Barnsley’s party leaders on why their candidates deserve your vote at May’s local elections

Barnsley residents are set to take to the polls on May 5, to select their ward councillor.
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For the 63 seats on Barnsley Council, the number of candidates standing for election in May are: 21 Labour, 21 Liberal Democrats, 21 Conservatives, five Greens, five Barnsley Independent Group, four Independent, two Trade Union and Socialist Coalition, five Social Democrats, five Freedom Alliance, two English Democrats and one candidate each from the Northern Independence Party and Yorkshire Party.

For a majority, 32 seats are needed, and Labour currently holds 49 seats, Lib Dems hold seven, Conservatives hold three and Independents hold three.

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

Barnsley Town HallBarnsley Town Hall
Barnsley Town Hall

These are the parties hoping to secure a seat this year.

Labour

The Labour party holds the majority of seats on Barnsley Council, with 49 of 63 seats. Labour is standing candidates in all 21 wards.

Councillor Sir Steve Houghton CBE, leader of the council, has plans for the wider town centre, for “more and better” jobs, housing, and buses.

Coun Houghton says the redevelopment of the town centre is to continue – not just at The Seam, but further afield.

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“Labour is the most ambitious for the town out of all the parties without a doubt,” said Coun Houghton.

£30m of investment in Barnsley’s principal towns and villages is part of Labour’s future plans.

“That will be money going into areas that haven’t seen anything for years,” added Coun Houghton.

Coun Houghton added that job creation and “working with developers to meet our future housing needs.” is a priority, as well as “demanding more of government and getting South Yorkshire a fair deal on public transport.”

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“We want to invest an additional £2m into the highways programme.

“That will include road safety activities around all our schools. It’ll include more road repairs right across the borough”

“We’ll be looking at electrifying all our vehicles and fleet.

“We’ve given 15,000 families zero council tax increase this year. We’ve put in place another £1m to help people with hardship.

“The Labour Party is the caring party.

“Our members are rooted in their local communities.

Liberal Democrats

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The Liberal Democrats gained three seats during last years election, making up seven seats on the council. They are standing candidates in all 21 wards for the second year running.

Councillor Hannah Kitching, leader of the Lib Dem group said: “Until I was elected in 2018, there was literally no opposition at all.

“Everything just used to get nodded through full council, there was no proper challenge, no scrutiny, none of the other parties ever asked questions, they never challenged the administration.

“The more counsellors we get, the stronger that opposition will be.

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“If you don’t like the decisions that Labour are making in Barnsley, vote for an opposition counsellor.

“We’ve been pushing for bigger investment into neighbourhood road safety schemes, and for investment into 20 mile an hour zones, both outside schools and within residential areas.

“We focus on taking decision making as close to local communities as we possibly can.”

“We would like to devolve money and powers out to the area councils to take decision making as close as possible to the communities that they represent.

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“Not everyone agrees with Lib Dem national politics, the important thing to remember is that these are local elections.

“As a Lib Dem group we’re really small, but we really punch above our weight.

“We are the only team that will challenge and scrutinise and push Labour into making better decisions, rather than just voting with their whip for an easy life.”

Conservatives

The Conservative party currently hold three seats on the council, and have stood candidates in all 21 wards.

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The local Conservatives go into the 2022 council Elections in May with much excitement, and for a number of reasons says Barnsley Conservative leader, councillor John Wilson.

“We have not rested since last year’s very close results, and have spent all year surveying residents, door-knocking, and talking to people about issues that are impacting their daily lives. One thing that comes up, again and again, is that residents feel that BMBC are simply not listening to them”.

“The huge warehousing and industrial developments at Rockingham are one example, and the housing developments being unsympathetically approved across the whole area are another. There is a perception of vanity projects that residents, on the whole, are not in support of.

“This year, local Conservatives are fighting hard in Penistone and Barnsley, where last year’s results were too close to call.

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“We have some exciting candidates, who are bringing fresh ideas and energy. Labour has ruled here since the mid-1970’s – This year, residents can genuinely vote for a new and exciting approach, which is way overdue” added coun Wilson.

Barnsley Independent Group

The Barnsley Independent Group is standing candidates in Worsbrough, Central, Kingstone, North East and Stairfoot wards.

The Barnsley Independent Group leader Councillor Andrew Gillis said: “We do not publish and circulate a list of policies because we believe that Party Politics should not play a part in local government.

“We will always do our best to represent our local area and its residents.

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“We do not have to toe party lines and be told which way we have to vote unlike the main political parties, and are always free to vote for our individual communities and also for the Barnsley Borough.

“Our councillors along with our candidates are always involved in our various communities listening to people and what are the issues for example anti social behaviour, littering, graffiti, parking and many other issues.

“We always try our best to address these and inform people of the outcomes.

“The Barnsley Independent Group meet regularly and discuss the issues in each other’s wards and try to work together to help to resolve these.

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“We also believe we need to protect and improve our environment.”

