Local elections 2024: Key seats to watch in Barnsley

This year, voters will head to the polls on May 2 to elect one councillor in each of the 21 electoral wards.

The count will be held during the day on May 3 rather than overnight, after a box of postal votes for the Royston Ward was not included in the overnight count in 2021.

The first results are expected around 1pm with a full declaration to be made around 4pm.

In Barnsley, 32 seats are needed for a majority.

In May 2022, Labour retained overall control of the council, but lost three seats. In December 2022, Conservative councillor for Rockingham ward David White defected to Reform UK.

In Barnsley, there are 21 electoral wards, each represented by three councillors.

Labour retained its long-standing majority last year despite losing three seats, and currently holds 45 seats.

The Lib Dems formed the main opposition with nine seats, Conservatives hold three, Independents hold three, Reform UK hold one and there is one Barnsley Independent Group seat.

Here are the key seats to watch this year

Kingstone

Last year, Liberal Democrat candidate Philip Wright narrowly won the Kingstone seat, unseating Labour’s Kevin Williams with just 38 votes.

This year, Labour’s Summer Risebury is stepping down, with new candidate Simon John Jordan Williamson hoping to retain the seat for the party.

A vacancy also remains on the ward after Labour councillor Pooja Ramchandani resigned last year.

Labour faces a challenge for the seat from Steve Bullcock for the Liberal Democrats; Green candidate Peter Gordon Giles; Liam James Hardcastle for Reform; Roger Haw for the Conservatives and Tracey-Ann Holland for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Monk Bretton

Community campaigner Rachel Stewart is once again challenging the incumbent long-standing Labour councillor, Steven Green for the Monk Bretton seat.

With Rachel losing out to Labour’s Margaret Sheard last year by 287 votes, can she win the seat on her third time standing?

The other candidates standing in Monk Bretton are Susan Mary Rose for the Liberal Democrats and Alex Wilkinson for the Conservatives.

Penistone East

Labour’s Alex Burnett narrowly ensured that Penistone East was not represented by all Conservative councillors last year.

Councillor Burnett gained the seat from the Conservatives in the Tory stronghold seat of 25 years with a majority of 254 votes.

With the leader of the Barnsley Conservatives stepping down after 20 years representing Penistone East, could Labour hopeful John Roberts join his colleague to turn the traditional Tory safe seat majority red?

Standing for the seat are Peter Millar for the Conservatives, Kate Helen Raynor for the Green, and Andy Waters for the Liberal Democrats.

Rockingham

Rockingham has been a seat to watch for the last few years.

In 2022, former Conservative turned Reform councillor David White unseated the deputy Labour leader Jim Andrews BEM with a majority of just 42.

The former mining community and traditional Labour stronghold elected independent Andy Wray last year, who won the seat from Labour with a majority of 257.

Just one Labour councillor remains, Nicola Sumner, who held the Rockingham seat via a coin toss, after tying with Conservative candidate Roy Garratt – both won 1,084 votes in 2021.

However, councillor Sumner will stand in the central ward this year, paving the way for Labour’s candidate Sherry Holling.

Will Labour be voted out of Hoyland for the first time?

Other challengers for the seat are Jaz Holt – Independent; Robert Lomas – Reform; Sue Waters – Liberal Democrats; Phil Weems – Conservative.

Royston

Councillor Caroline Makinson, the borough’s first female deputy leader will defend her seat for Labour in Royston this year.

The former mayor was elected in the Royston seat with a majority of 334 in 2021, and is one of three Labour councillors for the ward.

Her challengers are:

Jennifer Louise Barker – Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition

Michael Barraclough – Conservative

Neil Fisher – Independent

Jonathan Hood – Liberal Democrats