is three.
Existing Solihull wards are abolished and replaced with 17 new wards as specified in Schedule 1.
Each ward's boundary is shown on the accompanying map.
Each new ward will have three elected councillors.
- Elections of Solihull (1) Elections of all councillors for each ward of Solihull are to be held simultaneously on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026. (2) The councillors holding office for any ward abolished by article 3(1) immediately before the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in 2026 are to retire on that fourth day, and the newly elected councillors are to come into office on that fourth day. (3) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2026— (a) one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2027; (b) one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2028; (c) one is to retire on the fourth day after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2030. (4) Of the councillors elected for a ward in 2026— (a) the first councillor for each ward to retire is to be the councillor elected by the smallest number of votes; and (b) the second councillor for each ward to retire is to be the councillor elected by the next smallest number of votes. (5) In the case of an equality of votes between any persons elected which makes it uncertain which of them is to retire in any year, the person to retire in that year is to be determined by lot. (6) If an election of councillors for any ward is not contested, the person to retire in each year is to be determined by lot. (7) An election to replace a councillor who is to retire under paragraph (3) is to be held on the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in the year in which the retirement is due to take place, and any newly elected councillor is to come into office on the fourth day after that day. (8) Where under this article any question is to be determined by lot, the lot is to be drawn at the next practicable meeting of the council after the question has arisen and the drawing is to be conducted under the direction of the person presiding at the meeting.
This section details the election process.
A full council election will occur in 2026.
Current councillors will retire immediately after the election.
For subsequent elections, councillors will retire in thirds (2027, 2028, 2030), with those who received the fewest votes retiring first.
In the case of tied votes, a lottery will determine the retiring councillor.
- Parish wards of the parishes of Bickenhill & Marston Green, Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood and number of councillors (1) The existing parish wards of the parishes of Bickenhill & Marston Green, Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood are abolished. (2) The parish of Bickenhill & Marston Green is divided into the 5 parish wards specified in the first column of table 1 in Schedule 2. (3) The parish of Kingshurst is divided into the 3 parish wards specified in the first column of table 2 in Schedule 2. (4) The parish of Smith’s Wood is divided into the 5 parish wards specified in the first column of table 3 in Schedule 2. (5) Each parish ward comprises the area identified on the Map by reference to the name of the parish ward. (6) The number of councillors to be elected for each parish ward is the number specified in relation to that parish ward in the second column of the relevant table in Schedule 2.
Existing parish wards in Bickenhill & Marston Green, Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood are abolished and replaced by new wards (detailed in Schedule 2).
The number of councillors for each new parish ward is also specified in Schedule 2.
Boundaries are defined on the map.
SCHEDULE 1 Wards of Solihull
- Balsall & Berkswell
- Blythe
- Castle Bromwich
- Chelmsley Wood
- Dorridge & Hockley Heath
- Elmdon
- Fordbridge
- Kingshurst & Smith’s Wood
- Knowle
- Lyndon
- Meriden & Arden
- Olton
- Shirley East & Sharmans Cross
- Shirley South
- Shirley West
- Silhill
- St Alphege with Monkspath & Hillfield
This schedule lists the 17 new wards created for Solihull.
SCHEDULE 2 Names of parish wards and number of councillors Table 1 Parish wards of the parish of Bickenhill & Marston Green (1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors Bickenhill 2 Blackfirs 1 Brooklands 2 Low Brook 2 Marston Green 5 Table 2 Parish wards of the parish of Kingshurst (1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors Cooks Lane 2 Kingshurst North 3 Kingshurst South 7 Table 3 Parish wards of the parish of Smith’s Wood and number of councillors (1) Name of parish ward (2) Number of councillors Bosworth 3 Buckingham Road 1 Burton 3 Chester 2 Smith’s Wood 3
This schedule provides a detailed breakdown of the new parish wards created in Bickenhill & Marston Green, Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood, including the number of councillors for each.