I am gutted to see Andy Street lose the race for Mayor of the West Midlands.
His appeal was much more than that of a traditional politician. For a start, people of all political persuasions appreciated his background as the former Chief Exec of one of the most trusted brands in the country, John Lewis.
As well as his professionalism, he had a unique ability to draw people together to work towards what was best for the West Midlands, not just what was best for them.
But we in Walsall certainly appreciated him, as shown by the voting numbers below:
Labour - 18097
Andy - 24735
He will be missed as Mayor by many here in Walsall and across the Black Country.