The Selly Oak ward covered an area of south Birmingham, and includes not only the suburb of Selly Oak but also the adjoining districts of Bournbrook, Selly Park and Ten Acres, together with a small part of the Stirchley area. It was replaced by Weoley and Selly Oak ward and Bournbrook and Selly Park ward both created in 2018.
Demographics (from the census of 2001)
The 2001 Population Census recorded that 25,792 people were living in the Selly Oak ward, with a population density of 4,236 people per km2 compared with 3,649 people per km2 for Birmingham. The ward has a below-average percentage of ethnic minorities, with only 15.9% of the population consisting of ethnic minorities compared with 29.6% for Birmingham in general.
History
The Ward came into existence in 1911 when the boundaries of the City of Birmingham were extended as a result of the Greater Birmingham Act, and when the number of electoral wards in the city was extended from 18 to 30. At that stage, three councillors were elected for the Ward, whereas in subsequent years there have been single elections. The area had previously been part of the Parish of Northfield, and originally in north Worcestershire. It was created by the union of two former electoral wards of the King's Norton and Northfieldurban district, namely the Selly Oak (East) Ward, covering the districts of Bournbrook, Selly Park and Ten Acres, and the Selly Oak (West) Ward, covering Selly Oak itself and part of the district of Bournville).
Birmingham electoral wards were changed in 2018, when the existing Selly Oak ward was divided between new Bournbrook and Selly Park, Bournville, and Selly Oak and Weoley wards.
Politics
The elected Birmingham City Council members prior to the wards dissolution were: Karen McCarthy, Brigid Jones and Changese Khan of the Labour Party. At the time Brigid Jones was also Birmingham City Council's Cabinet Member for Children and Family Services.
Phillips, Christopher (2000), Birmingham Votes: 1911–2000, Twentieth Century Local Election Results, Volume 4, Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, ISBN0-948858-30-3
Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2002), Local Elections Handbook 2002: The 2002 Local Election Results, Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, ISBN0-948858-33-8
Rallings, Colin; Thrasher, Michael (2003), Local Elections Handbook 2003: The 2003 Local Election Results, Local Government Chronicle Elections Centre, University of Plymouth, Plymouth, ISBN0-948858-35-4