2023 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

2023 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election
21 of 63 seats on Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council; 32 seats needed for a majority
Turnout	24.7%
	The winner of each seat by party in the 2023 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Election
Leader before election; Stephen Houghton; Labour	Leader after election ; Stephen Houghton; Labour

Elections to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council took place on 4 May 2023 alongside other elections in the United Kingdom.^[1] One third of the council was up for election.^[2]

Background

The Labour Party have controlled the council since 1973. In May 2021, Labour retained control but the council was criticised for not counting over 1,000 postal votes.^[3] In May 2022, Labour retained overall control of the council, but lost three seats.^[4] In December 2022, Conservative councillor for Rockingham ward David White defected to Reform UK.^[5]^[6]

Previous council composition

After 2022 election			Before 2023 election
Party		Seats	Party		Seats
	Labour	46		Labour	45
	Liberal Democrats	9		Liberal Democrats	9
	Conservative	4		Conservative	3
	Independent	3		Independent	3
	Barnsley Ind.	1		Barnsley Ind.	1
				Reform UK	1
				Vacant	1

Results summary

2023 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election
Party		This election			Full council			This election
Party		Seats	Net	Seats %	Other	Total	Total %	Votes	Votes %	+/−
	Labour	15	2	71.5	33	48	76.2	20,932	46.1	0.1
	Liberal Democrats	4	1	19.0	6	10	15.9	7,926	17.5	1.2
	Independent	2	1	9.5	0	2	3.2	4,853	10.7	6.9
	Conservative	0	1	0.0	2	2	3.2	6,456	14.2	5.2
	Reform UK	0		0.0	1	1	1.5	1,322	2.9	N/A
	Green	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	2,094	4.6	0.8
	Yorkshire	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	918	2.0	1.3
	SDP	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	462	1.0
	TUSC	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	241	0.5	0.2
	English Constitution	0		0.0	0	0	0.0	155	0.3	N/A

The Barnsley Independent Group did not stand in this election and lost its sole seat on the council.

Ward results

On 11 April 2023, the full list of candidates was published.^[7]

Central

Central (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Martin O'Donoghue	846	46.8	−4.4
	Yorkshire	Steve Bullcock	456	25.2	−0.5
	Conservative	Charlotte Wilkinson	176	9.7	−5.6
	Green	Chris Scarfe	153	8.5	N/A
	Independent	Ruby Paul	92	5.1	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Catherine Rogerson	84	4.6	−3.2
Majority			390	21.6
Rejected ballots			5
Turnout			1,812	20.8
Registered electors			8,713
	Labour hold		Swing

Cudworth

Cudworth (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Anita Cherryholme	1,137	69.1	+4.2
	Conservative	Mark Brook	248	15.1	+2.7
	Green	Ken Smith	148	9.0	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Elizabeth Waters	113	6.9	+2.1
Majority			889	54.0
Rejected ballots			12
Turnout			1,657	16.6
Registered electors			8,437
	Labour hold		Swing

Darfield

Darfield (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Trevor Smith	912	51.0	−11.7
	Reform UK	Scott McKenzie	374	20.9	+10.3
	Conservative	Benjamin Harrison	334	18.7	−1.9
	Liberal Democrats	Simon Hulme	168	9.4	+3.3
Majority			538	30.1
Rejected ballots			11
Turnout			1,799	22.7
Registered electors			7,915
	Labour hold		Swing

Darton East

Darton East (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Steve Hunt	1,699	64.7	+8.2
	Labour	Teresa Wilcockson	770	29.3	−3.5
	Conservative	John Miller	156	9.8	−0.8
Majority			929	35.3
Rejected ballots			15
Turnout			2,641	29.9
Registered electors			8,828
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Darton West

Darton West (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Trevor Cave	978	41.4	+2.3
	Green	Lee Long	690	29.2	−0.8
	Conservative	Bee Lokkit	302	12.8	−7.0
	Yorkshire	Simon Bitcliffe	274	11.6	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Kevin Bennett	118	5.0	−3.5
Majority			288	12.2
Rejected ballots			8
Turnout			2,371	27.0
Registered electors			8,777
	Labour hold		Swing

Dearne North

Dearne North (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Martin Morrell	1,048	73.1	+1.0
	Conservative	Gillian Millner	152	10.6	−2.0
	English Constitution Party	Maxine Spencer	118	8.2	−0.1
	Liberal Democrats	Brian Evans	106	7.4	+2.8
	SDP	Steve Vajda	16	1.1	−1.4
Majority			896	62.5
Rejected ballots			9
Turnout			1,449	17.0
Registered electors			8,548
	Labour hold		Swing

