2026 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election

2026 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election
7 May 2026 (2026-05-07)
All 63 seats to Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
32 seats needed for a majority
Registered188,414
Turnout70,182
37.2% (Increase 13.1%)
  First party Second party Third party
  Blank Blank Blank
Leader Stephen Houghton Hannah Kitching
Party Reform Labour Liberal Democrats
Last election 0 seats, 9.2% 48 seats, 48.9% 11 seats, 16.5%
Seats won 42 11 8
Seat change Increase 42 Decrease 37 Decrease 3
Popular vote 28,624 22,887 9,046
Percentage 37.5% 30.0% 11.8%
Swing Increase 28.3% Decrease 18.9% Decrease 4.7%
  Fourth party Fifth party Sixth party
  Blank Blank Blank
Party Independent Green Conservative
Last election 2 seats, 5.3% 0 seats, 4.5% 1 seat, 11.7%
Seats won 2 0 0
Seat change Steady Steady Decrease 1
Popular vote 4,205 6,720 4,302
Percentage 5.5% 8.8% 5.6%
Swing Increase 0.2% Increase 4.3% Decrease 6.1%
Leader before election

Stephen Houghton
Labour

 Leader after election

William Brown
Reform

The 2026 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election took place on Thursday 7 May 2026, alongside other local elections in the United Kingdom. All 63 members of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council in South Yorkshire were elected following boundary changes.

This was the first election on an all-out cycle whereby all councillors will be elected every four years, after the change was approved by the council in 2025.[1]

Background

Barnsley was created in 1974 as a metropolitan borough. Labour have always performed well in local elections, holding majority control of the council since its creation.[2] The closest Labour have come to losing their majority on the council was 2006 and 2008, where the success of the Barnsley Independents saw the party reduced to holding just over half the seats.[3] Since 2012, Labour have held over 70% of seats on the council.

The Barnsley Independents formed the principal opposition from 2006 to 2018, when the Conservatives briefly became the second largest party. The Liberal Democrats overtook the Conservatives in 2019 and have formed the principal opposition since.[4]

Prior to this election, Barnsley elected it councillors on a four year cycle, with one councillor elected from each three-member ward in each election. At the most recent election in 2024, 2024, Labour won 17 seats, taking one from the Conservatives, but did not increase their majority due to losing a vacant seat last held by the party to the Liberal Democrats, which won 4 seats.[5] Following boundary changes, the 2026 election will use a new set of ward boundaries.[6]

New ward boundaries for 2026

Council composition

After 2024 election Before 2026 election
Party Seats Party Seats
Labour 48 Labour 46
Liberal Democrats 11 Liberal Democrats 12
Conservative 1 Conservative 1
Reform 1 Reform 0
Independent 2 Independent 3
Vacant N/A Vacant 1

Candidates

288 candidates were validly nominated to contest the 63 seats. The Labour Party, Liberal Democrats and Reform UK are each fielding a full slate of 63 candidates. The Conservative Party and Green Party are fielding 42 candidates each. There are 6 independent candidates, 3 English Democrats, 3 SDP and 3 TUSC.

Liberal Democrat Leader of the Opposition, Hannah Kitching, is not seeking re-election. In addition, six other incumbents are standing down at this election; Alice Cave, Steve Green, Kath Mitchell and Abi Moore of the Labour Party; Steve Hunt of the Liberal Democrats and independent councillor Trevor Smith. Smith had previously been elected as Labour, Democrats and Veterans and Barnsley Independent Group. There was one vacancy at the time of the election, this seat was previously held by independent David White, elected as Conservative, previously Reform UK. All other 55 serving councillors are seeking re-election, with two moving wards.

Election result

2026 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council election[7]
Party Candidates Seats Gains Losses Net gain/loss Seats % Votes % Votes +/−
  Reform 63 42 Increase 41 66.67 42.05 82,864 Increase 32.85
  Labour 63 11 Decrease 37 17.46 32.36 63,762 Decrease 16.52
  Liberal Democrats 63 8 Decrease 3 12.70 12.31 24,249 Decrease 4.19
  Independent 6 2 Steady 3.17 2.13 4,205 Decrease 3.17
  Green 42 0 Steady - 6.31 12,440 Increase 1.81
  Conservative 42 0 Decrease 1 - 4.45 8,764 Decrease 7.25
  SDP 3 0 Steady - 0.18 361 Decrease 0.72
  English Democrats - "Putting England First!" 3 0 Steady - 0.10 200 Decrease 0.60
  TUSC 3 0 Steady - 0.09 185 Decrease 0.41

Ward results

The results for each ward were:[8]

