Paulette Hamilton MP for Erdington, BIrmingham, in Westminster / Pic supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
(Ed’s note – this column was written for the Erdington Local printed edition and first published on 15.11.24)
At the end of October, the Chancellor delivered the autumn budget – the first under a Labour government in 14 years. After over a decade of Conservative mismanagement, we’re finally taking steps to rebuild Britain and restore faith in our economy.
This budget focuses on the issues that matter most: fixing the NHS, raising wages, supporting our schools, and strengthening our communities – all without increasing taxes on working people.
So, what does this mean for Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale and South Oscott?
First, the increase in the National Living Wage will benefit thousands locally, putting more money in the pockets of hardworking families.
Our NHS will receive a £25.6 billion boost over the next two years, ensuring more appointments and better care for all. Schools will see a £2.3 billion increase in funding, 6,500 more teachers, and a £30 million investment in free breakfast clubs, ensuring every child starts the day ready to learn.
To tackle crime, we’re ending the neglect of low-value shoplifting and other petty crimes slipping through the cracks.
This budget funds 13,000 more neighbourhood officers and PCSOs, so our streets and local traders – like those at Erdington High Street, Slade Road and Kingstanding Precinct – will be safer. And with £500 million to fix potholes, our roads will finally see the improvements they deserve.
This budget fixes the foundations to deliver change, with working people and local communities at its heart. It’s the reset our economy and country have needed.
It’s been another busy month across Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale and South Oscott, despite the Parliament recess for conference season.
I have had the opportunity to visit some of our amazing community groups, such as Northside Welcome Centre and Growth Path, who do incredible work supporting local people.
Recently, I held my regular Erdington High Street meeting, where I met with residents, traders, Birmingham City Council representatives, and the police to discuss ongoing efforts to address the issues plaguing Erdington High Street.
During this meeting, I also shared the results of my survey, which highlighted the main concerns of residents and their suggestions for improvements. The full survey results are available on my website – www.paulettehamilton.org
Paulette Hamilton MP at meeting with local police
I am pleased to report that, as part of Operation Skybridge in Erdington, the police have successfully removed drugs from the streets and made several arrests. This is a welcome step forward in our fight against crime.
Additionally, I recently hosted the Kingstanding Crime Conference with the West Midlands Police and Crime Commissioner Simon Foster and local police. Residents voiced their concerns about crime and antisocial behaviour, and I am delighted to see that Kingstanding residents are now exploring local initiatives to support our collective efforts.
Addressing crime and antisocial behaviour remains a top priority for me. I am committed to working closely with our partners, the police, and residents to ensure our community remains safe and our neighbourhoods secure.
As a result of the parliamentary boundary review and subsequent general election, South Oscott is now part of the Erdington constituency. So, I was delighted to host a meeting with local residents to hear their priorities and concerns.
It was wonderful to meet so many residents who shared their experiences and told me about the improvements they would like to see. I am determined to engage, listen and champion every corner of our community.
Elsewhere in the constituency, I am leading a campaign to stop another HMO in Kingstanding. After hearing the concerns of local residents, I have organised a petition that has collected hundreds of signatures.
I plan to submit a formal objection to the planning committee and encourage local residents to do the same, emphasising issues such as overcrowding, noise, parking problems, and the potential negative impact on the character of the neighbourhood.
I recently attended the Erdington and Kingstanding libraries consultation carried out by Birmingham City Council. At the meetings, I made it clear that I wholeheartedly support keeping our local libraries open, as I believe closing them would have a negative impact on our community.
I also want to place on record my gratitude to local organisations, such as the Erdington Lunar Society and Friends of Erdington Library, for their tireless campaigning on this crucial issue.
Their dedication is inspiring, and I am proud to stand alongside these dedicated groups in their fight to preserve these important community resources.
Words by Ed King / Pics supplied by Paulette Hamilton MP
Erdington’s Member of Parliament, Paullette Hamilton (Labour), has invited local residents living in South Oscott to ‘have a cuppa with your new MP’.