Dearne South

Dearne South (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Abi Moore	1,066	59.5	−12.0
	SDP	Dave Jarvis	446	24.9	+18.6
	Conservative	Rosemary Jackson	162	9.0	−4.3
	Liberal Democrats	Linda Fielding	81	4.5	+1.1
	English Constitution Party	Janus Polenceusz	37	2.1	−3.4
Majority			620	34.6
Rejected ballots			8
Turnout			1,801	19.5
Registered electors			9,217
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

Dodworth

Dodworth (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Sam Christmas	1,407	55.2	+9.5
	Labour	Nicholas Riggs	806	31.6	−1.2
	Conservative	Lee Ogden	334	13.1	−4.9
Majority			601	23.6
Rejected ballots			13
Turnout			2,561	30.6
Registered electors			8,374
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Hoyland Milton

Hoyland Milton (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Tim Shepherd	1,052	42.7	−5.6
	Reform UK	Michael Davies	436	17.7	N/A
	Conservative	Michael Toon	292	11.9	−12.7
	Independent	Cassie Northwood	284	11.5	−13.1
	Liberal Democrats	Glenn Lawrence	179	7.3	+0.8
	Green	Tom Heyes	148	6.0	N/A
	TUSC	Angela Waller	73	3.0	−1.7
Majority			616	25.0
Rejected ballots			5
Turnout			2,470	26.9
Registered electors			9,183
	Labour hold		Swing

Kingstone

Kingstone (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	Philip Wright	678	41.6	+36.8
	Labour	Kevin Williams	640	39.3	+0.5
	Green	Peter Giles	109	6.7	−0.5
	Independent	Judy Barnsley	99	6.1	+3.8
	Conservative	Roger Haw	71	4.4	−4.8
	TUSC	Tracey-Ann Holland	33	2.0	N/A
Majority			38	2.3
Rejected ballots			4
Turnout			1,645	21.3
Registered electors			7,724
	Liberal Democrats gain from Labour		Swing

Monk Bretton

Monk Bretton (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Margaret Sheard	1,056	50.2	−0.5
	Independent	Rachel Stewart	769	36.5	+5.2
	Conservative	Macaulay Larkin	182	8.6	−3.6
	Liberal Democrats	Sue Rose	98	4.7	−1.1
Majority			287	13.7
Rejected ballots			4
Turnout			2,100	23.6
Registered electors			8,894
	Labour gain from Independent		Swing

North East

North East (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Ruth Booker	1,069	53.4	−0.8
	Independent	Raymond Archer	462	23.1	−4.6
	Conservative	Samuel Wilkinson	205	10.2	−3.8
	Yorkshire	Tony Devoy	188	9.4	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Kieran Oldfield	79	3.9	−0.1
Majority			607	30.3
Rejected ballots			10
Turnout			2,013	19.8
Registered electors			10,180
	Labour hold		Swing

Old Town

Old Town (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Jo Newing	1,069	52.0	+0.6
	Conservative	Clive Watkinson	313	15.2	−5.0
	Independent	Charlotte Sykes	263	12.8	+6.3
	Green	Gillian Nixon	231	11.2	−4.3
	Liberal Democrats	Patrick Smith	125	6.1	−0.3
	TUSC	Steve Dankerfield	56	2.7	N/A
Majority			756	36.8
Rejected ballots			6
Turnout			2,063	24.0
Registered electors			8,587
	Labour hold		Swing

Penistone East

Penistone East (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Alex Burnett	1,603	42.4	+9.1
	Conservative	Steven Burkinshaw	1,349	35.7	−7.3
	Liberal Democrats	Andrew Waters	486	12.9	−0.4
	Green	Rebecca Trotman	191	5.1	−5.4
	Independent	Amanda Griffin	153	4.0	N/A
Majority			254	6.7
Rejected ballots			19
Turnout			3,801	39.40
Registered electors			9,647
	Labour gain from Conservative		Swing

Penistone West

Penistone West (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal Democrats	David Greenhough	1,613	45.9	−9.7
	Labour Co-op	Frances Nixon	810	23.0	+9.7
	Conservative	Roy Garratt	623	17.7	+0.6
	Green	Richard Trotman	268	7.6	+2.3
	Independent	Paula Button-Roberts	202	5.7	N/A
Majority			803	22.9
Rejected ballots			21
Turnout			3,539	35.2
Registered electors			10,055
	Liberal Democrats hold		Swing

