Acocks Green (ward)

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Acocks Green ward is an electoral ward in south-east Birmingham, England, and includes the districts of Acocks Green, Fox Hollies and Tyseley.

Ward history[]

The parish of Yardley was included within Birmingham County Borough from 1911. The Birmingham ward was created in 1911 from part of the parish (which also created Sparkhill and Yardley wards). The electorate steadily climbed from 4,972 in 1911 to 17,333 in 1939.

The boundary changes to wards of 1934, saw Acocks Green ward lose its western area to Sparkhill ward and its southern portion to a new created Hall Green ward.

After the war the electorate again jumped to 24,556 in 1945 and climbed again until in 1949 it stood at 26,242. In the boundary changed of 1949/1950 the area south of Warwick Road was lost to Fox Hollies ward, and additional areas in Hay Mills and South Yardley (the northern boundary was the Coventry Road) were added. This moved the area covered substantially northwards. In the 1950 election the electorate had reduced to 16,412.

By the 1961 election the electorate had reduced to 14,390 and so the boundary changes of 1961/1962 once again saw the ward expanding. It took a small triangle of territory from Fox Hollies, and expanded northwards from the Coventry Road to Hob Moor Road. The electorate at the 1962 election was up to 20,570.

A further expansion of the boundaries was required at the changes in 1981/1982, and resulted in the loss of the area around Greet in the west of the ward, but the addition of areas north of Hob Mooor Road and south of Blakesley Road. The electorate increased from 19,133 in 1981 to 21,125 in 1982.

The boundary changes in 2003/2004 resulted in major changes, which saw the abolition of Fox Hollies ward and the creation of a South Yardley ward. Acocks Green ward therefore moved south to take substantial electors from Fox Hollies ward south of the Warwick Road, and restored the Grand Union canal as the northern boundary.

Parliamentary Representation[]

The parish of Yardley was part of the Worcestershire Eastern Division from 1832 until 1918.

At the boundary changes for the 1918 election the parishes and its City Borough wards were incorporated within Birmingham constituencies. Acocks Green ward became part of Birmingham Moseley constituency in 1918, and the electorate steadily grew from 41,546 in 1918 until it reached 101,169 at the 1935 election.

In 1945 a small number of the very biggest constituencies were divided and Acocks Green joined Hall Green ward in the newly created Birmingham Acocks Green seat.

Birmingham Acocks Green constituency was short lived and in the wholesale boundary changes that preceded the 1950 election, the ward was joined by Fox Hollies and Yardley wards in a Birmingham Yardley seat.

Once again this seat only had a short life, although it remained as Birmingham Yardley the wards which made up the seat were changed for the 1955 election to Acocks Green, Sheldon and Yardley. This time the seat was more settled and was left alone at the changes for the 1974, 1983 and 1997 boundary changes.

In 2010 the seat was enlarged, following the loss of a Birmingham constituency, and included Stechford & Yardley North, together with the South Yardley and Sheldon wards.

Politics[]

From its creation Acocks Green ward was generally a Conservative (or Liberal Unionist) seat, but occasional gains by Independents disrupted the pattern during the 1920s.

In 1945 Labour won the seat (plus a by-election) to give it representation for the first time. However, in 1946 the Tories regained the seat, and held on to it until 1952, when Labour won again. The seat was now more marginal and Labour won in 1954, 1956, 1958, 1963 and 1971.

The all out elections of 1973 (for the new Birmingham Metropolitan Borough), produced, as may have been expected, a split result, with two Tories and one Labour councillor. The Tories won all the elections for the ward in the 1970s, but then lost to Labour in 1980.

The boundary changes prior to the 1982 election once again produced a split result, again two Tories and one Labour councillor. The redrawn seat and the general demographics of the city meant that the new ward was a better bet for Labour and they duly won all the elections, until the Conservatives' good year of 1987, but that was a one off and Labour once again won in 1988.

However everything was all about to change, and in 1990 the Liberal Democrats seized the seat. John Hemming, who was later to become the MP for the Yardley constituency, won for the first time. The Liberal Democrats had won the ward at every election until 2011, when it swung strongly back to Labour. Labour gained a second seat in 2012, but the Liberal Democrats held their remaining seat in the 2014 elections.