In an event held at Maryvale Community Centre on Saturday 7 September, from 12noon to 2pm, Ms Hamilton is looking to engage in “a relaxed conversation” with people in the area and gain “a clear understanding of the key issues in South Oscott”.
She is further hoping that the chance to meet face to face with their Member of Parliament will “ensure that locals [in South Oscott] feel confident in approaching [her] with any concerns.”
Anyone wanting to attend can be signed in at the event, with no advance booking necessary. Security will be present by a spokesperson from the MP’s office has said they will “keep it informal”.
Having retained her seat in the recent General Election – beating the Reform UK parliamentary, Jack Brookes, by 7019 votes and the Conservative candidate, Steve Knee, by 9372 votes – Paulette Hamilton continues to hold a strong majority in the traditionally Labour seat.
But following boundary changes to Erdington constituency in 2024, Ms Hamilton is now the voice in Parliament for the entire Kinsgstanding Ward and half of the Oscott Ward.
Oscott Ward is represented in Birmingham City Council by Cllr Barbara Dring (Labour) and Cllr Darius Sandhu (Conservative).
Paulette Hamilton MP told Erdington Local: “Two months ago, I had the honour of being re-elected as the Member of Parliament for Birmingham Erdington, now proudly representing South Oscott and the whole of Kingstanding. When I said I wanted to champion the concerns of local people, I meant every word.
“This is why I am keen to get stuck in, listen to residents’ concerns, and campaign on their priorities. I believe in the power of personal connection, which is why I am inviting local people from South Oscott to join me for a cup of tea or coffee.”
She added: “Let’s have a relaxed conversation where (they can see the real me – someone who genuinely cares and listens.
“I am committed to being a strong voice for every corner of our community in Parliament, ensuring that no area and no community feels left behind.”
Paullette Hamiliton already holds five monthly ‘MP surgeries’ across the Erdington constituency, with one to one sessions held in Kingstanding, Perry Common, Erdington, Stockland Green, and Castle Vale.
The MP’s office also organises special immigration advice sessions at Perry Common Hall on Wednesdays.
At the time of writing is was unclear if there would be additional regular MP surgeries organised in the Oscott Ward.
However, a spokesperson from the MP’s office confirmed: “Paulette [Hamilton] knows how important it is for local people to access their MP” and they are “looking for a suitable arrangement” for residents in the area.
(Ed’s note – this column was written for the Erdington Local printed edition and first published on 15.08.24)
As Parliament enters its summer recess and schools have broken up for the holidays, our community in Erdington, Kingstanding, Castle Vale, and South Oscott is bursting with activity. This period is a wonderful opportunity for families to spend quality time together and for me to focus on local issues that matter to you.
I have been very concerned about the recent developments at John Taylor Hospice. That’s why I have written to the local Integrated Care Board (ICB) to express my deep concerns about the hospice’s future.
Recently, I joined the local police and partners for the ‘All Out Day’ event on Erdington High Street. It was a fantastic day of community interaction and engagement. I am also pleased to say that police response officers have been redeployed at Erdington Police Station, strengthening local policing.
I had the pleasure of attending the Hesketh Neighbourhood Watch’s Summer Fete. It was heartwarming to see so many residents come together to celebrate and support each other.
Events like these highlight the strength and unity of our community, especially with the violence and disorder our country is witnessing on our streets. I’m proud to work with our local mosques and places of worship, community groups, and the police to ensure our community is a welcoming place for all.
As we enjoy the summer, let’s continue to work together to address our local challenges and celebrate our successes. Your support and involvement are what makes our community a wonderful place to live and work.
On Thursday 4 July, voters across the country will be taking to the polls to elect their members of Parliament, and in turn the government.
Birmingham Erdington, a traditionally strong Labour seat, will see seven candidates contesting in the 2024 General Election. Four men and three women from across the political spectrum will be competing for votes to become Erdington’s representative in Westminster.
