# 2007 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

The 2007 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on 3 May 2007 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.

## Background

Prior to the election, a number of Barnsley Independent Group councillors had removed themselves from the grouping and sat as Independent. Those Independents had earlier lost a seat in a Penistone by-election to the Conservatives, and suffered a defection to Labour in St. Helens. The Conservatives had also suffered a defection to the BIG in Penistone West.

## Election result

The results saw Labour retain a majority of 3 with 33 councillors, after losing 2 seats to the Barnsley Independent Group. The Barnsley Independent Group moved to 20 seats after ousting 2 long time Labour councillors Alan Schofield and Alex Vodden. The Conservatives remained on 5 seats, the Liberal Democrats 2 and 3 councillors were non-aligned. The British National Party failed to win any seats, but did come second in the wards of Central, Dearne North and Darton West. Overall turnout increased slightly to 33%.
Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Election Result 2007 :
| Party | Seats | Gains | Losses | Net gain/loss | Seats % | Votes % | Votes | +/− |
| Labour | 12 | 0 | 2 | -2 | 57.1 | 39.2 | 22,589 | +0.8% |
| Barnsley Ind. | 7 | 2 | 0 | +2 | 33.3 | 23.8 | 13,712 | -3.9% |
| Conservative | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 9.5 | 14.1 | 8,110 | +0.9% |
| BNP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13.6 | 7,822 | +5.4% |
| Liberal Democrats | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5.6 | 3,235 | -2.4% |
| Independent | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3.3 | 1,881 | -0.8% |
| Green | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.5 | 307 | +0.0% |
This resulted in the following composition of the council:
| Party | Party | Previous council | New council |
| | Labour | 35 | 33 |
| | Barnsley Independent | 19 | 21 |
| | Conservatives | 5 | 5 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 2 | 2 |
| | Independent | 2 | 2 |
| Total | Total | 63 | 63 | 63 |
| Working majority | Working majority | 7 | 3 |

