Arrests, infighting and elections: How 2021 was a turbulent year for West Midlands politics

As far as the local political scene is concerned, the past year will go down as one of the most turbulent in recent memory.

Coronavirus led to unusual election counts in 2021

As local authorities relied on government handouts to protect services amid the Covid crisis, the horizon was blighted with political infighting, scandal and disgraced councillors being hauled before the courts.

May's local elections were dominated by huge Conservative gains at the expense of Labour, which saw support plummet across the Black Country and Staffordshire.

The Tories picked up more than 30 seats in the Black Country – including 12 in Dudley – and took over Cannock Chase Council after landing nine of the 10 seats up for grabs.

The elections saw blue representation on Sandwell Council for the first time in six years, with the Conservatives now holding 10 seats.

However, the chaos among the authority's ruling Labour group continued unabated, with new leader Rajbir Singh elected in May and resigned by November.

An unfortunate pose for Rajbir Singh who had departed as council leader within weeks of this picture being taken

His disastrous reign will be best remembered for a still unresolved scandal over a £20 million school transport contract, strikes from bin and leisure workers, and now-shelved plans to close the Walker Grange care home.

The borough's Labour group has elected Councillor Kerrie Carmichael as the council's sixth leader in three years.

She will hope that calmer waters lie ahead, with another cull of supporters of former deputy leader Mahboob Hussain lined up for next May's local elections.

The authority is also hoping to appoint a new chief executive as part of plans to end the game of musical chairs among its senior officer ranks, which is currently filled with 'interim' placeholders.

David Fisher, front, was celebrating the Conservatives making gains at the local elections in Sandwell but later stood down as group leader

Not to be outdone, the Conservatives are on the lookout for a new group leader after Councillor David Fisher stood down over offensive comments on Twitter.

Over in Walsall we were treated to the rare spectacle of a by-election where the winner was unable to take up a seat on the council.

Simran Cheema Kaur comfortably won in Pleck for Labour, but was unable to sign the declaration of acceptance because she had breached eligibility rules.

The seat will remain vacant until next May, while furious Tory council leader Mike Bird has demanded the Labour Party stump up the £20,000 cost of holding the poll.

Ian Brookfield, Wolverhampton Council leader, celebrates retaining control of the council at the local elections

Wolverhampton's Labour group is dealing with the fallout of a botched attempt to oust one of its councillors, which sparked a call for council leader Ian Brookfield to resign.

The authority also became embroiled in a row with Dudley Council over the use of the Anchor Lane tip.

And Dudley Council's leader Patrick Harley has called for the borough's police commander to be replaced following a row over travellers.

Meanwhile since August the potential destruction of the green belt across the Black Country and South Staffordshire has been a major talking point.

Plans were unveiled for thousands of new homes on green sites across the four boroughs and the district, sparking a wave of protests from residents.

Labour councillor Sean Coughlan celebrates election in Walsall. He would later be arrested on suspicion of child sex offences

While they have hit out at local authorities, the councils have accused ministers of setting housing targets that are too high. Expect the blame game to continue into the new year.

The year also saw senior Labour councillors mired in legal scandals.

In Wolverhampton, Harman Banger, who was the cabinet member for city economy, is awaiting sentencing after he and his wife were found guilty of claiming a Covid grant for a shut down pizza restaurant.

And in Walsall former council leader Sean Coughlan will spend Christmas behind bars after he was charged with child sex offences.

Tory Andy Street comfortably held off the challenge of Liam Byrne in the West Midlands mayoral election

Meanwhile the region has a new police and crime commissioner to oversee law and order, after Simon Foster was elected to succeed his Labour colleague David Jamieson in May.

It has been a seamless transition, with Mr Foster continuing his predecessor's tactic of blaming surging crime on budget cuts.

He has also sparked anger after criticising stop and search and announcing the closure of more than 20 police stations and bases.

Conservative Andy Street was comfortably reelected as West Midlands Mayor.