The Birmingham Erdington parliamentary constituency includes the political wards of Erdington, Stockland Green, Pype Hayes, Perry Common, Kingstanding, Castle Vale, and since the boundary changes in 2023 parts of Oscott.
Shaukat Ali (Independent), Farzana Ann Aslam (Liberal Democrats), Jack Brookes (Reform UK), Paulette Hamilton (Labour), Steve Knee (Conservatives), Karen Trench (Green Party), and Corinthia Ward (Trade Union and Socialist Coalition) are the candidates.
Erdington has been in Labour’s hands since 1936. The constituency’s current MP, Paulette Hamilton, who won the by-election in 2022 after the death of previous MP Jack Dromey, will likely be confident of keeping the constituency red.
Ms Hamilton, a former Birmingham City Council cabinet member, told Erdington Local: “Erdington is not just a place on the map for me, each corner is a chapter of my life.
“For over 35 years, it’s where I have raised my family and served with pride as a governor at Yenton Primary School.
“It’s where my journey as a nurse began with training in Kingstanding, before dedicating 25 years to our beloved NHS.
“Erdington is where I was elected as its Member of Parliament, it has shaped who I am today. I’m proud to call it my home and will continue to fight for the services local people deserve.”
But the Erdington Ward has two popular and longstanding Conservative councillors, which bring the Tories some goodwill in the area and potentially turn voters who have become disillusioned with Birmingham’s ruling Labour party after the city’s financial crisis
However, this year’s General Election will be the first since 2010 that Cllr Robert Alden – who is also leader of the Birmingham Conservatives and lives in the heart of Erdington – is not standing for the Conservatives. Instead, Derbyshire businessman Steve Knee has been campaigning for Birmingham Erdington since being voted in as the Conservatives Parliamentary candidate in March.
Mr Knee told: “Whilst out on the campaign trail in recent weeks, including during the successful by-election win in Kingstanding, I have met some terrific residents who are all clearly proud of their constituency and frustrated at the tax increases and service cuts coming from the Labour controlled Birmingham City Council.
“It is clear that good local representation is essential for residents of Erdington, Kingstanding, and Castle Vale.
“As such my priorities are to: Work with the terrific team of Conservative councillors in the constituency to stand up against council tax rises and crippling cuts to local services.”
Competing to be Erdington’s MP for the second time is Jack Brookes for Reform UK. The 25-year-old Libertarian will be hoping to benefit from Nigel Farage re-entering the political stage and resuming leadership of Reform UK, previously the Brexit Party.
One of the three Parliamentary candidates who lives in the constituency, Mr Brookes believes Birmingham needs a dose of law and order.
Mr Brookes told Erdington Local: “We need a crackdown on crime. It’s holding us back. When we bring back law and order then people will be able to thrive and standards of living will increase exponentially. The right to self-defense is absolute!
“Birmingham is the definition of anarcho-tyranny thanks to Labour and the Tories.”
He added: “Freedom of speech and freedom of religion. I will put my life on the line for these things. As long as you are not hurting anyone you should live your life how you see fit. These are what our ancestors fought and died for.”
Qualified barrister and Surrey based councillor Farzana Aslam has been chosen as the Liberal Democrat candidate for the Birmingham Erdington seat, despite being based over 100 miles from the city of a thousand trades.
Boasting a formidable CV, with degrees from Oxford and the London School of Economics, Ms Aslam has worked for NGOs, taught in Hong Kong, and is currently a director for a management consultancy.
Ms Aslam said: “I have a long history of voluntary work for NGO’s and charities specialising in social justice issues and am an active campaigner on local community issues relating to healthcare, the environment and local planning.
“I am not a career politician. I am relatively new to politics but driven by a deep desire to change the state our country is in.
“Birmingham Erdington is a community rich in diversity and history, but it is facing significant challenges that need urgent attention.”
