# 1987 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council were held on 7 May 1987, with one third of the council up for election. Prior to the election, the defending councillor in Ardsley had won the seat for Labour in an uncontested by-election and subsequently defected to Independent Labour The election resulted in Labour retaining control of the council.

## Election result

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Election Result 1987 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 20 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 90.9 | 63.6 | 33,462 | -4.9 |
| Conservative | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 12.1 | 6,373 | +4.5 |
| Residents | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.5 | 5.4 | 2,857 | +5.4 |
| Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 9.6 | 5,032 | -5.8 |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 5.9 | 3,095 | +0.8 |
| Independent Labour | 0 | 0 | 1 | -1 | 0.0 | 3.4 | 1,805 | +3.4 |
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 61 | 62 |
| | Conservatives | 2 | 2 |
| | Residents | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent | 1 | 1 |
| | Independent Labour | 1 | 0 |
| Total | Total | 66 | 66 | 66 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 56 | 58 |

## Ward results

+/- figures represent changes from the last time these wards were contested.
Ardsley (7628) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Clowery F. | 1,453 | 60.5 | −13.6 |
| | Independent Labour | Parkin A. Ms. | 948 | 39.5 | +39.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 505 | 21.0 | −27.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,401 | 31.5 | +5.2 |
| | Labour gain from Independent Labour | Labour gain from Independent Labour | Swing | -26.5 | |
Athersley (7000) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Langford L.* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Brierley (7338) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Baines D.* | 2,182 | 73.1 | −9.5 |
| | Independent Labour | Vodden H. | 367 | 12.3 | +12.3 |
| | Conservative | Schofield D. Ms. | 291 | 9.8 | +3.3 |
| | Alliance | Brennan M. | 144 | 4.8 | −6.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,815 | 60.8 | −11.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,984 | 40.7 | +1.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -10.9 | |
Central (8729) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fisher R.* | 2,207 | 70.2 | −5.5 |
| | Alliance | Major C. | 648 | 20.6 | −3.7 |
| | Conservative | Dobbin J. | 290 | 9.2 | +9.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,559 | 49.6 | −1.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,145 | 36.0 | +1.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.9 | |
Cudworth (7996) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Salt H.* | 2,526 | 81.5 | N/A |
| | Alliance | Hirst C. Ms. | 574 | 18.5 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,952 | 63.0 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,100 | 38.8 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Darfield (7956) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Goddard B.* | 2,275 | 73.0 | N/A |
| | Alliance | Murison J. | 471 | 15.1 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Hill G. | 370 | 11.9 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,804 | 57.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,116 | 39.2 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Darton (9265) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Norbury R.* | 2,467 | 66.3 | −2.4 |
| | Alliance | Smith A. | 703 | 18.9 | −12.4 |
| | Conservative | Thorpe P. | 549 | 14.8 | +14.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,764 | 47.4 | +9.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,719 | 40.1 | +1.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
Dearne South (8820) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Greenhalgh P. Ms.* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Dearne Thurnscoe (8466) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lowe J.* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Dodworth (8653) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Cawthrow C.* | 2,568 | 65.5 | N/A |
| | Alliance | Chamberlain D. | 840 | 21.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Fielding A. | 512 | 13.1 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,728 | 44.1 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,920 | 45.3 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
Hoyland East (7998) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lavitt L.* | 2,312 | 83.3 | +9.4 |
| | Conservative | Hinchliff R. | 464 | 16.7 | +16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,848 | 66.6 | +18.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,776 | 34.7 | −2.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.6 | |
Hoyland West (6787) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Schofield A.* | 1,921 | 68.1 | −9.7 |
| | Independent | Burd K. | 901 | 31.9 | +31.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1020 | 36.1 | −19.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,822 | 41.6 | +2.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -20.8 | |
Monk Bretton (9137) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Barron R.* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
North West (7659) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hadfield P.* | 1,679 | 66.1 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Carrington C. Ms. | 860 | 33.9 | +33.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 819 | 32.3 | −2.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,539 | 33.2 | −1.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -17.5 | |
Park (5863) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Murphy G.* | 1,455 | 58.1 | −22.9 |
| | Independent Labour | McGrath W. | 490 | 19.6 | +19.6 |
| | Alliance | Appleyard J. Ms. | 350 | 14.0 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Dews R. | 209 | 8.3 | +8.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 965 | 38.5 | −23.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,504 | 42.7 | +6.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -21.2 | |
Penistone East (7026) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Wade J.* | 1,743 | 46.9 | +12.1 |
| | Labour | O'Connell P. | 1,464 | 39.4 | −7.9 |
| | Alliance | Marshall J. Ms. | 513 | 13.8 | −4.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 279 | 7.5 | −5.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,720 | 52.9 | +4.5 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +10.0 | |
Penistone West (8151) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Residents | Harrison M. Ms.* | 2,857 | 76.2 | +76.2 |
| | Labour | Bostwick D. | 894 | 23.8 | −26.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,963 | 52.3 | +51.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,751 | 46.0 | +6.4 |
| | Residents hold | Residents hold | Swing | +51.3 | |
Royston (8650) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Lavender H.* | Unopposed | N/A | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |
South West (7771) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Hall M.* | 2,004 | 60.4 | −3.2 |
| | Alliance | Hallam D. | 789 | 23.8 | −12.6 |
| | Conservative | Carrington J. | 527 | 15.9 | +15.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,215 | 36.6 | +9.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,320 | 42.7 | +3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.7 | |
Wombwell North (5384) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wraith D.* | 1,463 | 76.1 | +10.8 |
| | Independent | Shaw D. Ms. | 459 | 23.9 | −10.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,004 | 52.2 | +21.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,922 | 35.7 | +6.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +10.8 | |
Wombwell South (8195) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wake J.* | 2,143 | 55.3 | −6.3 |
| | Independent | Rudkin E. | 1,735 | 44.7 | +6.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 408 | 10.5 | −12.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,878 | 47.3 | +2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.3 | |
Worsbrough (8129) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Wright F. | 2,449 | 81.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Elders E. Ms. | 558 | 18.6 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | | 62.9 | N/A |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | | 37.0 | N/A |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | N/A | |