# 1984 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 3 May 1984, with one third of the council up for election. Prior to the election, a Residents councillor in Dudsworth had defected to Labour. The election resulted in Labour retaining control of the council.

## Election result

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Election Result 1984 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 20 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 90.9 | 70.3 | 45,729 | +8.0 |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 10.1 | 6,586 | +0.4 |
| Independent | 1 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 4.5 | 3.1 | 2,020 | +0.8 |
| Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 12.1 | 7,842 | -6.6 |
| Residents | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0.0 | 2.8 | 1,847 | -2.9 |
| Independent Labour | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 1.6 | 1,062 | +0.3 |
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 59 | 59 |
| | Conservatives | 3 | 3 |
| | SDP–Liberal Alliance | 2 | 2 |
| | Residents | 2 | 1 |
| | Independent | 0 | 1 |
| Total | Total | 66 | 66 | 66 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 52 | 52 |

## Ward results

+/- figures represent changes from the last time these wards were contested.
Ardsley (7580) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wilson H.* | 1,731 | 84.0 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | Cousins B. | 330 | 16.0 | −7.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,401 | 68.0 | +15.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,061 | 27.2 | −0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.7 | |
Athersley (7158) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dancer H.* | 1,964 | 88.1 | +3.7 |
| | Alliance | Linstead M. Ms. | 266 | 11.9 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,698 | 76.1 | +7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,230 | 31.2 | +1.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.7 | |
Brierley (7422) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Harper M. | 2,675 | 78.2 | −5.3 |
| | Alliance | Hirst C. Ms. | 319 | 9.3 | +9.3 |
| | Conservative | Schofield D. Ms. | 219 | 6.4 | −10.1 |
| | Independent Labour | Vodden N. | 209 | 6.1 | +6.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,356 | 68.8 | +1.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,422 | 46.1 | +11.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -7.3 | |
Central (8530) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Watts J. Ms.* | 2,379 | 71.7 | +12.2 |
| | Alliance | Major C. | 678 | 20.4 | −12.3 |
| | Conservative | Jubb M. | 260 | 7.8 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,701 | 51.3 | +24.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,317 | 38.9 | −3.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +12.2 | |
Cudworth (7882) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Rigby R.* | 2,277 | 81.8 | +14.8 |
| | Alliance | Fairclough A. Ms. | 506 | 18.2 | +18.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,771 | 63.6 | +29.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,783 | 35.3 | −3.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.7 | |
Darfield (8017) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barlow E.* | 2,699 | 91.8 | +14.4 |
| | Conservative | Buck E. | 240 | 8.2 | +8.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,459 | 83.7 | +28.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,939 | 36.7 | −0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.1 | |
Darton (9125) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ibbotson A. | 2,497 | 64.4 | +19.6 |
| | Alliance | Smith A. | 907 | 23.4 | −13.5 |
| | Conservative | Slater A. | 473 | 12.2 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,590 | 41.0 | +33.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,877 | 42.5 | −2.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +16.5 | |
Dearne South (8959) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Whitehouse S.* | 2,183 | 71.9 | −6.8 |
| | Independent Labour | Gregory J. | 853 | 28.1 | +21.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,330 | 43.8 | −13.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,036 | 33.9 | +0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -13.9 | |
Dearne Thurnscoe (8557) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Young K.* | 2,488 | 85.6 | −0.5 |
| | Alliance | Burke M. | 418 | 14.4 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,070 | 71.2 | −1.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,906 | 34.0 | +3.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.5 | |
Dodworth (8404) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mason G.* | 2,458 | 65.5 | +3.3 |
| | Alliance | Hallam D. | 851 | 22.7 | −2.9 |
| | Conservative | Colquhoun G. | 443 | 11.8 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,607 | 42.8 | +6.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,752 | 44.6 | −2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.1 | |
Hoyland East (7992) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Beardshall P.* | 2,013 | 74.2 | +20.6 |