## Ward results

+/- figures represent changes from the last time these wards were contested.
Central :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Mike Stokes | 1,035 | 43.2 | +3.0 |
| | BNP | Peter Marshall | 618 | 25.8 | +10.5 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Anita Cherryholme | 538 | 22.5 | +22.5 |
| | Conservative | Geoffrey Turvey | 204 | 8.5 | +1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 417 | 17.4 | +0.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,395 | 30.8 | +0.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -3.7 | |
Cudworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Charlie Wraith | 1,627 | 74.5 | +17.1 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Elders | 556 | 25.5 | +19.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,071 | 49.1 | +28.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,183 | 27.3 | −4.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -1.1 | |
Darfield :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | David Wainwright | 1,191 | 44.9 | +0.5 |
| | Labour | Brian Mathers | 772 | 29.1 | +0.7 |
| | BNP | Paul Tibble | 355 | 13.4 | +0.1 |
| | Conservative | Andrea Punshon | 175 | 6.6 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Susan Garner | 158 | 6.0 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 419 | 15.8 | −0.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,651 | 33.7 | +0.8 |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | -0.1 | |
Darton East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Roy Miller | 1,251 | 40.0 | +10.4 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Eric Powers | 556 | 17.8 | −28.0 |
| | BNP | Colin Porter | 539 | 17.2 | +17.2 |
| | Conservative | Howard Pearson | 421 | 13.5 | −1.0 |
| | Independent | John Race | 361 | 11.5 | +11.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 695 | 22.2 | +6.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,128 | 37.1 | +4.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +19.2 | |
Darton West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Linda Burgess | 1,427 | 43.0 | +11.0 |
| | BNP | Ian Sutton | 894 | 27.0 | +3.0 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Dave Cooper | 595 | 17.9 | −11.3 |
| | Conservative | George Hill | 399 | 12.0 | −2.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 533 | 16.1 | +13.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,315 | 40.5 | +4.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +3.5 | |
Dearne North :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alan Gardiner | 1,013 | 46.9 | −8.4 |
| | BNP | Neil Bramley | 466 | 21.6 | +21.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Ian Garner | 464 | 21.5 | −3.3 |
| | Conservative | Gillian Millner | 116 | 5.4 | −1.7 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Maureen Smith | 102 | 4.7 | −8.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 547 | 25.3 | −5.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,161 | 26.4 | +3.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -15.0 | |
Dearne South :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ken Sanderson | 1,347 | 45.9 | +4.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Brook | 785 | 26.7 | −11.5 |
| | BNP | June Peel | 662 | 22.6 | +5.0 |
| | Conservative | Elizabeth Hill | 141 | 4.8 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 562 | 19.1 | +15.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,935 | 32.7 | +0.7 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.9 | |
Dodworth :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Brian Perrin | 1,178 | 37.9 | −10.2 |
| | Labour | Pauline Haigh | 874 | 28.1 | −7.5 |
| | Conservative | Stephen Webber | 448 | 14.4 | −1.9 |
| | BNP | Nick Parker | 406 | 13.1 | +13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Aaron King | 202 | 6.5 | +6.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 304 | 9.8 | −2.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,108 | 39.8 | +2.6 |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | -1.3 | |
Hoyland Milton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Barry Lipscombe | 1,287 | 47.1 | −0.3 |
| | Labour | Robin Franklin | 1,187 | 43.4 | +1.4 |
| | Conservative | Audrey Marsh | 261 | 9.5 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 100 | 3.7 | −1.7 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,735 | 31.0 | +0.5 |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | -0.8 | |
Kingstone :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Geoff Bowden | 1,060 | 44.3 | −9.2 |
| | Labour | Brian Swaine | 841 | 35.2 | +1.8 |
| | BNP | Paul Ratcliffe | 361 | 15.1 | +15.1 |
| | Conservative | Paul Buckley | 129 | 5.4 | −0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 219 | 9.2 | −10.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,391 | 30.8 | +2.4 |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | -5.5 | |
Monk Bretton :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Sheard | 1,004 | 43.3 | +3.0 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Clive Pickering | 675 | 29.1 | +4.3 |
| | BNP | Susan Harris | 396 | 17.1 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Michael Toon | 244 | 10.5 | +2.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 329 | 14.2 | −1.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,319 | 28.0 | −0.2 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -0.6 | |
North East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Dave North | 1,475 | 43.6 | +43.6 |
| | Labour | Alex Vodden | 1,299 | 38.4 | −31.5 |
| | BNP | Robert Garrett | 227 | 6.7 | +6.7 |
| | Conservative | Marjorie Cale-Morgan | 193 | 5.7 | −24.4 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Danny Oates | 190 | 5.6 | +5.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 176 | 5.2 | −34.5 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,384 | 36.8 | +9.6 |
| | Barnsley Ind. gain from Labour | Barnsley Ind. gain from Labour | Swing | +37.5 | |
Old Town :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Sandra Birkinshaw | 1,503 | 55.7 | −0.9 |
| | Labour | Martin Dyson | 585 | 21.7 | −2.5 |
| | BNP | Lance White | 380 | 14.1 | +2.7 |
| | Conservative | Anne Campbell | 232 | 8.6 | +0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 918 | 34.0 | +1.6 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,700 | 32.9 | +0.2 |
| | Barnsley Ind. hold | Barnsley Ind. hold | Swing | +0.8 | |
Penistone East :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Paul Hand-Davis | 1,885 | 49.0 | −14.7 |
| | Labour | John Tidball | 913 | 23.7 | +4.0 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Trish Arundel | 641 | 16.7 | −0.5 |
| | BNP | Paul James | 410 | 10.7 | +10.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 972 | 25.3 | +12.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,849 | 41.4 | +0.0 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -9.3 | |
Penistone West :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Conservative | Steve Marsh | 1,451 | 41.0 | +10.0 |
| | Independent | Richard Jenkins | 912 | 25.8 | +25.8 |
| | Labour | Peter Starling | 562 | 15.9 | −7.5 |
| | Green | Lynda Pickersgill | 307 | 8.7 | +0.1 |
| | BNP | Kelly Thorpe | 303 | 8.6 | −3.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 539 | 15.2 | +8.9 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,535 | 41.8 | +2.8 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | -7.9 | |
Rockingham :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Steve Sylvester | 1,394 | 45.6 | +14.5 |
| | Labour | Alan Schofield | 1,301 | 42.6 | −3.6 |
| | Conservative | Dorothy Shaw | 360 | 11.8 | +0.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 3.0 | −12.0 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,055 | 35.4 | +3.4 |
| | Barnsley Ind. gain from Labour | Barnsley Ind. gain from Labour | Swing | +9.0 | |
Royston :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Bill Newman | 1,115 | 44.7 | +5.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Eddie Gouthwaite | 531 | 21.3 | +3.5 |
| | BNP | Paul Harris | 332 | 13.3 | −2.7 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Daniel Pickering | 299 | 12.0 | −6.9 |
| | Conservative | Peter Murray | 215 | 8.6 | +0.6 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 584 | 23.4 | +3.2 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,492 | 30.3 | +0.0 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +1.0 | |
St Helens :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jenny Platts | 1,076 | 57.6 | +7.6 |
| | Independent | Tony Brennan | 348 | 18.6 | −20.5 |
| | BNP | Lisa Brooksbank | 311 | 16.6 | +16.6 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Barr | 133 | 7.1 | −3.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 728 | 39.0 | +28.1 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,868 | 23.8 | +0.1 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +14.0 | |
Stairfoot :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Karen Dyson | 1,029 | 41.5 | +5.6 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Mandy Jackson | 698 | 28.1 | −13.7 |
| | BNP | Kevin Noakes | 368 | 14.8 | −1.1 |
| | Independent | Peter Pleasants | 260 | 10.5 | +10.5 |
| | Conservative | Stuart Wilkinson | 126 | 5.1 | −1.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 331 | 13.3 | +7.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,481 | 30.7 | −0.5 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +9.6 | |
Wombwell :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Dick Wraith | 1,432 | 59.2 | +6.0 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Ray Murdoch | 355 | 14.7 | −9.4 |
| | BNP | David Bailey | 350 | 14.5 | −1.1 |
| | Conservative | Keith Jenner | 281 | 11.6 | +4.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,077 | 44.5 | +15.4 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,418 | 29.2 | −2.4 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | +7.7 | |
Worsbrough :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Betty Barlow | 899 | 35.2 | −4.4 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | Gill Carr | 806 | 31.6 | +8.4 |
| | BNP | Malcolm Jennings | 444 | 17.4 | +1.2 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Donald Wood | 264 | 10.3 | −4.9 |
| | Conservative | Mavis Peace | 140 | 5.5 | −0.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 93 | 3.6 | −12.8 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,553 | 34.1 | +0.9 |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | -6.4 | |