Rockingham

Rockingham (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Andrew Wray	1,028	38.9	*N/A*
	Labour	Jane Townsend	771	29.1	−11.5
	Conservative	Mark Highmouch	351	13.3	−28.9
	Reform UK	Brian Gregory	277	10.5	N/A
	Green	Trevor Mayne	99	3.7	N/A
	Liberal Democrats	Sue Waters	99	3.7	−4.8
	TUSC	Karen Fletcher	21	0.8	−7.9
Majority			257	9.8
Rejected ballots			6
Turnout			2,653	31.1
Registered electors			8,533
	Independent gain from Labour		Swing

Royston

Royston (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Pauline McCarthy	1,132	58.8	+5.6
	Independent	Neil Fisher	366	19.0	−3.5
	Conservative	Michael Barraclough	272	14.1	−3.7
	Liberal Democrats	Jonathan Hood	97	5.0	−1.5
	TUSC	Jennifer Barker	58	3.0	N/A
Majority			766	39.8
Rejected ballots			6
Turnout			1,931	22.1
Registered electors			8,748
	Labour hold		Swing

St Helen's

St Helen's (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Neil Wright	1,035	74.6	+0.8
	Conservative	Andrew Millner	181	13.0	−2.9
	Liberal Democrats	Matthew Nicholson	172	12.4	+2.1
Majority			854	61.6
Rejected ballots			6
Turnout			1,394	17.6
Registered electors			7,925
	Labour hold		Swing

Stairfoot

Stairfoot (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Paul Murray	1,073	61.5	+17.4
	Conservative	Alex Wilkinson	392	22.5	+8.6
	Liberal Democrats	James Kitching	281	16.1	+10.9
Majority			681	39.0
Rejected ballots			19
Turnout			1,765	19.8
Registered electors			8,923
	Labour gain from Barnsley Ind.		Swing

Wombwell

Wombwell (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Labour	Brenda Eastwood	1,426	69.5	+3.9
	Reform UK	Donna Cutts	235	11.4	N/A
	Conservative	Debbie Toon	233	11.3	−2.6
	Liberal Democrats	Robert Green	159	7.7	−3.3
Majority			1,191	58.1
Rejected ballots			6
Turnout			2,060	21.0
Registered electors			9,815
	Labour hold		Swing

Worsbrough

Worsbrough (1)
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Independent	Jake Lodge	1,135	55.7	*N/A*
	Labour	Sherry Holling	633	31.1	−14.4
	Conservative	Adrian Thompson	128	6.3	−5.1
	Liberal Democrats	Sarah Calvert	84	4.1	−2.5
	Green	Katelyn Long	57	2.8	N/A
Majority			502	24.4
Rejected ballots			5
Turnout			2,044	27.8
Registered electors			7,351
	Independent hold		Swing

References

^ "Barnsley residents need photo ID to vote at elections in May". www.barnsley.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
^ Sandeman, Kit (11 April 2023). "Barnsley council: Local election results 2023". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 17 April 2023.
^ "Barnsley election: Council criticised after vote-counting error". BBC News. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
^ "Local election results 2022: Barnsley and Sheffield Labour losses". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2023.
^ Helm, Toby; Savage, Michael; Barnett, David (18 December 2022). "'We didn't vote for this': anger over Brexit failures is haunting the Tories". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 28 March 2023.
^ "Councillor details - Councillor David White". barnsleymbc.moderngov.co.uk. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.
^ Andrews, Danielle (11 April 2023). "Who can I vote for in May's elections? Full list of candidates standing in Barnsley". Sheffield Star. Retrieved 17 April 2023.

[1] "Barnsley residents need photo ID to vote at elections in May". www.barnsley.gov.uk. Retrieved 16 February 2023.

[2] Sandeman, Kit (11 April 2023). "Barnsley council: Local election results 2023". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 17 April 2023.

[3] "Barnsley election: Council criticised after vote-counting error". BBC News. 14 November 2022. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

[4] "Local election results 2022: Barnsley and Sheffield Labour losses". BBC News. 6 May 2022. Retrieved 16 February 2023.

[5] Helm, Toby; Savage, Michael; Barnett, David (18 December 2022). "'We didn't vote for this': anger over Brexit failures is haunting the Tories". The Observer. ISSN 0029-7712. Retrieved 28 March 2023.

[6] "Councillor details - Councillor David White". barnsleymbc.moderngov.co.uk. 26 April 2023. Retrieved 26 April 2023.

[7] Andrews, Danielle (11 April 2023). "Who can I vote for in May's elections? Full list of candidates standing in Barnsley". Sheffield Star. Retrieved 17 April 2023.

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