Sheldon, West Midlands

Infobox UK place
country = England
official_name= Sheldon
latitude= 52.4500
longitude= -1.7666
map_type= West Midlands
population = 20,911 (2001 Population Census)
population_density = 34.7 per ha
metropolitan_borough= Birmingham
metropolitan_county= West Midlands
region= West Midlands
constituency_westminster= Birmingham Yardley
post_town= BIRMINGHAM
postcode_district= B26
postcode_area= B
dial_code= 0121
os_grid_reference= SP155845
Ambulance= West Midlands Ambulance Service

Sheldon is an area of eastern Birmingham in the West Midlands, England. It is close to the border with the Metropolitan Borough of Solihull and Birmingham International Airport.

Sheldon is also one of the 40 electoral wards in Birmingham, and one of the four wards that make up the council constituency of Yardley. It covers an area of 6.03 km². Areas covered by the ward are Lyndon Green, Wells Green, Sheldon and part of Garretts Green.

Sheldon was mentioned in the Domesday Book as "Machitone", meaning "Macca's farm". A Mackadown Farm existed in the area up until the World War I, however, it is only remembered through Mackadown Lane, a residential road. ["The History of Greater Birmingham - down to 1830", Victor Skipp, 1987, V. H. T. Skipp (ISBN 0-9506998-0-2)]

Population and housing

According to the 2001 UK Census there were 20,129 people living in 9,140 households in Sheldon with a population density of 3,481 people per km² compared with 3,649 people per km² for Birmingham. Sheldon has a low percentage of ethnic minorities in its population with only 5.9% (1,195) being of an ethnic minority compared with 29.6% for Birmingham in general.

Housing in the area primarily dates back to the 1930s and the area benefits from Sheldon Country Park which is adjacent to Birmingham International Airport. The area is served by numerous shops and businesses situated along the busy A45 Coventry Road which acts as one of the city's primary gateways. The A45 runs from Birmingham city centre through Coventry and beyond.

There is one secondary school serving the area; Sheldon Heath Secondary School. As well as five primary schools, one of which is a Roman Catholic primary school. [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=326&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=6&MENU_ID=260 Sheldon Library] serves the ward too.

Politics

As of 2005, the three councillors representing Sheldon on Birmingham City Council are Sue Anderson, Paul Tilsley and Mike Ward, all of the Liberal Democrat Party.

The ward has adopted a Ward Support Officer, with the title currently being held by Tony Webster.

Birmingham City Council Elections, 4 May 2006 - Sheldon Results

*Robert Arthur Devenport - British National Party - 1132
*Derek Anthony Johnson - Conservative Party - 556
*Michael Johnson - Labour Party - 792
*Paul Morris - National Front - 74
*Colin Richard Preece - Legalise Cannabis Alliance - 45
*Michael Paul Sheridan - Green Party - 139
*Michael Howard Ward - Liberal Democrat - 3233Candidate Elected - Michael Howard Ward - Liberal Democrat

Notable residents

*Howard Brown, a branch manager for the Halifax bank, who won a staff competition to appear in a number of their television and print advertisements, was born and raised in Sheldon. He managed their Sheldon branch.
*Kevin Warwick, professor of cybernetics lived there in the 1970s. In the latter part of this time he studied at Aston University.
*Andre Marriner, a Premier League football referee.

References

External links

* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/sheldon Birmingham City Council: Sheldon Ward]
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=86291&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=13249 Sheldon Ward - census information]
* [http://www.birmingham.gov.uk/GenerateContent?CONTENT_ITEM_ID=6723&CONTENT_ITEM_TYPE=0&MENU_ID=1753&EXPAND=13261 Sheldon Country Park]
* [http://www.ucsheldon.co.uk Sheldon Local Community Site]