Yorkshire Party

The Yorkshire Party has one candidate standing in Cudworth.

A spokesperson for the Yorkshire Party said: “A vote for the Yorkshire Party in the upcoming elections is a vote for a different type of politics – we are the only party pushing for stronger recognition and more powers from Westminster.

“In town halls and local councils we are the voice that keeps the other parties from taking their areas for granted.

“We have candidates in both Sheffield and Barnsley who’s broad focus is onfixing potholes, fighting antisocial behaviour and working to end fly tipping.”

Northern Independence Party

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The Northern Independent Party is standing one candidate in Kingstone.

A spokesperson for the Northern Independent Party said: ” Roads full of potholes, overcrowded schools, overworked teachers, no GP appointments, and energy prices skyrocketing.

“These problems are part of a bigger picture — austerity, privatisation, and centralisation.

“Since 2010, Westminster has slashed council budgets across the North by over £400 per person, yet all we’re getting from so-called “levelling up” is £32 per person!

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“With prices rising and services gutted, our government is doing less but charging us more.

“Scotland has a smaller economy than the North, but have just renationalised their rail network. They also have free prescriptions, free tuition, and fairer taxes, because they threaten Westminster with independence and force them to listen.

“Labour and Tory governments have broken their promises to us for decades. It’s time we said enough is enough. People across the North are standing with us to send a clear message to Westminster – either give us our fair share, or we’ll give you the boot.

“Our Manifesto launches on April 18th. In it, we’ll lay out our commitment to nationalising energy companies, cracking down on wealthy tax dodgers, and improving pay and working conditions for millions of people.

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“A better North is possible outside of Westminster’s control.”

Freedom Alliance

The Freedom Alliance is standing candidates in Darton West, Wombwell, Kingstone, Dodworth and Old Town.

The party was formed in 2020 to campaign against lockdowns and in support of medical freedom.

Leader Jonathan Tilt has who has worked as an acupuncturist in the town for the last 12 years, and says the party is now focussed on “combating the cost of living crisis caused by the state’s response to covid”.

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Jonathan said “everyone in Barnsley and across the UK are now paying the cost of covid.

“£600 billion of new and worthless digital money was created in 2020 to fund the state.

“This is now feeding through into the cost of everything. Sadly the inflation has only just started.

“For the £40 billion cost of Track and Trace we could have suspended everyone’s council tax for a year.”

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“Freedom Alliance believe in smaller, cheaper and more accountable government.

“Within Barnsley Council we will campaign to reduce council tax through measure such as capping management salaries at £80,000.p.a.”

The English Democrats

The English Democrats are standing candidates in Dearne North and Dearne South.

A spokesperson said: “The English Democrats are the only campaigning English nationalist Party.

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“We campaign for a referendum for Independence for England; for St George’s Day to be England’s National holiday; for Jerusalem to be England’s National Anthem; to leave properly and fully the EU; for an end to mass immigration; for the Cross of St George to be flown on all public buildings in England; and we support a YES vote for Scottish Independence.”

Trade Union and Socialist Coalition

The Trade Union and Socialist Coalition is two candidates in Rockingham and Hoyland Milton.

A TUSC spokesperson said: “It’s them and us.

“Prices and profits rocketing. But wages, pensions and benefits held down.

“There’s never been so much inequality.

“Yet there’s hardly any difference between the three mainstream parties.

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“That’s why Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition (TUSC) are standing – to give a voice to ordinary working class people.

“We’re Trade Unionists because we fight for workers’ rights, against low payand zero hours contracts.

“We’re Socialists because there’s enough wealth and resources for everybody to enjoy a decent standard of living.

“TUSC opposes all cuts and privatisation, including our NHS.

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“We campaign for a £15 an hour minimum wage for all workers.

“We support city wide licensing of private landlords and a maximum cap on rents.

“Buses should be regulated and brought into public ownership. Nationalise the Energy and Oil companies to reduce fuel prices and plan a socialist and green transition to combat climate change.”

Social Democratic Party

The social democratic party is standing candidates in Kingstone, Dearne North, Dearne South, Wombwell and Darfield

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An SDP spokesperson said: “This is not a general election, so the voter does not need to worry about tactical voting, and can genuinely look outside the Tory/Labour strangle-hold that chokes our region, and actually vote for somebody who has the life experience required to make a first class South Yorkshire.

“Once we get our economic strategy in place, then the adult skills and transport links needed, can be planned for, and dove- tailed into business

“we want to re-industrialise the whole of South Yorkshire. Britain doesn’t make anything anymore, and we rely on goods from countries from the other side of the planet.

“Once we have the mind-set to manufacture again in South Yorkshire, we will start to prosper

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“South Yorkshire is a sleeping giant, and together we could make this the design, and production hub of the country.

“Once we put long term manufacturing jobs in place we will seriously flood money into communities, and revive our small town and villages.

“When the overall GDP of an area goes up, then small businesses flourish too, charities get extra donations, and antisocial behaviour drops.