Election results[]

2000s[]

6 May 2010 Electorate 19,721
Turnout 53.0%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Iain Bowen 4,374 41.9%
Labour Stewart Stacey 3,400 32.5%
Conservative Joe Edginton 1,416 13.6%
BNP Carl Brisker 686 6.6%
Green (UK) Amanda Baker 280 2.7%
UKIP John Butler 233 2.2%
SDP Alan Ware 21 0.2%
Majority 974 9.4%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
1 May 2008 Electorate 19,437
Turnout 27.4%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Roger Harmer 2,743 51.5%
Labour John O'Shea 1,125 21.1%
BNP Tanya Whitehead 617 11.6%
Conservative Emma Mahay 598 11.2%
Majority 1,618 30.4%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
3 May 2007 Electorate
Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Penny Wagg 3,072 52.0%
Labour John O'Shea 1,452 24.6%
BNP Ben Lumby 536 9.1%
Conservative Hannah Axford 508 8.6%
Green (UK) Amanda Baker 258 4.4%
UKIP Peter Hillman 77 1.3%
Majority %
Labour gain from Liberal Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
4 May 2006 Electorate
Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Iain Bowen 2,607 43.0%
Labour John O'Shea 1,632 26.9%
BNP Patrick Collins 927 15.3%
Conservative Kenneth Axford 630 10.4%
Green (UK) Mina Coalter 261 4.3%
Majority %
Labour gain from Liberal Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
6 May 2004 Electorate
Turnout %,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Nicola Henry 3,519 %
Liberal Democrats Penelope Wagg 3,502 %
Liberal Democrats Francis Coyne 3,463 %
Labour John O'Shea 1,289 %
Labour Allen Samuel 1,234 %
Labour Suraiya Makhdoom 946 %
BNP Patrick Collins 892 %
Conservative Hilda Brien 620 %
Conservative Sarah Frankley 624 %
Green (UK) Richard Batsford 581 %
Conservative Ann Haston 524 %
Majority %
Labour gain from Liberal Swing
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
1 May 2003 Electorate 19,470
Turnout 27.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats J Whorwood 3,596 68.0%
Labour S Makhdoom 1,110 21.0%
Conservative E Lear 560 10.6%
Majority 2,486 47.0%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
2 May 2002 Electorate 19,706
Turnout 29.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Hemming 3,675 64.1%
Labour P Holbrook 1,501 26.2%
Conservative Alan Bluemnthal 501 8.7%
Majority 2,174 37.9%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
4 May 2000 Electorate 19,839
Turnout 25.6%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats D Osborn 2,820 55.5%
Labour B O'Brien 1,392 27.4%
Conservative B Roberts 849 16.7%
Majority 1,428 28.1%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing

1990s[]

6 May 1999 Electorate 19,913
Turnout 26.3%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats J Whorwood 2,694 51.4%
Labour B O'Brien 1,814 34.6%
Conservative B Roberts 699 13.3%
Majority 720 16.8%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
7 May 1998 Electorate 19,704
Turnout 26.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Hemming 3,146 61.2%
Labour B O'Brien 1,521 29.6%
Conservative J Hill 471 9.2%
Majority 1,625 31.6%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
2 May 1996 Electorate 19,797
Turnout 30.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Osborne 3,339 56.0%
Labour N Cunningham 1,873 31.4%
Conservative P Osborn 612 10.3%
Independent P Cartlidge 124 2.1%
Majority 1,466 24.6%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
4 May 1995 Electorate 19,821
Turnout 35.0%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats N Biddlestone 3,646 52.6%
Labour I Jamieson 2,476 35.7%
Conservative D Hopwood 752 10.8%
Majority 1,170 16.9%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
5 May 1994 Electorate 19,856
Turnout 43.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Hemming 4,917 57.5%
Labour I Jamieson 2,560 29.9%
Conservative D O'Hagan 1,003 11.7%
Majority 2,357 27.6%
Liberal Democrats hold Swing
7 May 1992 Electorate 20,056
Turnout 38.3%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats C Powell 3,064 39.9%
Conservative D Clarke 2,358 30.7%
Labour M Nangle 1,993 25.9%
Green (UK) G Grianger 101 1.3%
SDP M Hegarty 84 1.1%
Independent Labour M Ariss 67 0.9%
Majority 706 9.2%
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
2 May 1991 Electorate 20,266
Turnout 44.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats P Scholfield 5,017 55.1%
Labour Stan Yapp 2,243 24.7%
Conservative A Unitt 1,674 18.4%
Green (UK) P Gozra 149 1.6%
Majority 2,774 30.4%
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing
3 May 1990 Electorate 20,611
Turnout 49.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats John Hemming 4,197 40.8%
Labour P Haymeraj 3,890 37.8%
Conservative A Clarke 1,894 18.4%
Green (UK) S Higgens 305 3.0%
Majority 307 3.0%
Liberal Democrats gain from Labour Swing