George Galloway’s Workers Party is not fielding a candidate in Erdington. However, left wing voters do have an alternative to the Labour Party.
Trade Union and Socialist Coalition candidate Corinthia Ward also stood in the 2022 local elections for the Erdington Ward, garnering 95 votes.
Ms Ward said: “Growing up in Erdington, I can see first-hand the impact of Tory austerity and Labour council cuts on our community.
“In standing on a platform of anti-cuts and anti-war, I will work with local residents, trade unions and public sector staff to fight for the services and funding we need. Money can be found for bombs and dodgy PPE deals, but not for our streets or our youth.
She added: “This is why we need someone in Westminster who will raise the voice of ordinary workers while also linking it to the need for a new mass worker’s party in the interests of the many.”
The Green Party is also contesting the Birmingham Erdington seat in the 2024 General Election, flying the flag for those concerned about the environment and climate change.
With clean air zones and low traffic neighbourhoods coming under attack from other parties, their Parliamentary candidate Karen Trench will be defending environmentally friendly policies whilst demanding bolder action.
Ms Trench, a former Perry Barr Liberal Democrat councillor (2004-2018), won more than 9,000 votes in the 2010 General Election when she stood for the Perry Barr constituency and came second to Labour’s Khalid Mahmood. However, this will be her first election standing for the Green Party.
She said: “I am passionate about environmental and community issues. I am proud to call Birmingham my home, but I have seen the decline in the area over successive governments. We need to see real change in our community and investment into services. I am appalled by the cuts to youth services.
“I am standing for the Green Party as they have the right policies to tackle the major issues in our society such as climate change, homelessness and the cost of living crisis.”
Telford based Dr Shaukat Ali is standing as an independent. The pro-Palestine candidate is hoping to attract voters with the mainstream parties’ stance on the Israel/Gaza conflict.
Dr Ali said: “Britain is in a state of decay. Enough is enough. Who is to blame? Just ask yourself which two parties have governed the UK for the past 100 years and you will find an answer. What they offer is not change, but their turn. Do your bit to remould British politics for the common good, not the few.”
He added: “Let’s reset our moral compass. Tens of thousands of innocent women and children are being bombed, killed and starved in Palestine, yet the main parties are silent. Your MP even voted against a ceasefire.”
To find out more on the Parliamentary candidates across the country standing for the 4 July 2025 General Election, and to locate your nearest polling station, visit www.whocanivotefor.co.uk
The Conservatives have won the Kingstanding by-election with a 5.8 percent swing of the votes, in a result which will take on national significance ahead of the General Election.
Under the party name Local Conservatives, Clifton Frederick Welch polled 829 votes – retaining the second councillor seat in the North Birmingham Ward for the Conservatives.
Mr Welch had previously stood for the Pype Hayes Ward in local council elections, losing out to Labour’s candidates by 92 votes in 2022 and only 16 votes in 2018.
Coming in second place in the Kingstanding by-election, Naz Rasheed won 680 votes for Labour – losing by 149 votes to the party’s main political rival.
In third place, and significantly behind the front two candidates, was Lucy Haywood for the Liberal Democrats who received 82 votes.
Christopher Lee was forth with 72 votes for the Green Party, Pete Higgins of George Galloway’s Workers Party of Great Britain came in fifth with 46 votes, whilst Kris O’Sullivan of the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition took only 20 votes in sixth place. There were ten spoiled ballots counted.
Yesterday’s by-election in Kingstanding was sparked by the resignation of the Ward’s former Conservative Councillor Rick Payne’s – after a slew of his racist social media comments were made public following an investigation by national anti-racism charity HOPE Not Hate.
The by-election was the first Erdington constituency poll since Birmingham City Council was effectively publicly declared bankrupt, after a section 114 notice was issued by city officers in September 2023.
The nationally reported financial chaos brought in Government appointed commissioners, and saw Birmingham’s current Labour run Council increase Council Tax bills by 20 per cent over the next two years and pass a cost-cutting budget which axed lifeline services for the city most vulnerable adults and children.
