Seven Birmingham City Council by-election candidates confirmed - here’s who they are

Thousands of Birmingham residents will soon be able to have their say as an election of a city councillor is held for the first time since the local authority’s unprecedented budget was approved.

A by-election in the Bournbrook and Selly Park ward was called following the departure of Brigid Jones, a former cabinet member for finance at Labour-run Birmingham City Council.

She announced she was leaving with immediate effect in March to take up ‘new challenges’ outside politics after more than a decade as a councillor.

While saying she had stood down for personal reasons, she also said the rising tide of hatred against politicians had played a small part in her decision.

Get the latest headlines delivered straight to your inbox with BirminghamWorld’s free newsletter Referring to Birmingham City Council’s financial crisis during her resignation speech, she added: “The council and this brilliant city will come through this difficult period, as we always have done – John Cotton and his team have my full support for all the challenges to come.”

The council’s wave of cuts to local services, as well as the rise in council tax, will almost certainly be a huge talking point for the candidates confirmed to be running in the Bournbrook and Selly Park by-election, which will be held on Thursday, May 2.

The Labour and Co-Operative Party will fight to keep the seat in the coming weeks while facing opposition from the Local Conservatives, Liberal Democrats, Green Party, Workers Party of Britain, Socialist Alternative and an independent. The confirmed candidates are as follows:

• Peter Alan Bloomer (known as Pete Bloomer) – Independent
• Carla Charles – Green Party
• Andrew David Hardie – Local Conservatives
• Joseph Liam Norris (known as Joe Norris) – Liberal Democrats
• Edward Renyard (known as Ed Woollard) – Workers Party of Britain
• Jamie Christopher Scott – Labour and Co-Operative Party
• Corinthia Ward – Socialist Alternative

This particular by-election will be held on May 2, along with elections for the Mayor of the West Midlands and Police and Crime Commissioner.