1980s[]

5 May 1988 Electorate 20,624
Turnout 39.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M Nangle 4,223 52.2%
Conservative A Clarke 3,121 38.6%
SDP B Buggins 549 6.8%
Green (UK) J Bentley 197 2.4%
Majority 1,202 13.6%
Labour hold Swing
7 May 1987 Electorate 21,040
Turnout 44.5%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative P McAuley 3,644 38.9%
Labour B Acker 3,352 35.8%
Alliance C Powell 2,374 25.4%
Majority 292 3.1%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
1 May 1986 Electorate 20,971
Turnout 37.5%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour P Haymeraj 3,269 41.6%
Conservative D Best 2,512 31.9%
Alliance C Powell 2,092 26.6%
Majority 757 10.3%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
3 May 1984 Electorate 21,190
Turnout 41.7%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour M Nangle 4,271 48.3%
Conservative C Collett 3,458 39.1%
Alliance R de Havilland 1,102 12.5%
Majority 813 9.2%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
5 May 1983 Electorate 21,063
Turnout 44.0%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B Acker 4,186 45.2%
Conservative G Postles 3,996 43.1%
Alliance R de Havilland 1,058 11.4%
Majority 190 2.1%
Labour hold Swing
6 May 1982 Electorate 21,125
Turnout 38.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D Best 3,163 39.2%
Conservative C Collett 3,040 37.7%
Labour B Acker 2,977 36.9%
Labour G Bradnock 2,643 32.8%
Conservative G Postles 2,794 34.6%
Labour W Jarvis 2,449 30.3%
Alliance C Gray 1,763 21.8%
Alliance P Jones-Owen 1,686 20.9%
Alliance D Lawson 1,567 19.4%
Majority 520, %
Labour gain from Liberal Swing
Conservative hold Swing
1 May 1980 Electorate 19,133
Turnout 37.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B Acker 3,912 55.0%
Conservative L McCulloch 3,104 43.6%
National Front B McEwan 98 1.4%
Majority 808 11.4%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing

1970s[]

3 May 1979 Electorate 19,237
Turnout 70.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D Rose 6,917 50.7%
Labour B Acker 6,724 49.3%
Majority 193 1.4%
Conservative hold Swing
4 May 1978 Electorate 19,104
Turnout 37.7%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 3,795 52.6%
Labour B Acker 3,078 42.7%
National Front C Finch 297 4.1%
Independent P Tuey 39 0.5%
Majority 717 9.9%
Conservative hold Swing
6 May 1976 Electorate 19,483
Turnout 37.3%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative L McCulloch 4,039 55.6%
Labour B Acker 2,939 40.4%
Liberal D Precelton 272 3.7%
Majority 1,100 15.2%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
1 May 1975 Electorate 19,776
Turnout 31.3%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative D Rose 3,537 57.2%
Labour Levy 2,105 34.0%
Liberal D Precelton 541 8.7%
Majority 1,432 23.2%
Conservative hold Swing
3 May 1973 Electorate 19,774
Turnout 29.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 3,281 55.4%
Labour B Acker 3,105 52.5%
Conservative R Jauncey 2,946 49.7%
Labour D Goodall 2,920 49.3%
Conservative D Rose 2,882 48.7%
Labour G Samuels 2,632 44.4%
Majority 361, 185 & 26 6.1%, 3.1% & 0.4%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Conservative hold Swing
Labour hold Swing
4 May 1972 Electorate 19,788
Turnout 35.5%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour D Goodall 3,635 51.8%
Conservative J Bailey 3,383 48.2%
Majority 252 3.6%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
13 May 1971 Electorate 19,696
Turnout 36.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour B Acker 4,164 57.3%
Conservative M Taylor 3,104 42.7%
Majority 1,060 14.6%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
7 May 1970 Electorate 19,638
Turnout 29.5%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Silk 3,528 60.8%
Labour S Gray 2,274 39.2%
Majority 1,254 21.6%
Conservative hold Swing

1960s[]

