The Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025

Draft Order laid before Parliament under section 59(9) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009; draft to lie for forty days pursuant to section 6(1) of the Statutory Instruments Act 1946, during which period either House of Parliament may resolve that the Order be not made.

Draft Statutory Instruments

2025 No. ***

Local Government, England

The Solihull (Electoral Changes) Order 2025

Made

***

Coming into force in accordance with article 1(2), (3) and (4)

Under section 58(4) of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009(1) (“the Act”) the Local Government Boundary Commission for England(2) (“the Commission”) published a report dated March 2025(3) stating its recommendations for changes to the electoral arrangements for Solihull. The Commission has decided to give effect to the recommendations.

A draft of the instrument has been laid before Parliament and a period of forty days has expired since the day on which it was laid and neither House has resolved that the instrument be not made.

The Commission makes the following Order in exercise of the power conferred by section 59(1) of the Act.

Citation, commencement and extent

1.—(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(4) 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.

Interpretation

2.—(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(5).

(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.

Wards of Solihull and number of councillors

3.—(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.

Elections of Solihull

4.—(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.

Parish wards of the parishes of Bickenhill & Marston Green, Kingshurst, and Smith’s Wood and number of councillors

5.—(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.

Sealed with the seal of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Name

Chief Executive

Local Government Boundary Commission for England

Date

Article 3

SCHEDULE 1 Wards of Solihull

1.  Balsall & Berkswell

2.  Blythe

3.  Castle Bromwich

4.  Chelmsley Wood

5.  Dorridge & Hockley Heath

6.  Elmdon

7.  Fordbridge

8.  Kingshurst & Smith’s Wood

9.  Knowle

10.  Lyndon

11.  Meriden & Arden

12.  Olton

13.  Shirley East & Sharmans Cross

14.  Shirley South

15.  Shirley West

16.  Silhill

17.  St Alphege with Monkspath & Hillfield

Article 5

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

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

This Order makes changes to electoral arrangements for Solihull following recommendations made by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England.

This Order does not change the boundary of Solihull itself.

Article 3 abolishes the existing wards of Solihull and replaces them with 17 new ones for the purpose of elections to be held on and after the ordinary day of election of councillors in England in 2026. Article 3 also establishes the number of councillors for each new ward. Schedule 1 lists the names of the new wards established by this Order.

Article 4 makes provision for a whole council election in 2026. Subsequently, the council will revert to the existing system of election by thirds. Article 4 also provides for the order of retirement of councillors elected in 2026 in 2027, 2028 and 2030 and the election of their replacements.

Article 5 and Schedule 2 make changes to parish wards that are consequential on the changes made by article 3. The changes to parish wards introduced by article 5 come into force for the purpose of parish elections in 2027 and in respect of subsequent parish elections.

The area covered by each ward and parish ward created by this Order is identified on a map which is available for inspection at reasonable times at the offices of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ.

The map is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/solihull.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this instrument as no, or no significant, impact on the private, voluntary or public sectors is foreseen.

(1)

2009 c. 20 (“the Act”).

(2)

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England was established on 1st April 2010 by section 55(1) of the Act.

(3)

The report is available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London, EC1Y 8YZ. It is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/sites/default/files/2025-03/solihull_full_report.pdf

(4)

The ordinary day of election of councillors in England is prescribed by section 37(1) of the Representation of the People Act 1983 (c. 2), as amended by section 18(2) of the Representation of the People Act 1985 (c. 50), renumbered by paragraph 5 of Schedule 3 to the Greater London Authority Act 1999 (c. 29), and further amended by section 6(16) of the Wales Act 2017 (c. 4).

(5)

Prints of the map are available for inspection at reasonable times at the principal office of the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, 7th Floor, 3 Bunhill Row, London EC1Y 8YZ. The map is also accessible online at https://www.lgbce.org.uk/all-reviews/solihull.