# 2023 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

Elections to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council took place on 4 May 2023 alongside other elections in the United Kingdom. One third of the council was up for election.

## Background

The Labour Party have controlled the council since 1973. In May 2021, Labour retained control but the council was criticised for not counting over 1,000 postal votes. In May 2022, Labour retained overall control of the council, but lost three seats. In December 2022, Conservative councillor for Rockingham ward David White defected to Reform UK.

## Previous council composition

| After 2022 election | After 2022 election | After 2022 election | Before 2023 election | Before 2023 election | Before 2023 election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Party | Party | Seats |
| | Labour | 46 | | Labour | 45 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 9 | | Liberal Democrats | 9 |
| | Conservative | 4 | | Conservative | 3 |
| | Independent | 3 | | Independent | 3 |
| | Barnsley Ind. | 1 | | Barnsley Ind. | 1 |
| | | | | Reform UK | 1 |
| | | | | Vacant | 1 |

## Results summary

2023 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election :
| Party | Party | This election | This election | This election | Full council | Full council | Full council | This election | This election | This election |
| Party | Party | Seats | Net | Seats % | Other | Total | Total % | Votes | Votes % | +/− |
| | Labour | 15 | 2 | 71.5 | 33 | 48 | 76.2 | 20,932 | 46.1 | 0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | 4 | 1 | 19.0 | 6 | 10 | 15.9 | 7,926 | 17.5 | 1.2 |
| | Independent | 2 | 1 | 9.5 | 0 | 2 | 3.2 | 4,853 | 10.7 | 6.9 |
| | Conservative | 0 | 1 | 0.0 | 2 | 2 | 3.2 | 6,456 | 14.2 | 5.2 |
| | Reform UK | 0 | | 0.0 | 1 | 1 | 1.5 | 1,322 | 2.9 | N/A |
| | Green | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 2,094 | 4.6 | 0.8 |
| | Yorkshire | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 918 | 2.0 | 1.3 |
| | SDP | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 462 | 1.0 | |
| | TUSC | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 241 | 0.5 | 0.2 |
| | English Constitution | 0 | | 0.0 | 0 | 0 | 0.0 | 155 | 0.3 | N/A |
The Barnsley Independent Group did not stand in this election and lost its sole seat on the council.

## Ward results

On 11 April 2023, the full list of candidates was published.

### Central

Central (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin O'Donoghue | 846 | 46.8 | −4.4 |
| | Yorkshire | Steve Bullcock | 456 | 25.2 | −0.5 |
| | Conservative | Charlotte Wilkinson | 176 | 9.7 | −5.6 |
| | Green | Chris Scarfe | 153 | 8.5 | N/A |
| | Independent | Ruby Paul | 92 | 5.1 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Catherine Rogerson | 84 | 4.6 | −3.2 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 390 | 21.6 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 5 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,812 | 20.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,713 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Cudworth

Cudworth (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Anita Cherryholme | 1,137 | 69.1 | +4.2 |
| | Conservative | Mark Brook | 248 | 15.1 | +2.7 |
| | Green | Ken Smith | 148 | 9.0 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Elizabeth Waters | 113 | 6.9 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 889 | 54.0 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 12 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,657 | 16.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,437 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Darfield

Darfield (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Trevor Smith | 912 | 51.0 | −11.7 |
| | Reform UK | Scott McKenzie | 374 | 20.9 | +10.3 |
| | Conservative | Benjamin Harrison | 334 | 18.7 | −1.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Simon Hulme | 168 | 9.4 | +3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 538 | 30.1 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 11 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,799 | 22.7 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,915 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Darton East

Darton East (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Steve Hunt | 1,699 | 64.7 | +8.2 |
| | Labour | Teresa Wilcockson | 770 | 29.3 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | John Miller | 156 | 9.8 | −0.8 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 929 | 35.3 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 15 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,641 | 29.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,828 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Darton West

Darton West (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Trevor Cave | 978 | 41.4 | +2.3 |
| | Green | Lee Long | 690 | 29.2 | −0.8 |
| | Conservative | Bee Lokkit | 302 | 12.8 | −7.0 |
| | Yorkshire | Simon Bitcliffe | 274 | 11.6 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kevin Bennett | 118 | 5.0 | −3.5 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 288 | 12.2 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 8 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,371 | 27.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,777 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dearne North

