Mike Whitby is a Conservative Party politician and current leader of Birmingham City Council, a post he has held since June 2004. He is one of three Conservative councillors representing the Harborne ward in the west of the city. The Conservative Party (officially the Conservative & Unionist Party) is currently the second largest political party in the United Kingdom in terms of sitting Members of Parliament (MPs), and the largest in terms of public membership. ... Local Government History Most of Birmingham was historically a part of Warwickshire, though the modern city also includes villages and towns formerly in Staffordshire or Worcestershire. ... Harborne is an area of Birmingham, England. ...

Background

Mike Whitby was educated in Birmingham at James Watt Technical Grammar School, and also at Michael’s Hoven College in the then West Germany. He then undertook a period of voluntary work in Germany, helping to rebuild communities destroyed during the Second World War.

He has worked in the cultural sector in Liverpool, and also lectured in Business and Management Studies. He is currently Chairman and Managing Director of Skeldings, a small Smethwick engineering company, which was the winner of the Birmingham Post Business Award in June 2001

Whitby has served as both a Director and as Chairman of various large organisations, including the Engineering & Employers Federation, the Birmingham Chamber of Commerce, the Federation of Small Businesses, the National Exhibition Centre and the Aston Science Park. He is a member of the Institute of Directors.

In politics

Whitby joined the Conservative Party in 1979. He first stood as a candidate in the Midlands West European by-election in 1987, then as a Westminster Parliamentary candidate for Delyn in 1992, on both occasions unsuccessfully. He finally achieved elected office in 1997, on winning the Harborne ward of Birmingham in a by-election. He has retained the seat since, most recently in the 2006 local election. Delyn can refer to: Delyn (Area) Delyn (UK Parliament constituency) ... Harborne is an area of Birmingham, England. ... This page is about the Government of Birmingham, England. ...

He became Leader of the Conservative Group on Birmingham City Council in 2003, and following the city-wide elections in 2004 has led the Council in what he terms a 'progressive partnership' with the Liberal Democrats.