| | Alliance | Chantrey J. | 700 | 25.8 | −20.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,313 | 48.4 | +41.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,713 | 33.9 | −4.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +20.6 | |
Hoyland West (6858) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wroe C.* | 2,144 | 76.0 | +4.1 |
| | Alliance | Burd K. | 678 | 24.0 | −4.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,466 | 51.9 | +8.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,822 | 41.1 | −3.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.1 | |
Monk Bretton (9075) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Sheard T.* | 2,757 | 85.3 | +7.7 |
| | Conservative | White J. | 476 | 14.7 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,281 | 70.6 | +6.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,233 | 35.6 | +1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.4 | |
North West (7786) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wilde J.* | 1,747 | 60.8 | +4.9 |
| | Residents | Harris J. | 716 | 24.9 | +6.5 |
| | Conservative | Oldfield H. | 410 | 14.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,031 | 35.9 | −1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,873 | 36.9 | −4.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.8 | |
Park (6052) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Borrett K.* | 1,763 | 79.5 | +6.1 |
| | Alliance | Appleyard J. Ms. | 250 | 11.3 | +1.2 |
| | Conservative | Dews R. | 206 | 9.3 | −7.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,513 | 68.2 | +11.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,219 | 36.7 | −7.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.4 | |
Penistone East (6836) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Tue G. Ms.* | 1,337 | 41.1 | −3.5 |
| | Labour | Hunter D. | 1,294 | 39.8 | +3.8 |
| | Alliance | Hanstock O. | 620 | 19.1 | −0.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 43 | 1.3 | −7.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,251 | 47.6 | −2.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -3.6 | |
Penistone West (8004) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Collett N. Ms. | 1,228 | 37.4 | +16.3 |
| | Residents | Harrison D. | 1,131 | 34.4 | −15.9 |
| | Conservative | Papworth G. Ms. | 925 | 28.2 | +8.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 97 | 3.0 | −26.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,284 | 41.0 | −8.9 |
| | Labour gain from Residents | Labour gain from Residents | Swing | +16.1 | |
Royston (8463) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Newman W. | 2,653 | 87.7 | +10.3 |
| | Conservative | Wood P. | 371 | 12.3 | +12.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,282 | 75.5 | +20.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,024 | 35.7 | +2.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.0 | |
South West (7635) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goodyear B. | 2,008 | 50.2 | +7.1 |
| | Alliance | Bickley K. Ms. | 1,649 | 41.2 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Dobbin J. | 341 | 8.5 | −1.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 9.0 | +5.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,998 | 52.4 | +0.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.5 | |
Wombwell North (5477) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Storey A.* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Wombwell South (8007) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mahatme S. | 2,020 | 50.3 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Turp G. | 1,996 | 49.7 | −0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 24 | 0.6 | −6.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 4,016 | 50.2 | +4.9 |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | +3.8 | |
Worsbrough (8314) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hadfield G.* | 2,775 | 83.3 | +11.1 |
| | Conservative | Pappworth R. | 555 | 16.7 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 2,220 | 66.7 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,330 | 40.1 | −4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.3 | |

## By-elections between 1984 and 1986

Penistone East (6836) 14 June 1984 By-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hunter, D. J. | 1,333 | 42.6 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative | Wardle, M. | 1,289 | 41.2 | +0.1 |
| | Alliance | Hanstock, O. A. | 506 | 16.2 | −2.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 44 | 1.4 | +0.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,128 | 45.8 | −1.8 |
| | Labour gain from Alliance | Labour gain from Alliance | Swing | +1.3 | |
Park (5966) 3 May 1985 By-election :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Murphy, G. | 1,529 | 69.7 | −9.8 |
| | Alliance | Appleyard, J. R. | 502 | 22.9 | +11.6 |
| | Conservative | Dobbin, J. N. | 162 | 7.4 | −1.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,027 | 46.8 | −21.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,193 | 36.8 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.7 | |