Dearne North (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Martin Morrell | 1,048 | 73.1 | +1.0 |
| | Conservative | Gillian Millner | 152 | 10.6 | −2.0 |
| | English Constitution Party | Maxine Spencer | 118 | 8.2 | −0.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Brian Evans | 106 | 7.4 | +2.8 |
| | SDP | Steve Vajda | 16 | 1.1 | −1.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 896 | 62.5 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 9 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,449 | 17.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,548 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Dearne South

Dearne South (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Abi Moore | 1,066 | 59.5 | −12.0 |
| | SDP | Dave Jarvis | 446 | 24.9 | +18.6 |
| | Conservative | Rosemary Jackson | 162 | 9.0 | −4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Linda Fielding | 81 | 4.5 | +1.1 |
| | English Constitution Party | Janus Polenceusz | 37 | 2.1 | −3.4 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 620 | 34.6 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 8 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,801 | 19.5 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,217 | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### Dodworth

Dodworth (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sam Christmas | 1,407 | 55.2 | +9.5 |
| | Labour | Nicholas Riggs | 806 | 31.6 | −1.2 |
| | Conservative | Lee Ogden | 334 | 13.1 | −4.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 601 | 23.6 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 13 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,561 | 30.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,374 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Hoyland Milton

Hoyland Milton (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Tim Shepherd | 1,052 | 42.7 | −5.6 |
| | Reform UK | Michael Davies | 436 | 17.7 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Michael Toon | 292 | 11.9 | −12.7 |
| | Independent | Cassie Northwood | 284 | 11.5 | −13.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Glenn Lawrence | 179 | 7.3 | +0.8 |
| | Green | Tom Heyes | 148 | 6.0 | N/A |
| | TUSC | Angela Waller | 73 | 3.0 | −1.7 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 616 | 25.0 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 5 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,470 | 26.9 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,183 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Kingstone

Kingstone (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | Philip Wright | 678 | 41.6 | +36.8 |
| | Labour | Kevin Williams | 640 | 39.3 | +0.5 |
| | Green | Peter Giles | 109 | 6.7 | −0.5 |
| | Independent | Judy Barnsley | 99 | 6.1 | +3.8 |
| | Conservative | Roger Haw | 71 | 4.4 | −4.8 |
| | TUSC | Tracey-Ann Holland | 33 | 2.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 38 | 2.3 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 4 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,645 | 21.3 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,724 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Liberal Democrats gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Monk Bretton

Monk Bretton (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Margaret Sheard | 1,056 | 50.2 | −0.5 |
| | Independent | Rachel Stewart | 769 | 36.5 | +5.2 |
| | Conservative | Macaulay Larkin | 182 | 8.6 | −3.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Rose | 98 | 4.7 | −1.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 287 | 13.7 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 4 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,100 | 23.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,894 | | |
| | Labour gain from Independent | Labour gain from Independent | Swing | | |

### North East

North East (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Ruth Booker | 1,069 | 53.4 | −0.8 |
| | Independent | Raymond Archer | 462 | 23.1 | −4.6 |
| | Conservative | Samuel Wilkinson | 205 | 10.2 | −3.8 |
| | Yorkshire | Tony Devoy | 188 | 9.4 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Kieran Oldfield | 79 | 3.9 | −0.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 607 | 30.3 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 10 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,013 | 19.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,180 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Old Town

Old Town (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Jo Newing | 1,069 | 52.0 | +0.6 |
| | Conservative | Clive Watkinson | 313 | 15.2 | −5.0 |
| | Independent | Charlotte Sykes | 263 | 12.8 | +6.3 |
| | Green | Gillian Nixon | 231 | 11.2 | −4.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Patrick Smith | 125 | 6.1 | −0.3 |
| | TUSC | Steve Dankerfield | 56 | 2.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 756 | 36.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,063 | 24.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,587 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Penistone East