The election is also the last meaningful vote before the General Election scheduled on 4 July. A Conservatives win in Kingstanding, with a 5.8 per cent swing, will send shockwaves throughout Westminster.
The result will be analysed by all the national parties and commentators looking for trends which can shed a light on voters intentions in the General Election.
The combined vote for the leftwing alternative to Labour, the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition and the Workers Party was 66 votes which even if had gone to Labour would have still seen the Tories win.
Even if the Green vote, which many tactically vote instead of Labour, were added to the Workers and Socialist Parties the Tories still would have come out on top.
Further possibly reflecting the national trend, less than 1,700 Kingstanding residents turned out to vote in the by-election, with the official figures yet to be released by Birmingham City Council.
Rishi Sunak’s election team will likely seize on the result of what in national terms is an obscure by-elections as a glimmer of hope they can still win the General Election.
Following the results of the KIngstanding by-election, the Birmingham Conservative Group tweeted: “Birmingham Local Conservatives have won the Kingstanding by-election – with a 5.8% swing. The people of Kingstanding have sent a clear message to bankrupt Birmingham Labour over their double whammy of higher taxes and fewer services!”
At the time of writing, no message had been posted by either Birmingham Labour or their candidate Naziah Rasheed.
Polling company Election Maps UK claimed the Tories vote went up 4.7%, clinching 47.9% of the vote, whilst Labour’s vote dropped by 6.1% since the the 2022 local elections.
Councillor Welch is a familiar face in Erdington, campaigning in Pype Hayes with Birmingham City Council Conservative Group leader and Erdington Councillor Bobby Alden.
Erdington Conservative candidate for the General Election Steve Knee was knocking doors with Councillor Welch over the last week.
He said: “It was great to be supporting Clifton Welch in Kingstanding! Two out of the three days of this Bank Holiday weekend were spent in support of Clifton Welch in Kingstanding.”
Erdington Local has approached all political parties for comment.
For more on both local and national elections held across the UK, alongside advice on how to register to vote, visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk
Words by Erdington Local’s editorial team, profile pics supplied by Birmingham Conservatives and Birmingham Labour
Kingstanding residents will take to the ballot box on 30 May, as the resignation of Councillor Rick Payne has spurned an awkward by-election.
But with the ward’s second councillor from across the aisle under “administrative suspension” for wrongly pocketing over £6000 from the public purse, the people of the B44 postcode are living life without effective political representation.
As the race heats up for the open seat in the two councillor ward, Erdington Local takes a look at Kingstanding’s political past, present, and potential future.
“No taxation, without representation” was the refrain against the Kings of England for centuries.
Kingstanding, named such after King Charles I rested his troops in October 1642 during the Civil War, as he stumbled towards his own death six years later, is again on the political map for all the wrong reasons.
A by-election is set to be held on 30 May, after Conservative Councillor Rick Payne resigned from Birmingham City Council following an investigation from anti-racism group Hope Not Hate exposed a shockingly offensive Twitter account held by the elected official.
Worryingly, despite being a councillor for the governing party of the UK, the Conservatives, the former army veteran posted Islamophobic and racist tweets under a pseudonym ‘Ryk and the Los Palmas 7’ – calling a “civil uprising”, “revolution” and openly mused about the “assassinations of high profile political figures”.
The vile and vicious views of Mr Payne further included describing Pakistanis as “disgusting inbred mediaeval filth” and “dirtier than pigs”. Echoing Enoch Powell, he also hoped “blood will be spilt”.
What makes his heinous comments even more dangerous is the chequered past of political and racial tension in the ward he represented, an area sadly tarnished with a long-standing association with racism – which today the vast majority of Kingstanding residents vehemently oppose or have long since rejected.
But for decades, Kingstanding was one of the only wards in the country where the National Front would stand, even when the British National Party (BNP) stood as well. But the two far right parties only succeeded in splitting the vote between them and preventing the BNP candidate Sharon Ebanks from winning Kingstanding in 2006.
