A rare whole council vote - the battle for Solihull
Solihull BIDOn a busy lunchtime in Solihull town centre, plenty of people are visiting from further afield to work and shop.
But among the residents here there is a fairly high level of awareness of the approaching local election.
It's a rare "all-out" vote for the borough council which is normally elected in thirds - but after boundary changes, every single seat will be up for grabs.
With national polls showing our two or three party politics now including five contenders, change is a possibility here as much as anywhere.
Solihull Council is currently under Conservative control with a majority that has narrowed recently following defections to Reform UK.
It is made up of 51 seats, with 27 held by Conservatives, eight Greens, eight Liberal Democrats, four for Reform UK, three Independents and one Labour councillor.
With this year's election putting every seat to the voters, unlike the usual scenario where two-thirds of incumbents return automatically after each year's elections, it makes for a more unpredictable backdrop.
I bump into a couple out for a lunchtime snack, who reflect a general sense of frustration with the entire process.
"We're feeling that we don't really want to vote for anybody, to be honest.
"We don't like Tories, we're not sure about Reform. And Labour, well. We're disillusioned really, because none of them are offering what we want."
The Conservative leader Karen Grinsell meets me near the council's headquarters.
She says, despite the noise around Reform, which has claimed four of her councillors - she believes the Tories will be able to hang on to control.
"[We] want to continue keeping our council tax low. We want to protect front-line services and recently children's services and adult social care were both rated good.
"We'll deliver value for money for our residents and also continue to bring investment in and create jobs for the people here."
In joint second place with the Greens on eight seats in the outgoing council, Liberal Democrats maintain they will have a significant part to play in whatever comes next.
Group leader Ade Adeyemo, canvassing in Olton, tells me: "We are the ones who get things done in Solihull.
"At this current stage of affairs, life is very difficult for people. You want people you can trust.
"You cannot trust the Conservatives, [who] have mismanaged Solihull's finances, which is going to make life tougher for people in the coming years."
But the Greens also believe they will make gains in Solihull.
I catch up with leader Max McLoughlin in Kingshurst village.
"The biggest challenges for Solihull Council are local plan housing, adult social care and also how they're going to balance the council's finances.
"What we're saying, which might sound completely radical, is working with the communities who are impacted, not pretending that politicians have all the solutions, but working with people who are impacted.
"So actually making it a more democratic process."
Reform UK also says it is hearing positive things on the doorsteps of the borough.
Samantha Gethen defected from the Conservatives last year.
Also in Kingshurst, she tells me residents deserve better than they've been getting.
"As a party we're looking to put our residents first, but what we're also looking to do is go into the council and look at our finances.
"Because the council is in debt it's had to take out additional loans and those loans we have to pay interest on... and if we're paying interest then we're not providing services that our residents want, and our residents deserve a good service in Solihull."
At Babbs Mill Park, just down the road, I speak to the sole Labour councillor in Solihull, Hazel Dawkins.
Amid a difficult national backdrop there's some chatter the party could be completely wiped out in the borough.
But she tells me her colleagues know what matters to people.
"So the priorities are getting our potholes done, and the Labour government's given the money.
"Secondly, we don't want to see multimillion-pound developments, we want affordable social homes for our young people, and thirdly better transport links with the bus franchising and backing up of public ownership under (West Midlands Mayor) Richard Parker... so making sure that all the buses can go from the north to the south and to the rural areas as well."
- Voting takes place on 7 May between 07:00 and 22:00 BST. The Solihull results will be announced on Friday 8 May.
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