Business Commission West Midlands
The Business Commission West Midlands provides a roadmap for unlocking business growth across the region.
Local elections hub
This hub provides information for Greater Birmingham businesses on the upcoming local elections that will be held on 7th May 2026, including details of what councils are responsible for, information on how to vote, and what the GBCC is advocating for on your behalf. Birmingham City Council will be an all-out election this year, meaning that all the seats on the council will be up for election, but most areas across Greater Birmingham will be holding elections on some seats.
What do the local elections mean for businesses?
At this local election there are two different types of councillors being elected across the Greater Birmingham area:
-
District, borough and city councillors, who are typically responsible for services like waste collection, recycling, planning applications, housing and Council Tax and Business Rates collection.
-
Town councillors, who manage local infrastructure like community centres, bus shelters and play areas, as well as giving grants to local organisations and consulting on neighbourhood planning.
As a business you may need to engage with your local council on issues such as planning permission, licensing regulations, trading standards and health and safety.
How to vote and more information
In order to vote in these elections you will need to register by 20th April 2026.
The pages below contain information about
Elections 2026 | Tamworth Borough Council
Birmingham City Council – Elections information | Birmingham City Council
Solihull local council elections | Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council
Cannock Chase District Council Elections - 7th May 2026 | Cannock Chase District Council
Elections May 2026 – Royal Sutton Coldfield Town Council
For more information on what is happening specifically in your area, please visit the Electoral Commission’s page Elections in your area.
Advocacy
Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce is an apolitical organisation and we work closely with local councils across Greater Birmingham to champion the voice of local business. You can find examples of the advocacy work below.
Staffordshire Gateway Growth Panel
The Staffordshire Gateway Growth Panel is a research exercise led by business, for business, working to develop a roadmap for unleashing the potential of Staffordshire Gateway businesses.
Quarterly Business Report
An up-to-date snapshot of the performance of the Greater Birmingham business community. It is the most comprehensive regular report of its kind in the city region.