# 2003 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2003 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 1 May 2003 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.

## Election result

Overall turnout in the election was 24%.
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Election Result 2003 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 16 | 1 | 3 | -2 | 72.7 | 50.1 | 20,250 | -0.6% |
| Independent | 2 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 9.1 | 22.2 | 8,960 | +0.1% |
| Conservative | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 9.1 | 15.2 | 6,147 | +7.0% |
| Liberal Democrats | 2 | 1 | 0 | +1 | 9.1 | 10.8 | 4,370 | -6.8% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.0 | 392 | +1.0% |
| Socialist Alliance | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 218 | +0.1% |
| Socialist Alternative | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.2 | 73 | +0.2% |
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 49 | 47 |
| | Independent | 10 | 10 |
| | Conservatives | 4 | 5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 3 | 4 |
| Total | Total | 66 | 66 | 66 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 32 | 28 |

## Ward results

+/- figures represent changes from the last time these wards were contested.
Ardsley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Steven Redford | 723 | 48.2 | +1.9 |
| | Independent | James Smith | 687 | 45.8 | +6.2 |
| | Conservative | Peter Murray | 91 | 6.1 | +1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 36 | 2.4 | −4.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,501 | 23.3 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.1 | |
Athersley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Patricia Newman | 710 | 62.4 | +1.6 |
| | Independent | Malcolm Beaumont | 243 | 21.4 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jean Roberts | 132 | 11.6 | +2.1 |
| | Conservative | Gordon Wilkinson | 53 | 4.7 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 467 | 41.0 | +5.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,138 | 18.6 | −1.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +2.6 | |
Brierley :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Vodden | 1,119 | 52.9 | +11.4 |
| | Independent | Frank Hardy | 912 | 43.1 | +1.3 |
| | Conservative | Anne Campbell | 86 | 4.1 | +0.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 207 | 9.8 | +9.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,117 | 31.6 | +1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.0 | |
Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Guest | 876 | 50.0 | +9.6 |
| | Labour | Peter Keys | 717 | 40.9 | −7.7 |
| | Conservative | Brent Wood | 118 | 6.7 | +1.3 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Thomas Sutcliffe | 41 | 2.3 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 159 | 9.1 | +0.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,752 | 21.5 | −1.5 |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | +8.6 | |
Cudworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Joseph Hayward | 1,325 | 82.5 | +13.0 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Hill | 281 | 17.5 | +12.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,044 | 65.0 | +13.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,606 | 20.7 | −4.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +0.2 | |
Darfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Gillian Bates | 1,001 | 46.7 | −2.4 |
| | Independent | Trevor Smith | 867 | 40.4 | +1.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Teresa Arundel | 143 | 6.7 | +0.9 |
| | Conservative | Howard Oldfield | 134 | 6.2 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 134 | 6.2 | −4.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,145 | 26.9 | −1.8 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -2.0 | |
Darton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Thomas Cullum | 1,256 | 50.4 | −3.8 |
| | Conservative | Robert Barnard | 594 | 23.8 | +15.6 |
| | Independent | John Moore | 444 | 17.8 | −5.8 |
| | BNP | Andrew Gedney | 199 | 8.0 | +8.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 662 | 26.6 | −3.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,493 | 23.1 | −1.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -9.7 | |
Dearne South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sharron Brook | 1,027 | 49.4 | +27.5 |
| | Labour | Ann Cross | 1,000 | 48.1 | −6.4 |
| | Conservative | Garry Needham | 51 | 2.5 | +1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 27 | 1.3 | −31.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,078 | 23.9 | −8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | +16.9 | |
Dearne Thurnscoe :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Gardiner | 1,014 | 83.3 | +4.3 |
| | Conservative | Grace Morrell | 203 | 16.7 | +16.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 811 | 66.6 | +8.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,217 | 15.6 | −5.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.2 | |
Dodworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Phillip Lofts | 1,196 | 52.0 | −3.2 |
| | Independent | Maureen Smith | 667 | 29.0 | +29.0 |
| | Conservative | George Hill | 439 | 19.1 | +1.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 529 | 23.0 | −8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,302 | 22.0 | −0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -16.1 | |