8 May 1969 Electorate 18,754
Turnout 29.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Bailey 4,046 74.1%
Labour W Raybone 1,414 25.9%
Majority 2,632 48.2%
Conservative hold Swing
9 May 1968 Electorate 19,078
Turnout 32.5%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 4,802 77.5%
Labour R Thrupp 1,394 22.5%
Majority 3,408 55.0%
Conservative hold Swing
11 May 1967 Electorate 19,354
Turnout 33.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Silk 4,468 69.5%
Labour J Morris 1,962 30.5%
Majority 2,506 39.0%
Conservative hold Swing
12 May 1966 Electorate 19,416
Turnout 40.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Bailey 4,274 53.8%
Labour G Evans 3,670 46.4%
Majority 604 7.4%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
13 May 1965 Electorate 19,733
Turnout 41.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 5,379 65.0%
Labour P Carter 2,892 35.0%
Majority 2,487 30.0%
Conservative hold Swing
7 May 1964 Electorate 20,019
Turnout 40.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Silk 4,205 52.3%
Labour G Hartland 3,832 47.7%
Majority 373 4.6%
Conservative hold Swing
9 May 1963 Electorate 20,255
Turnout 38.8%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour E Raven 3,958 50.3%
Conservative L Howes 3,908 49.7%
Majority 50 0.6%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
10 May 1962 Electorate 20,570
Turnout 38.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 4,276 54.5%
Labour W Pringle 3,567 45.5%
Majority 709 9.0%
Conservative hold Swing
11 May 1961 Electorate 14,390
Turnout 45.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Silk 3,554 54.7%
Labour W Pringle 2,944 45.3%
Majority 610 9.4%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
12 May 1960 Electorate 14,374
Turnout 5,506%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative H Seccombe 3,523 64.0%
Labour W Pringle 1,983 36.0%
Majority 1,540 28.0%
Conservative hold Swing

1950s[]

14 May 1959 Electorate 14,480
Turnout 49.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 4,051 56.9%
Labour J Walsh 3,068 43.1%
Majority 983 13.8%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
8 May 1958 Electorate 14,739
Turnout 43.6%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour A Taylor 3,214 50.0%
Conservative C Collett 3,210 50.0%
Majority 4 0.0%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
9 May 1957 Electorate 14,835
Turnout 44.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative J Vernon 3,337 51.0%
Labour S Wall 3,202 49.0%
Majority 135 2.0%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
10 May 1956 Electorate 15,142
Turnout 41.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour J Walsh 3,209 51.5%
Conservative J Vernon 3,024 48.5%
Majority 185 3.0%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
12 May 1955 Electorate 15,339
Turnout 49.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative C Collett 4,120 54.6%
Labour G Evans 3,429 45.4%
Majority 691 9.2%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
13 May 1954 Electorate 15,549
Turnout 47.7%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour S Wall 3,805 51.3%
Conservative N Bradbeer 3,614 48.7%
Majority 191 2.6%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
7 May 1953 Electorate 15,760
Turnout 45.4%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S Postle 3,677 51.4%
Labour S Wall 3,472 48.6%
Majority 205 2.8%
Conservative hold Swing
8 May 1952 Electorate 16,084
Turnout 55.2%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour G Evans 5,057 57.0%
Conservative B Davis 3,822 43.0%
Majority 1,235 14.0%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing
10 May 1951 Electorate 18,250
Turnout 46.1%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N Bradbeer 4,438 57.7%
Labour G Turner 3,253 42.3%
Majority 1,185 15.4%
Conservative hold Swing
11 May 1950 Electorate 16,412
Turnout 50.3%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative S Postle 4,376 53.0%
Labour J Cole 3,885 47.0%
Majority 491 6.0%
Conservative hold Swing

1940s[]

12 May 1949 Electorate 26,242
Turnout 52.8%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative B Davis 7,512 54.2%
Conservative S Postle 7,387 53.3%
Labour C Beer 6,034 43.6%
Labour E Bartleet 5,968 43.1%
Majority 1,478 & 1,353 10.6% & 9.7%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
Conservative hold Swing
1 November 1947 Electorate 26,109
Turnout 52.9%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative N Bradbeer 7,949 57.5%
Labour V Jackson 5,871 42.5%
Majority 2,078 15.0%
Conservative gain from Labour Swing
2 November 1946 Electorate 25,580
Turnout 38.0%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Conservative O Gloster 5,031 51.8%
Labour H Wynshenck 4,366 45.0%
Communist S Blackwell 316 3.3%
Majority 665 6.8%
Conservative hold Swing
3 November 1945 (2 seats) Electorate 24,556
Turnout 43.6%,
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour W Kirby 5,323 49.7%
Labour V Jackson 5,314 49.6%
Conservative R Scorer 3,807 35.5%
Conservative A Harrison 3,541 33.1%
Liberal T Veitch 1,485 13.9%
Majority 1,516 & 1,507 14.2% & 14.1%
Labour gain from Conservative Swing n/a
Labour gain from Conservative Swing n/a
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