Everything you need to know about Birmingham's May elections – from key dates to who you can vote for

Birmingham City Council, one of the biggest local authorities in Europe, is responsible for a huge array of services, such as bins, housing, libraries, road maintenance and social care.

But the Labour-run council has faced turmoil in recent years, most notably in the form of a financial crisis and a bins strike – both of which attracted unwanted headlines from across the world.

Birmingham specific-issues, such as the equal pay debacle and the disastrous implementation of an IT system, contributed to the financial woes while Labour councillors have also pointed the finger at funding cuts during the previous Conservative government.

What the alarming crisis has meant for residents is an unprecedented wave of cuts to local services as well as council tax hikes.

With the council embarking on a financial recovery journey and still dealing with a bins strike, these local elections in May are a significant moment for Birmingham.

All 101 council seats across Brum are up for grabs – this means the election will decide who represents your area and which party runs the city council during the next four years at least.

Here’s a look at what you need to know about the May local elections in Birmingham.

What are the key dates?

The full list of candidates standing in every ward across Birmingham is set to be published in April.

Polling day is scheduled to take place on Thursday, May 7, with the results of the elections being confirmed shortly afterwards.

Who can I vote for?

The Birmingham Labour group, which currently runs the council and has done since 2012, is set to field candidates in all 101 seats.

According to the council’s website, the current number of Labour councillors stands at 53 – a figure which has fallen in recent months due to several councillors resigning from the party and becoming independents.

But despite recent financial turmoil, Labour has insisted the city’s best days are still ahead.

“Tough decisions have had to be made,” council leader John Cotton said last year. “But Labour is investing in Birmingham’s renewal and fixing the foundations.”

They will face opposition from the Conservatives – the next largest party on the council (22 current councillors) who will be looking to take advantage of the recent turbulence for Labour and gain seats across the city by promising “real change”.

“Birmingham has a clear choice,” Coun Tim Huxtable, shadow cabinet member for environment, said.

“[They can] stick with Labour’s excuses and chaos, or vote Conservative for a council that will clean up Birmingham, prioritise reliable waste and recycling collections and get services back on track.”

The Liberal Democrats in Birmingham (13 current councillors) will also be optimistic about gaining seats, having won the most recent by-election in Moseley and taking a seat from Labour as a result.

The Lib Dem candidate Philip Mills said at the time: “After the years of incompetence and failures, it is clear that it is the Liberal Democrats who are bringing the fight to an incompetent and worn-out Labour-run Council and can deliver the change Birmingham so desperately needs.”

Between the Birmingham Independent Councillors and Harborne and Quinton Independents there are currently 10 ‘independent’ councillors – many of which recently quit Labour amid concerns over the direction of the council.

The Green Party, which has two councillors in Birmingham, are enjoying a surge in popularity nationally under the leadership of Zack Polanski.

“When I was elected, I said we weren’t here to be disappointed in Labour, we’re here to replace them,” Mr Polanski said last year. “British politics is changing, Greens are giving Britain hope again.”

Reform UK will be hoping to win its first council seat in Birmingham despite fears over its “divisive” politics.

The party has previously insisted that it wants to show it would represent people of all backgrounds and faiths.

Other parties and candidates, including some set to stand alongside controversial lawyer Akhmed Yakoob, will also be involved in the fight for council seats this May.

A full candidate list will be published once those details are shared by the council.

Where to cast your vote?

You can vote in person at a polling station in your ward, by post or by proxy (someone voting on your behalf).

Birmingham City Council has not yet published the list of polling stations in every ward for the upcoming election but you can find more information about how to vote on its website here.

What could be the major talking points?

If a recent by-election in Moseley is anything to go by, the political battleground could be partly dominated by the bins strike if it drags on into May.

During the height of the industrial action last year, huge heaps of rubbish piled up on street corners – attracting both rats and negative headlines for the city.

The past year or so has seen striking bin workers claim they face a pay cut of £8,000 – a figure the council has disputed.

The council has repeatedly insisted a fair offer had been made before negotiations came to an end last summer, with the authority saying it had ‘reached the absolute limit of what we can offer’ amid equal pay fears.

Another issue which was under the spotlight during that particular by-election was the fallout of the council’s recent financial crisis.

But there’s a huge array of issues, both local and international, that could feature on election leaflets and in campaign videos, such as Gaza, road safety, fly-tipping, potholes, housing, libraries, HMOs and fears over divisive politics.

What is the national picture?

Recent opinion polls make for bleak reading for Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government, who came into power back in 2024 in a landslide victory.

One particular challenge for the party nationally is the rise of Reform, which consistently performs well in the polls and won hundreds of seats in the local elections last year.

Both the Labour Party and Conservatives lost councillors during those elections while the Liberal Democrats and Green Party made gains.

Poor Labour results in May’s council elections in England, as well as the parliamentary ones in Scotland and Wales, could further increase the pressure on the Prime Minister.