Hoyland East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Mary Brankin | 1,295 | 57.7 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | Patricia Wordsworth | 751 | 33.4 | −5.0 |
| | Conservative | Tony Short | 200 | 8.9 | +4.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 544 | 24.2 | +21.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,246 | 27.7 | −0.7 |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | +10.8 | |
Hoyland West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Schofield | 864 | 42.7 | −19.9 |
| | Independent | Geoffrey Howell | 751 | 37.1 | +29.2 |
| | Independent | Mehdi Ghaffarian | 264 | 13.1 | +13.1 |
| | Conservative | Michael Toon | 143 | 7.1 | −2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 113 | 5.6 | −39.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,022 | 30.5 | +4.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -24.5 | |
Monk Bretton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Sheard | 934 | 52.1 | −7.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Logan | 282 | 15.7 | +5.2 |
| | Independent | Michael Moore | 267 | 14.9 | −6.8 |
| | BNP | Paul Harris | 193 | 10.8 | +10.8 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Wilkinson | 117 | 6.5 | +0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 652 | 36.4 | −1.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,793 | 22.2 | +1.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.1 | |
North West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Cawthorne | 629 | 41.4 | +0.6 |
| | Independent | William Gaunt | 520 | 34.2 | +12.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Anthony Conway | 245 | 16.1 | −11.1 |
| | Conservative | Clive Watkinson | 127 | 8.3 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 109 | 7.2 | −6.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,521 | 21.9 | −3.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -5.7 | |
Park :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brian Swaine | 681 | 67.5 | +22.2 |
| | Socialist Alliance | Susan Wild | 177 | 17.5 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Turvey | 151 | 15.0 | +9.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 504 | 50.0 | +31.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,009 | 18.9 | −4.6 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +5.1 | |
Penistone East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Deborah Toon | 1,477 | 56.6 | +16.7 |
| | Labour | Jill Hayler | 1,134 | 43.4 | +11.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 343 | 13.1 | +4.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,611 | 32.1 | −2.6 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | +2.5 | |
Penistone West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | John Wilson | 1,212 | 51.6 | +51.6 |
| | Labour | Joseph Unsworth | 1,136 | 48.4 | +29.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 76 | 3.2 | −46.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,348 | 26.3 | −2.7 |
| | Conservative gain from Labour | Conservative gain from Labour | Swing | +11.2 | |
Royston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Howard Lavender | 1,015 | 55.6 | −12.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Leslie Brooke | 656 | 35.9 | +12.0 |
| | Conservative | Nancy Cuss | 156 | 8.5 | +0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 359 | 19.6 | −24.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,827 | 19.9 | −3.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -12.1 | |
South West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Malcolm Hall | 1,043 | 61.7 | +7.1 |
| | Labour | Stephen Henshaw | 461 | 27.3 | −2.2 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Barr | 187 | 11.1 | +3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 582 | 34.4 | +9.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,691 | 23.4 | −3.3 |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | +4.6 | |
Wombwell North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Richard Wraith | 780 | 57.1 | +10.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Christopher Harding | 521 | 38.1 | +2.0 |
| | Conservative | Timothy Allerton | 66 | 4.8 | +2.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 259 | 18.9 | +8.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,367 | 27.7 | −1.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +4.0 | |
Wombwell South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Denise Wilde | 889 | 48.1 | −23.0 |
| | Independent | Paul Spivey | 561 | 30.4 | +30.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Edward Gouthwaite | 180 | 9.7 | −9.1 |
| | Conservative | Marion Allerton | 144 | 7.8 | −2.2 |
| | Socialist Alternative | Angela Waller | 73 | 4.0 | +4.0 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 328 | 17.8 | −34.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,847 | 22.8 | −0.5 |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | -26.7 | |
Worsbrough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Fred Wright | 915 | 51.4 | −15.9 |
| | Independent | Donald Wood | 439 | 24.7 | +24.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patricia Durie | 308 | 17.3 | +0.4 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Elders | 117 | 6.6 | −3.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 476 | 26.8 | −23.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,779 | 23.9 | −0.3 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -20.3 | |