Andy Street re-elected as Mayor of the West Midlands
Andy Street has been re-elected the Mayor of the West Midlands.
Street, representing the Conservative Party, won after first and second preference votes were combined, after he failed to secure a 50% or more majority in the first round of voting.
Ballots have been counted at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham all day - with the Tories snatching victory for the second time running in the West Midlands Mayoral contest.
Street won the first and only election to become the West Midlands Combined Authority Mayor in 2017 - by the narrowest of margins - winning by less than one percentage point.
This year's battle was expected to be close-fought between the Conservatives and Labour, but after a day of defeats on Friday, victory for Andy Street today seemed almost inevitable. The Tories had already achieved massive success across the Black Country - with the party already winning enough seats to take overall control of Dudley Council.
What does the Mayor do?
The West Midlands Mayor is the chair of the West Midlands Combined Authority and has power over transport, planning and housing, and some aspects of jobs, training and the economy.
The Mayor represents the West Midlands in negotiations over any further transfers of powers from central government to the region.
The Mayor’s patch includes the traditionally Labour-dominated cities of Birmingham and Coventry, the Conservative heartland of Solihull, and the Black Country boroughs of Walsall, Sandwell and Dudley along with the city of Wolverhampton, which have all swung away from Labour and towards the Conservatives in recent years.
How well did Andy Street do compared to the last election?
2017 results
2017 votes cast
2017 % votes cast shown as a percentage by area
Who did Andy beat?
Liam Byrne
The Labour candidate. He is a former minister and current MP for Hodge Hill.
Jenny Wilkinson
The Liberal Democrat candidate. She is a Forensic Accountant.
Steve Caudwell
The Green Party candidate. He is a councillor in Solihull.
Pete Durnell
The Reform Party candidate.
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