# 2011 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2011 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 5 May 2011 to elect members of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in South Yorkshire, England. One third of the council was up for election and the Labour party stayed in overall control of the council.
After the election, the composition of the council was
* Labour 43
* Barnsley Independent Group 13
* Conservative 6
* Independent 1

## Election result

The results saw Labour make 5 gains from the Barnsley Independent Group to have 43 councillors and a 23-vote majority. The Barnsley Independent Group dropped to 13 seats, while the Conservative party stayed on 6 seats and there remained 1 other independent. Labour defeated sitting councillors for the Barnsley Independent Group in Hoyland Milton, Kingstone, Old Town and Rockingham wards. They also gained Darfield where the sitting councillor had stood down at the election, with the successful Labour candidate being a former Member of the European Parliament Brian Key. The Labour leader of the council, Steve Houghton, called on his party not to be complacent after their gains, while the leader of the Barnsley Independent Group called the results "a bitter blow".
Among other results, Jane Collins for the United Kingdom Independence Party, following her second place in the 2011 Barnsley Central by-election, came third in Monk Bretton ward. Meanwhile, the British National Party, after putting up 19 candidates, failed to come close to taking any seats. Overall turnout in the election was 36.3%.
Councillors elected in 2007 ended their term in 2011. The change in vote shares in compared to this corresponding election.
Barnsley Local Election Result 2011 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 17 | 5 | 0 | +5 | 81.0 | 53.3 | 34,187 | +9.1% |
| Barnsley Ind. | 2 | 0 | 5 | -5 | 9.5 | 20.4 | 13,077 | +0.9% |
| Conservative | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.5 | 15.3 | 9,810 | -1.8% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7.2 | 4,645 | -5.0% |
| UKIP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.4 | 902 | +1.4% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.1 | 680 | +0.3% |
| English Democrat | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 290 | +0.5% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.4 | 265 | -5.7% |
| Socialist Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.3 | 188 | +0.3% |
| TUSC | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 150 | +0.2% |