Athersley and New Lodge

Athersley and New Lodge ward[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Ian Earp 1,181 49.6
Reform Jayne Hulme 1,164 48.9
Reform Rocky Laybourn 1,122 47.2
Labour Dave Leech 858 36.1
Labour Sarah Tattersall 828 34.8
Labour Neil Wright 733 30.8
Green Rebecca Trotman 146 6.1
Green Lina Soura 142 6.0
Conservative Andrew Allerton 113 4.7
Liberal Democrats Sue Wright 101 4.2
Liberal Democrats Neil Calvert 96 4.0
Liberal Democrats Matthew Nicholson 79 3.3
Rejected ballots 6 0.3
Turnout 2,379 28.0
Registered electors 8,511

Central

Central[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Nicola Sumner 1,208 43.1 Lab Hold
Labour Janine Moyes 1,137 40.6 Lab Hold
Labour Martin O'Donoghue 1,089 38.9 Lab Hold
Reform Gerald Bateman 1,033 36.9
Reform Christopher Mannion 1,023 36.5
Reform Patricia Smith 1,012 36.1
Green Nick Milne 286 10.2
Green Eloise Morris 277 9.9
Liberal Democrats Sam Bullcock 264 9.4
Green Davinder Pinder 238 8.5
Liberal Democrats Andrew Micklethwaite 221 7.9
Liberal Democrats Pietro Politano 219 7.8
Conservative Elaine Weems 104 3.7
Rejected ballots 6 0.2
Turnout 2,801 33.3
Registered electors 8,410

Cudworth

Cudworth[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Steve Houghton 1,306 44.1 Lab Hold
Labour Joe Hayward 1,303 44.0 Lab Hold
Reform Stanley Bryan 1,283 43.3 Ref Gain
Reform Diane Bryan 1,268 42.8
Labour Anita Cherryholme 1,229 41.5
Reform Richard Szenk 1,119 37.8
Green Richard Knights 238 8.0
Green Dale Jackson 190 6.4
Liberal Democrats Elizabeth Foers 107 3.6
Conservative Peter Forbes 106 3.6
Conservative Gary Marsh 85 2.9
Liberal Democrats Thomas Wright 83 2.8
Liberal Democrats Glenn Lawrence 72 2.4
Rejected ballots 13 0.4
Turnout 2,960 35.6
Registered electors 8,322

Darfield and Great Houghton

Darfield and Great Houghton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform David Goddard 1,674 48.0 Ref Gain
Reform Gary Hall 1,621 46.4 Ref Gain
Reform Scott McKenzie 1,573 45.1 Ref Gain
Labour Kevin Osborne 1,269 36.4
Labour Pauline Markham 1,268 36.3
Labour Richard Ullyott 1,085 31.1
Green Ehren Holt 323 9.3
Conservative Paul Hand-Davis 203 5.8
Conservative John Norton 189 5.4
Liberal Democrats Simon Hulme 180 5.2
Liberal Democrats Alison Palmer 180 5.2
Liberal Democrats Gregory Needham 157 4.5
Rejected ballots 11 0.3
Turnout 3,490 37.7
Registered electors 9,247

Darton East

Darton East[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Dickie Denton 1,724 45.3 Lib Dem Hold
Liberal Democrats Leyla Nayeri 1,529 40.2 Lib Dem Hold
Liberal Democrats Carl Snowden 1,472 38.7 Lib Dem Hold
Reform Kirsty Bogic 1,141 30.0
Reform Nina Musgrave 1,127 29.6
Reform Eunice Asante 1,082 28.4
Labour Teresa Wilcockson 851 22.4
Labour Stephen Morgan 685 18.0
Labour Wayne Martindale 586 15.4
Green Tom Heyes 270 7.1
Green Phil Atkinson 217 5.7
Conservative Roger Haw 100 2.6
Conservative Phil Weems 99 2.6
Rejected ballots 11 0.3
Turnout 3,804 42.2
Registered electors 9,010

Darton West

Darton West[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Sam Burdett 1,607 41.3 Ref Gain
Reform Andy Cudworth 1,544 39.7 Ref Gain
Reform Luca Turner 1,510 38.8 Ref Gain
Labour Trevor Cave 1,504 38.7
Labour Sharon Howard 1,460 37.6
Labour Simon Williamson 1,319 33.9
Green Trevor Mayne 456 11.7
Green Kabir Nepal 453 11.7
Green Sophie Parkinson 420 10.8
Conservative David Rodger 232 6.0
Liberal Democrats Kevin Bennett 202 5.2
Conservative Mike Toon 187 4.8
Liberal Democrats Jo Mathewson 183 4.7
Liberal Democrats Patrick Smith 157 4.0
Rejected ballots 7 0.2
Turnout 3,888 43.6
Registered electors 8,924