And in a significant sign that the race hate fuelled politics was no longer welcome in Kingstanding, when the National Front last stood for election in Kingstanding, in 2016, they received only 21 votes and have not been seen since.
At the time, veteran politicians complained about racist constituents letting the area down. But now it is the politicians who have let the people of Kingstanding down.
After the reorganisation of the political wards across Birmingham in 2018, Kingstanding went from having three councillors to two – and voters in 2022 returned Conservative’s Rick Payne and Labour’s Des Hughes.
But in March this year, a report was presented to Birmingham City Council’s Scrutiny Committee that found Cllr Hughes has breached the Council’s Code of Conduct on four counts – including pocketing over £6000 from a Council run special educational needs and disabilities service, SENDIASS, in what he claimed was intended to be “a voluntary capacity for a few weeks”.
Mr Hughes was first employed by SENDIASS in April 2019, in the position of Parent Partnership Support Officer. But after being selected as Labour’s candidate for the Kingstanding Ward in the Council 2022 elections he followed official protocol and resigned his city officer role, allowing him to campaign and take up office without a conflict of interests.
However, findings from Mr Lewin’s investigation showed Mr Hughes continued to work for SENDIASS until “at least” the end of August 2022, receiving a further £6,189.96 from the public purse – referenced as ‘SALERY OVERPAYMENT RECOVERY Late Leaver’ on the invoices
When questioned about the money, received after his official resignation from SENDIASS, Cllr Hughes claimed he was not aware he had been paid by the service and had not seen the invoices before – despite them being mailed to his home address in Kingstanding.
He told investigators: “…this might sound flippant, but if there’s money in the account when I go to the cashpoint, I tend not to investigate further.”
(pictured left to right – Rick Payne, Des Hughes)
Following the investigation, Birmingham Labour put their Kingstanding councillor on “administrative suspension”, with a final decision on how to address or resolve the matter yet to be made. And with a by-election now scheduled to elect a replacement for Rik Payne, the Kingstanding Ward is the political equivalent of a ship without a sail.
Payne quit his £18,876 a year post citing mental health struggles. But as Kingstanding’s Conservative councillor made an immediate exit when his political and personal world came crashing down, Kingstanding’s Labour councillor is still picking up the taxpayer’s dime.
And whilst it is difficult for any political party to force an elected official to step down, even if Birmingham Labour did decide to wash their hands of Mr Hughes he could still retain his position as Kingstanding councillor as an independent.
Although sitting in the Council’s chamber without a party to back you up is a difficult place to be.
One North Birmingham Labour councillor, who did not want to be named, told Erdington Local: “It is not easy being an independent councillor, especially if you want to get things done. Being in the party gives you research resources and just so much more information to do a better job for your constituents.
“And especially if your party is in charge, like Labour are. One phone call can solve a case work problem whereas if you are independent what sway have you got? You are just one step up from a member of the public when it comes to power and influence.”
Plus, having an independent councillor would mean Kingstanding will miss out again – with one of its elected officials unsupported and with their claws clipped.
But the upcoming by-election, to replace Mr Payne, could see a better candidate take up office – which would breathe life into the beleaguered political lung that currently wheezes for the Kingstanding Ward.
Six candidates have declared for the by-election on 30 May. Lucy Hayward for the Liberal Democrats, Pete Higgins for George Galloway’s Workers Party of Britain, Patrick Christopher Lee for the Green Party, Kris O’Sullivan for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, and Clifton Frederick Welch for the Conservatives.
Naz Rasheed is standing for Labour; she will have to defend the party’s record at Birmingham City Council. Turnout is likely to be low. The Conservatives broke Labour’s stranglehold of the seat since the 1960s in 2014 during a previous by-election.
That year Gary Sambrook won the seat for the Tories. However, five years later he then became Northfield’s MP and Kingstanding was again left without representation until the following council elections.
