Barnsley parish councils set to move election year in bid to avoid major costs
Parish councils across Barnsley look set to bring their next elections forward by a year, after all 15 backed a proposal to align their cycle with the borough council’s new four-year timetable.
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council will consider the change at a full council meeting on November 27, after a consultation found unanimous support from parish councils for shifting their next ordinary elections to May 7 2026, and every four years thereafter.
The move follows the council’s own decision in May to switch to all-out elections from 2026, meaning every councillor will now be elected at the same time every four years.
Under current arrangements, parish council elections are due in May 2027, a year in which no other polls are scheduled. A report warns that holding standalone elections would leave parishes facing the full cost of running a contested vote, with the largest councils likely to face bills of up to £50,000.
To avoid those costs, the council’s chief executive wrote to all parish councils in June seeking their views on changing the cycle. Every parish responded in favour of the shift.
If approved, the decision would bring parish election timings back into step with the borough council’s own cycle. The report says the change carries no financial impact for Barnsley Council and has no direct equality, sustainability, or staffing implications.
Parish councils will be informed of the decision and asked to make residents aware of the new timetable.
The recommendation will go before councillors later this month, with officers stating it is appropriate to act on the unanimous support shown by parish councils.