Dearne North

Dearne North[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Luke Wheat 1,157 48.0
Reform Brian Kilner 1,146 47.5
Reform Neil Young 1,141 47.3
Labour Sue Bellamy 771 32.0
Labour Wendy Cain 748 31.0
Labour Martin Morrell 634 26.3
Green Ian Berry 276 11.4
Liberal Democrats Brian Evans 129 5.4
Conservative Francis McCane 112 4.6
Liberal Democrats Rhiannon Rees 112 4.6
Liberal Democrats Hayden Prescott 108 4.5
Conservative Helen Smith 97 4.0
English Democrats - "Putting England First!" Maxine Spencer 81 3.4
English Democrats - "Putting England First!" Gary Knight 57 2.4
English Democrats - "Putting England First!" Janus Polenceusz 62 2.6
Rejected ballots 7 0.3
Turnout 2,411 26.7
Registered electors 9,022

Dearne South

Dearne South[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Mark Langridge 1,489 54.7
Reform Christopher Charlton 1,330 48.9
Reform Kay Kilner 1,301 47.8
Labour Janine Bowler 937 34.4
Labour John Cooper 918 33.7
Labour Deborah Pearson 798 29.3
Green Matthew Jackson 233 8.6
Liberal Democrats Linda Fielding 115 4.2
SDP David Jarvis 111 4.1
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Cutts 105 3.9
Conservative Keith Geal 93 3.4
Liberal Democrats Mandy Lowe-Flello 90 3.3
SDP Warwick Bettney 70 2.6
Conservative Rosemary Jackson 68 2.5
Rejected ballots 4 0.1
Turnout 2,722 28.9
Registered electors 9,422

Dodworth, Stainborough and Tankersley

Dodworth, Stainborough and Tankersley[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Betty Barnes 1,354 39.3
Reform Melvyn Bird 1,301 37.8
Reform Michael Naughton 1,284 37.3
Liberal Democrats Chris Wray 1,222 35.5
Liberal Democrats Andy Waters 1,109 32.2
Liberal Democrats Janet Wray 1,051 30.5
Labour Thomas Beech 540 15.7
Labour Chris Newton 525 15.3
Labour Rachael Yardley 487 14.1
Green Becky Thompson 213 6.2
Green Lee Long 199 5.8
Conservative Debbie Toon 190 5.5
Green Roland Powell 188 5.5
Conservative Lee Ogden 185 5.4
Conservative John Wilson 171 5.0
Rejected ballots 5 0.1
Turnout 3,442 45.4
Registered electors 7,583

Hoyland Milton

Hoyland Milton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Brian Gregory 1,746 46.9
Reform Michael Davies 1,725 46.3
Reform Rachael Kay 1,629 43.7
Labour Robin Franklin 1,310 35.2
Labour Tim Shepherd 1,296 34.8
Labour Mick Stowe 1,172 31.5
Green Charlie Evans 455 12.2
Liberal Democrats Barnaby Churchill 201 5.4
Liberal Democrats Gina Rayner 185 5.0
Conservative Peter Murray 169 4.5
Conservative Gareth Parkin 155 4.2
Liberal Democrats Claire Redmond 154 4.1
TUSC Angela Waller 115 3.1
Rejected ballots 6 0.2
Turnout 3,724 38.0
Registered electors 9,789

Kingstone

Kingstone[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats Steve Bullcock 1,317 40.0
Liberal Democrats Philip Wright 1,128 34.3
Liberal Democrats Ian Guest 1,094 33.3
Reform Granville Corker 946 28.8
Reform Sharon Gillis 890 27.1
Reform David Miller 880 26.7
Labour Nieve Elliott 755 22.9
Labour Amy Holling 691 21.0
Labour Deniss Kurnovs 574 17.4
Green Peter Giles 302 9.2
Green Clare Winder 292 8.9
Green Laur Tupling 257 7.8
Conservative Andrew Millner 140 4.3
Conservative Garry Needham 108 3.3
TUSC Tracey-Ann Holland 29 0.9
Rejected ballots 5 0.2
Turnout 3,290 37.6
Registered electors 8,757

Monk Bretton

Monk Bretton[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Paul Kelly 1,543 46.4
Reform Kate Milner 1,495 44.9
Reform Alan Parker 1,474 44.3
Labour Amy Brookes 1,026 30.8
Labour Kenneth Richardson 1,023 30.7
Labour Margaret Sheard 1,023 30.7
Independent Rachel Stewart 437 13.1
Green Brigid Baker 305 9.2
Green Jessica Green 272 8.2
Conservative Thomas Collings 172 5.2
Liberal Democrats Peter Fielding 146 4.4
Liberal Democrats Elaine Micklethwaite 135 4.1
Conservative Kevin Orrell 132 4.0
Liberal Democrats Sue Rose 116 3.5
Rejected ballots 2 0.1
Turnout 3,329 35.1
Registered electors 9,485