There were also negotiations underway for a single issue candidate to stand against Labour in the upcoming Kingstanding by-election.
The Save Birmingham Youth Campaign wanted to turn the election in a referendum into Labour’s cuts to schools, SEND, and youth services. However, the plan did not get off the ground and whoever wins on 30 May from the six candidates in the race to replace for Councillor Payne will need to make up for lost time, and to start giving their constituents and the area the much needed support both have missed out on due to poor political representation.
Unlike the majority of local authorities Birmingham City Council does not reveal its councillor’s attendance record concerning meetings, committees, and or ward matters. And without entering a freedom of information request, which now often get refused on the basis of cost, it is almost impossible to discover how much case work each councillor is undertaking.
However, through anecdotal and data research using council agendas, minutes, and reports, Erdington Local can reveal Kingstanding’s most recent councillors did a fraction of the work other ward councillors have done. Whether it is objecting to planning applications or lobbying departments on behalf of desperate residents, Kingstanding’s political clout almost ground to a halt this spring.
Even public facing representation, including on social media, the blatant disinterest from those appointed to stand up and shout for the area is there all to see. The last post on Des Hughes’ Kingstanding Councillor Facebook page is from August last year, about a recycling day.
However, the penultimate post shows just how important it is to have an active councillor.
On August 11, 2023, Councillor Hughes posted: · “WARREN FARM URGENT CARE CENTRE UPDATE. Great news! I am delighted to be able to tell residents in North Birmingham that the future of our Urgent Care Centre on Warren Farm Road is assured for the foreseeable future.”
Any resident reading that now would think everything is indeed fine, instead it’s not. Warren Farm Urgent Care Centre’s services are being moved out of Kingstanding.
It has been one of the touchstone issues of the last 12 months, but for that you would have to keep up with local campaigners who grasped the nettle themselves – and neighbouring Labour Councillor Barbara Dring, suspended by Labour herself for three months until March.
And the health of the people of Kingstanding has long been a concern. Put simply, if you are born and live in Kingstanding you are more likely to die younger than people who live elsewhere. In the 2016 – 20 period, Kingstanding’s life expectancy at birth for females is 79.4 years and for males is 74.8 years.
This is worse when compared to the England average. In comparison, Birmingham’s life expectancy at birth for females is 81.9 years and for males is 77.3 years. However, this has still not stopped Warren Farm Urgent Care Centre being stripped of its services which local people depended on for decades.
Elsewhere in the ward, the campaign to keep Kingstanding Police Station was lost. But finally the Kingstanding Circle will soon have a brand new Lidl after the bulldozers began ripping down the derelict Kingstanding pub and decaying Kingstanding Shopping Centre.
And with residents never afraid to fight for their own cause, the latest battle will be to save Kingstanding Library – which could be lost in the huge cost cutting programme voted through by Birmingham councillors following the City’s financial collapse.
But Kingstanding is also known for its strength and resilience, with many of its resident dedicated to championing the area and standing for something that could inspire and encourage others. Some of the city’s first foodbanks were in the ward, the outreach programme of local churches have been praised nationally, and sport is a great way of inspiring the young in Kingstanding.
Second City Boxing Gym, on Kingstanding Circle is producing fine young people as well as champions like Niall Farrell. And K-Star Gym is giving direction and discipline through martial arts, their Gene Smith will be fighting for another world title this year.
There has always been a local pride in in the B44 postcode, which is not found everywhere. Whether that manifests itself with people standing on pub tables singing to Elton John ‘I’m Kingstanding, and I’m better than anyone’, or the instant generosity shown when an appeal for the less fortunate is launched.
On 30 May the people of Kingstanding will get the power to choose who represents them. And just as King Charles I faced his people and challenges there nearly 400 years ago, perhaps this time they will get someone they deserve.
