Local elections 2022: Key seats to watch in Barnsley

In some wards there were just a handful of votes between the candidates.

This year, voters will head to the polls on Thursday, May 5 to elect one councillor in each of the 21 electoral wards.

In Barnsley, 32 seats are needed for a majority, and Labour currently holds 49, Lib Dems hold seven, Conservatives hold three, Independents hold three, and there is also one member of the Barnsley Independent Group.

Here, we look at the key seats to keep an eye on during this year’s local elections.

Darton West

Five candidates are competing for one seat in Darton West, which is currently held by Labour’s cabinet member Sharon Howard.

Labour candidate Alice Cave was re-elected in 2021, winning with a majority of 137 votes, retaining a full slate of three Labour councillors for the ward.

Councillor Howard is up against Kevin Bennett for the Liberal Democrats, Tom Heyes for the Green Party, John Miller for the Conservatives and Jonathan Tilt, of the Freedom Alliance.

MORE: Barnsley’s independent candidates have their say on why you should vote for them in May’s election

Dodworth

Dodworth saw a Lib Dem gain last year after Councillor Chris Wray unseated Barnsley Independent leader Phillip Birkenshaw with a slim majority of just 47 votes.

Incumbent Labour councillor Neil Wright is up for re-election in Dodworth, and is challenged by Will Fielding of the Liberal Democrats, who is no doubt hoping for a full slate of Lib Dem councillors in the ward.

Also standing for the Dodworth seat are Amanda Griffin for the Freedom Alliance party, and Kirk Harper for the Conservatives.

Worsbrough

Labour’s Roy Bowser unseated Independent Gill Carr with a narrow majority of 52 last year.

This year, Gill Carr is hoping to win her seat back by pipping Labour’s long standing councillor John Clarke Jp, who has held the seat since 2010, to the post.

Other challengers for the Worsbrough seat are Sarah Calvert of the Liberal Democrats, and Andrew Millner of the Conservative Party.

Rockingham

Labour councillor Nicola Sumner held her Rockingham seat via a coin toss, after tying with Conservative candidate Roy Garratt – both won 1,084 votes in last year’s election.

BMBC’s deputy leader, Councillor Jim Andrews BEM, who has served on the council since 1986 is up for election this year.

Challengers for Coun Andrews seat are Karen Fletcher for the Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition, Susan Waters for the Liberal Democrats, and David White for the Conservatives.

North East

Labou held the North East ward during 2019’s election, but only by 74 votes , and Councilor Jeff Ennis retained his seat with a majority of 522 in 2021.

Former mayor and long standing Labour councillor Dorothy Higginbottom is standing down from her North East seat after 18 years.

Standing in the North East ward this year are Raymond Archer for the Barnsley Independent Group, Sam Christmas for the Liberal Democrats , Ashley Peace for Labour and Samuel WIlkinson for the Conservatives.