North East

North East[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Martin Bancroft 1,243 47.4
Reform William Brown 1,212 46.2
Reform John Sidebottom 1,158 44.1
Labour Ashley Peace 927 35.3
Labour Ruth Booker 909 34.6
Labour Dorothy Coates 834 31.8
Independent Raymond Archer 266 10.1
Green Jane Sellars 167 6.4
Green Sophie Steele 166 6.3
Green Alison White 135 5.1
Conservative James Clay 114 4.3
Conservative Ann Shelbourne 96 3.7
Liberal Democrats Alex Mathewson 72 2.7
Liberal Democrats Alexis Fielding-Webb 71 2.7
Liberal Democrats Geoff Reid 57 2.2
Rejected ballots 7 0.3
Turnout 2,624 30.6
Registered electors 8,563

Old Town

Old Town[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Phil Lofts 1,391 39.5
Labour Jo Newing 1,382 39.2
Labour Brandon Green 1,352 38.4
Reform David Cunningham 1,202 34.1
Reform Simon Nettleton 1,163 33.0
Reform Ian Westwood 1,153 32.7
Liberal Democrats Clive Pickering 483 13.7
Liberal Democrats Eloise Bailey 477 13.5
Liberal Democrats Will Fielding 386 11.0
Green Ken Baker 313 8.9
Green Gillian Nixon 307 8.7
Green Ken Smith 213 6.0
Conservative Michael Barraclough 189 5.4
TUSC Steve Dangerfield 41 1.2
Rejected ballots 6 0.2
Turnout 3,523 40.7
Registered electors 8,654

Penistone East

Penistone East[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour Alex Burnett 2,040 41.8
Reform Kay Hughes 1,669 34.2
Labour Frances Nixon 1,645 33.7
Labour John Roberts 1,632 33.5
Reform Peter Millar 1,604 32.9
Reform James Perigo 1,529 31.3
Conservative Robert Barnard 1,050 21.5
Conservative Steven Burkinshaw 843 17.3
Conservative Tom Lindley 703 14.4
Green Kate Raynor 402 8.2
Green Freya Nepal 346 7.1
Liberal Democrats Catherine Rogerson 312 6.4
Liberal Democrats Matthew Summers 189 3.9
Liberal Democrats Adam Wiszniewski 115 2.4
Rejected ballots 9 0.2
Turnout 4,878 56.3
Registered electors 8,662

Penistone West

Penistone West[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Democrats David Greenhough 1,680 35.2
Liberal Democrats Florentine Bootha-King 1,562 32.8
Reform Vicky Jackson 1,399 29.3
Reform Kirk Harper 1,398 29.3
Liberal Democrats Sue Waters 1,396 29.3
Reform Sam Jones 1,365 28.6
Labour Sue Cutting 821 17.2
Green Willow Raynor 668 14.0
Labour Paul Sammon 637 13.4
Labour Bryan Worth 602 12.6
Green Richard Trotman 556 11.7
Conservative Lawrence Maitland 393 8.2
Conservative Ian White 352 7.4
Conservative Samuel Wilkinson 321 6.7
Independent David Wood 276 5.8
SDP Rori Cook 180 3.8
Rejected ballots 28 0.6
Turnout 4,767 48.7
Registered electors 9,790

Rockingham

Rockingham[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Pat Gregory 1,462 44.0
Independent Andy Wray 1,377 41.5
Reform Christopher Denton 1,291 38.9
Reform Adam Harrington 1,152 34.7
Labour Sherry Holling 784 23.6
Labour Edana Guest 667 20.1
Labour Michelle Klepper 638 19.2
Green Lucy Benoit 407 12.3
Green Amelia Rushworth 263 7.9
Conservative Gill Millner 176 5.3
Conservative Clive Watkinson 159 4.8
Liberal Democrats Sam Calvert 133 4.0
Liberal Democrats Anita Kimberley 113 3.4
Liberal Democrats Ian Hague-Brown 100 3.0
Rejected ballots 8 0.2
Turnout 3,320 39.5
Registered electors 8,406