## Ward results

Changes in vote are calculated from the corresponding elections in 2007.
Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Dyson | 1,577 | 61.6 | +18.4 |
| | BNP | Colin Porter | 289 | 11.3 | −14.5 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Hill | 281 | 11.0 | +2.5 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Damion Krska | 263 | 10.3 | −12.2 |
| | TUSC | Jack Hetherington | 150 | 5.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,288 | 50.3 | +19.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,560 | 32.2 | −11.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Cudworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charlie Wraith | 2,002 | 73.5 | −1.0 |
| | BNP | Terry Hubbard | 444 | 16.3 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Kirk Dyson | 278 | 10.2 | −15.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,558 | 57.2 | +17.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,724 | 33.7 | −22.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Darfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brian Key | 1,541 | 50.2 | +21.1 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Carmen Hancock-Jones | 1,091 | 35.6 | −9.3 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Wilkinson | 239 | 7.8 | +1.2 |
| | BNP | David Burnett | 197 | 6.4 | −7.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 450 | 14.7 | +2.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,068 | 38.2 | −18.4 |
| | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Swing | | |
Darton East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roy Miller | 1,660 | 51.8 | +11.8 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | John Race | 894 | 27.9 | +10.1 |
| | Conservative | Garry Needham | 363 | 11.3 | −2.2 |
| | BNP | Sharon Sutton | 170 | 5.3 | −11.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Joni Hood | 117 | 3.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 766 | 23.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,204 | 38.1 | −22.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Darton West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Burgess | 2,041 | 62.9 | +19.9 |
| | Conservative | Clive Watkinson | 769 | 23.7 | +11.7 |
| | BNP | Ian Sutton | 435 | 13.4 | −13.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,272 | 39.2 | +16.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,245 | 39.3 | −25.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dearne North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Gardiner | 1,665 | 69.0 | +22.1 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Kurt Garner | 501 | 20.8 | +16.1 |
| | BNP | Nathan Walker | 246 | 10.2 | −11.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,164 | 48.3 | +6.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,412 | 29.8 | −18.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dearne South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ralph Sixsmith | 2,183 | 76.2 | +30.3 |
| | BNP | Raymond Hinchliffe | 270 | 9.4 | −13.2 |
| | Conservative | Paul Buckley | 207 | 7.2 | +2.4 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Susan Garner | 206 | 7.2 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,913 | 66.7 | +45.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,866 | 32.3 | −21.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Dodworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Brian Perrin | 1,564 | 45.0 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Dave Leech | 1,199 | 34.5 | +6.4 |
| | Conservative | Hamish Toon | 494 | 14.2 | −0.2 |
| | BNP | Alan Brown | 222 | 6.4 | −6.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 365 | 10.5 | +9.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,479 | 44.2 | −22.1 |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | | |
Hoyland Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tim Shepherd | 1,630 | 49.3 | +5.9 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Barry Lipscombe | 1,075 | 32.5 | +14.6 |
| | Conservative | Sam England | 314 | 9.5 | +0.0 |
| | English Democrat | Kevin Riddiough | 290 | 8.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 555 | 16.8 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,309 | 36.2 | −10.5 |
| | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Swing | | |
Kingstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tom Sheard | 1,160 | 48.0 | +5.0 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Geoff Bowden | 870 | 36.0 | +2.5 |
| | BNP | Peter Robinson | 195 | 8.1 | −4.8 |
| | Conservative | Howard Pearson | 193 | 8.0 | −2.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 290 | 12.0 | +2.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,418 | 31.1 | −20.7 |
| | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Swing | | |
Monk Bretton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Sheard | 1,292 | 48.0 | +4.7 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Clive Pickering | 560 | 20.8 | −8.3 |
| | UKIP | Jane Collins | 452 | 16.8 | N/A |
| | BNP | Jane Hubbard | 252 | 9.4 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | Michael Toon | 135 | 5.0 | −5.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 732 | 27.2 | +13.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,691 | 32.7 | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
North East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Dave North | 1,716 | 46.8 | +3.2 |
| | Labour | Chris Sykes | 1,388 | 37.9 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | Gill Millner | 231 | 6.3 | +0.6 |
| | BNP | Winnifred Dashwood | 210 | 5.7 | −1.0 |
| | Independent | Tony Devoy | 122 | 3.3 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 328 | 8.9 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,667 | 37.2 | |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | | |
Old Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anita Cherryholme | 1,673 | 52.8 | +31.1 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | John Love | 951 | 30.0 | +1.9 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Barr | 331 | 10.5 | +1.9 |
| | BNP | John Curtis | 211 | 6.7 | −7.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 722 | 22.8 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,166 | 37.5 | |
| | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Swing | | |
Penistone East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Hand-Davis | 2,577 | 58.7 | +9.7 |
| | Labour | Jill Hayler | 1,811 | 41.3 | +17.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 766 | 17.5 | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,388 | 48.2 | |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Penistone West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Ann Rusby | 1,836 | 47.2 | +6.2 |
| | Labour | Peter Starling | 1,298 | 33.4 | +17.5 |
| | Independent | Mick Drewry | 558 | 14.4 | N/A |
| | BNP | Paul James | 195 | 5.0 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 538 | 13.8 | −1.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,887 | 43.5 | −22.7 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | | |
Rockingham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Chris Lamb | 1,846 | 50.5 | +7.9 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Steven Sylvester | 1,263 | 34.6 | −11.0 |
| | Conservative | George Hill | 333 | 9.1 | −2.7 |
| | BNP | Peter Shirt | 210 | 5.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 583 | 16.0 | −3.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,652 | 42.2 | −18.6 |
| | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Swing | | |
Royston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tracy Cheetham | 1,570 | 59.5 | +14.8 |
| | UKIP | James Johnson | 450 | 17.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Alex Wilkinson | 244 | 9.2 | +0.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ben Wilson | 148 | 5.6 | −15.7 |
| | Socialist Labour | Eddie Gouthwaite | 114 | 4.3 | N/A |
| | BNP | Paul Harris | 113 | 4.3 | −9.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,120 | 42.4 | +19.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,639 | 31.9 | −24.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
St. Helens :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jenny Platts | 1,713 | 79.3 | +21.7 |
| | BNP | Dean Walker | 261 | 12.1 | −4.5 |
| | Conservative | Lesley Watkinson | 185 | 8.6 | +1.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,452 | 67.3 | +14.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,159 | 28.1 | −19.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Stairfoot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Karen Dyson | 1,755 | 61.1 | +19.6 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Daniel Pickering | 622 | 21.7 | −6.4 |
| | BNP | Susan Harris | 261 | 9.1 | −5.7 |
| | Conservative | Chris Pilkington | 233 | 8.1 | +3.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,133 | 39.5 | +24.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,871 | 34.1 | −18.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Wombwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dick Wraith | 1,887 | 65.8 | +6.6 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Jane Townsend | 440 | 15.3 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Keith Jenner | 323 | 11.3 | −0.3 |
| | BNP | Shane Parker | 218 | 7.6 | −6.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,447 | 50.5 | +9.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,868 | 33.3 | −19.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |
Worsbrough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Betty Barlow | 1,296 | 44.4 | +9.2 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Raymond Levitt | 1,061 | 36.3 | +4.7 |
| | BNP | Daniel Cooke | 246 | 8.4 | −9.0 |
| | Conservative | Peter Murray | 244 | 8.4 | +2.9 |
| | Socialist Labour | Terry Robinson | 74 | 2.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 235 | 8.0 | −11.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,921 | 38.7 | −18.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

## By-elections between 2011 and 2012

St Helen's By-Election 13 October 2011 :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dave Leech | 1,257 | 75.8 | −3.6 |
| | BNP | Danny Cooke | 174 | 10.5 | −1.6 |
| | English Democrat | Kevin Riddiough | 146 | 8.8 | +8.8 |
| | Conservative | Clive Watkinson | 61 | 3.7 | −4.9 |
| | Independent | Edward Gouthwaite | 21 | 1.3 | +1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,083 | 65.3 | −2.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,659 | 20.5 | −7.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.0 | |