For more on both local and national elections held across the UK, alongside advice on how to register to vote, visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk
The starting gun has been fired in the campaign of the 2024 General Election, putting the upcoming Kingstanding Ward by-election into the spotlight of national politics.
On 22 May, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced a rare summer election with polling day on Thursday, 4 July. And unlike the vast majority of UK constituencies, voters in Erdington are being asked to pick their representative to Westminster for the second time in just over two years.
But as the country gears up to choose who represents them in the national corridors of power once again, another by-election has taken on added significance – as voters across the Kingstanding Ward head to the ballot box on 30 May to replace disgraced Conservative Councillor Rick Payne on Birmingham City Council.
Coming so soon after the recent local elections and before the now announced General Election, the up-coming Kingstanding by-election could be seen as a real electoral litmus test – with the results from the North Birmingham ward representing the feelings of voters across the country.
Candidates for the General Election will be given until Friday 07 June to confirm their intention to stand, but those running for local council in Kingstanding have already declared.
Contesting the seat for Labour will be Naz Rasheed, who ran for Kingstanding alongside Des Hughes in 2022 and lost by a narrow margin – coming fourth in the overall count, but only 65 votes behind Rick Payne who came in second.
Naz Rasheed fought a fierce campaign in the 2022 local elections, putting youth services and tackling crime in the area at the top of her agenda.
Also in the running will be Patrick Christopher Lee for the Green Party, who according to a Twitter profile under his name is the Communication Manager for the health focused NGO Impact on Urban Health – based in London.
Standing for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition is Erdington resident and keen HMO activist Kris O’Sullivan, who was a big part of the Dave Nellist parliamentary campaign during the Birmingham Erdington by-election in 2022.
Hoping to repair the damage done by his now disgraced predecessor is Conservative candidate Clifton Walsh – a well known local resident who has previously stood for the Pype Hayes Ward in local council elections, losing out to Labour’s candidates by 92 votes in 2022 and only 16 votes in 2018.
Ahead of his run for the Kingstanding Ward, Mr Welsh launched the ‘Pride in Kingstanding’ campaign, encouraging community litter picking as Birmingham City Council faces cuts to its street cleaning services.
On the ticket for the Workers Party of Britain is Pete Higgins – representing George Galloway’s socialist and socially conservative political party that formed in 2019 and won the Rochdale by-election in 2024 on a strong pro-Palestine agenda.
Being held on Thursday, 30 May, the Kingstanding by-election is somewhat of a poisoned chalice for the main two political parties.
Conservatives do not want voters across the country to be reminded how one of their councillors was caught spewing racism on a secret Twitter account – and Labour do not want a light shone on their party’s very public record of running Birmingham City Council into financial chaos.
But whatever side you support in this game of political football, all the seven candidates standing in the Kingstanding by-election will have a lot more attention on their campaigns than they could ever envisaged – as the country warms up for a General Election on 4 July.
For more on both local and national elections held across the UK, alongside advice on how to register to vote, visit www.electoralcommission.org.uk
Words by Cllr Ray Goodwin (Castle Vale Ward, Labour)
It’s been a busy few weeks on Castle Vale.
Work is about to start shortly on Filton Croft and by the time you will have read this we will have held our Crime and Community Safety Summit.
A lot has been said over the last few weeks about politicians not listening to the communities they represent, but one of the things I have done over the last two years has been open and accessible to residents – this is why my regular estate walk abouts are so important, it means I can talk to residents to listen to their concerns and issues and deal with them straight away where possible.
My commitment is to continue to do this and talk to as many people as possible on a daily and weekly basis and discuss what matters to them most, Castle Vale!
I want local democracy to be at the heart of everything I do, and this is the best way to do this. I see residents on a daily basis for appointments. But, also, I hold a monthly advice surgery for residents as well.
Whilst over the last two years a lot of good things have happened – including securing a new bus route to the fort shopping centre.
There is now, however, more to do, and I will be leading the charge to the West Midlands mayor that there is a train station and that station is called ‘CASTLE VALE’.