Royston

Royston[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Terry Durkin 1,246 43.6
Reform Nick Everest 1,226 42.9
Reform Stefan McCrum 1,151 40.3
Labour Caroline Makinson 1,105 38.7
Labour Pauline McCarthy 969 33.9
Labour Lewis Cusworth 922 32.3
Green Angela Pollard 291 10.2
Independent Neil Fisher 254 8.9
Conservative Michael Close 155 5.4
Liberal Democrats Tina Adkin 152 5.3
Conservative George Hill 133 4.7
Liberal Democrats Jonathan Hood 111 3.9
Liberal Democrats Jon Palmer 106 3.7
Rejected ballots 7 0.2
Turnout 2,855 34.4
Registered electors 8,311

Stairfoot

Stairfoot[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Edward Dillingham 1,322 46.5
Reform Andrew Gillis 1,318 46.4
Reform Liam Hardcastle 1,314 46.2
Labour Karen Dyson 942 33.1
Labour Ian Shirt 844 29.7
Labour Paul Murray 835 29.4
Green Pete Wall 275 9.7
Green Nell Stockton 263 9.3
Liberal Democrats Louise Cassidy 185 6.5
Conservative Marie Bates 175 6.2
Liberal Democrats James Kitching 145 5.1
Conservative Charlotte Wilkinson 134 4.7
Liberal Democrats Lee Ross 99 3.5
Rejected ballots 3 0.1
Turnout 2,842 31.1
Registered electors 9,145

Wombwell

Wombwell[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Reform Andy Arnold 1,535 44.6
Labour James Higginbottom 1,514 44.0
Reform Theresa Arnold 1,448 42.1
Labour Brenda Eastwood 1,425 41.4
Reform Deborah Hirst 1,376 40.0
Labour Robert Frost 1,347 39.2
Green Jessica Roebuck 361 10.5
Conservative Mark Brook 153 4.4
Conservative Tracy Skinner 134 3.9
Liberal Democrats Robert W Green 122 3.5
Liberal Democrats Josh Foers 115 3.3
Liberal Democrats Suzanne Gill 90 2.6
Rejected ballots 8 0.2
Turnout 3,440 32.7
Registered electors 10,505

Worsbrough

Worsbrough[8]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Independent Jake Lodge 1,595 43.2
Reform Gill Carr 1,392 37.7
Reform Mike Lycett 1,377 37.3
Reform Simon Moore 1,244 33.7
Labour Roy Bowser 1,028 27.8
Labour John Clarke 1,015 27.5
Labour David Webster 609 16.5
Green Amy Walker 333 9.0
Green Rachel Lloyd 326 8.8
Liberal Democrats Sarah Calvert 199 5.4
Conservative Jonathan Bennett 163 4.4
Liberal Democrats Joshua Green 126 3.4
Conservative Adrian Thompson 111 3.0
Liberal Democrats Alex Wright 110 3.0
Rejected ballots 2 0.1
Turnout 3,693 37.3
Registered electors 9,896

Changes 2026–2027

By-elections

Penistone East

The Penistone East by-election was triggered by the resignation of Reform UK councillor Kay Hughes for personal reasons, around two months after her election.[9]

Penistone East by-election: 20 August 2026[10]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Labour John Roberts 1,728 51.6 +14.4
Reform Eunice Asante 795 23.8 −6.7
Conservative Steven Burkinshaw 387 11.6 −7.6
Restore David Wood 218 6.5 N/A
Independent Peter Millar 87 2.6 N/A
Liberal Democrats Andy Waters 70 2.1 −3.6
Green Ehren Holt 59 1.8 −5.5
Independent Carlo Turner 2 0.1 N/A
Majority 933 27.9 N/A
Turnout 3,346 38.6 −17.7
Registered electors 8,674
Labour gain from Reform Swing Increase10.6

References

  1. ↑ "Barnsley Council announces results of election cycle public consultation". Barnsley Council. 14 May 2025. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  2. ↑ "BBC News - Election 2011 - England council elections - Barnsley". BBC News. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  3. ↑ "Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Election Results 1973-2012" (PDF). Elections Centre. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  4. ↑ "Labour suffers "worst night in 15 years" in Barnsley local elections". Yorkshire Post. 3 May 2019. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  5. ↑ "Labour retains grip on Barnsley Council". BBC News. 3 May 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  6. ↑ The Barnsley (Electoral Changes) Order 2025
  7. ↑ "Local election results 2026". barnsley.gov.uk. Retrieved 2026-06-04.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 "Local government and parish council elections – 7 May 2026". Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
  9. ↑ Tolson, Jack (13 July 2026). "Councillor's resignation prompts by-election". Barnsley Chronicle. Archived from the original on 19 August 2026.
  10. ↑ "Penistone East ward by-election – 20 August 2026". Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council. Retrieved 9 August 2026.
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