Penistone East (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Alex Burnett | 1,603 | 42.4 | +9.1 |
| | Conservative | Steven Burkinshaw | 1,349 | 35.7 | −7.3 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Andrew Waters | 486 | 12.9 | −0.4 |
| | Green | Rebecca Trotman | 191 | 5.1 | −5.4 |
| | Independent | Amanda Griffin | 153 | 4.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 254 | 6.7 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,801 | 39.40 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,647 | | |
| | Labour gain from Conservative | Labour gain from Conservative | Swing | | |

### Penistone West

Penistone West (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal Democrats | David Greenhough | 1,613 | 45.9 | −9.7 |
| | Labour Co-op | Frances Nixon | 810 | 23.0 | +9.7 |
| | Conservative | Roy Garratt | 623 | 17.7 | +0.6 |
| | Green | Richard Trotman | 268 | 7.6 | +2.3 |
| | Independent | Paula Button-Roberts | 202 | 5.7 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 803 | 22.9 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 21 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 3,539 | 35.2 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 10,055 | | |
| | Liberal Democrats hold | Liberal Democrats hold | Swing | | |

### Rockingham

Rockingham (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Andrew Wray | 1,028 | 38.9 | N/A |
| | Labour | Jane Townsend | 771 | 29.1 | −11.5 |
| | Conservative | Mark Highmouch | 351 | 13.3 | −28.9 |
| | Reform UK | Brian Gregory | 277 | 10.5 | N/A |
| | Green | Trevor Mayne | 99 | 3.7 | N/A |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sue Waters | 99 | 3.7 | −4.8 |
| | TUSC | Karen Fletcher | 21 | 0.8 | −7.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 257 | 9.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,653 | 31.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,533 | | |
| | Independent gain from Labour | Independent gain from Labour | Swing | | |

### Royston

Royston (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Pauline McCarthy | 1,132 | 58.8 | +5.6 |
| | Independent | Neil Fisher | 366 | 19.0 | −3.5 |
| | Conservative | Michael Barraclough | 272 | 14.1 | −3.7 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Jonathan Hood | 97 | 5.0 | −1.5 |
| | TUSC | Jennifer Barker | 58 | 3.0 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 766 | 39.8 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,931 | 22.1 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,748 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### St Helen's

St Helen's (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Neil Wright | 1,035 | 74.6 | +0.8 |
| | Conservative | Andrew Millner | 181 | 13.0 | −2.9 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Matthew Nicholson | 172 | 12.4 | +2.1 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 854 | 61.6 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,394 | 17.6 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,925 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Stairfoot

Stairfoot (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Paul Murray | 1,073 | 61.5 | +17.4 |
| | Conservative | Alex Wilkinson | 392 | 22.5 | +8.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | James Kitching | 281 | 16.1 | +10.9 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 681 | 39.0 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 19 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 1,765 | 19.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 8,923 | | |
| | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Labour gain from Barnsley Ind. | Swing | | |

### Wombwell

Wombwell (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Labour | Brenda Eastwood | 1,426 | 69.5 | +3.9 |
| | Reform UK | Donna Cutts | 235 | 11.4 | N/A |
| | Conservative | Debbie Toon | 233 | 11.3 | −2.6 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Robert Green | 159 | 7.7 | −3.3 |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 1,191 | 58.1 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 6 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,060 | 21.0 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 9,815 | | |
| | Labour hold | Labour hold | Swing | | |

### Worsbrough

Worsbrough (1) :
| Party | Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Independent | Jake Lodge | 1,135 | 55.7 | N/A |
| | Labour | Sherry Holling | 633 | 31.1 | −14.4 |
| | Conservative | Adrian Thompson | 128 | 6.3 | −5.1 |
| | Liberal Democrats | Sarah Calvert | 84 | 4.1 | −2.5 |
| | Green | Katelyn Long | 57 | 2.8 | N/A |
| Majority | Majority | Majority | 502 | 24.4 | |
| Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | Rejected ballots | 5 | | |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 2,044 | 27.8 | |
| Registered electors | Registered electors | Registered electors | 7,351 | | |
| | Independent hold | Independent hold | Swing | | |