Local elections 2022: Barnsley Council deputy leader loses seat to Conservatives

Labour lost three seats during the course of the night, and they now have 46 seats on the council, retaining control.

The Conservative Party gained one seat, bringing them to four seats overall.

Labour now holds 46 seats, Independents hold three and Barnsley Independent Group hold one seat.

The Conservatives served a devastating blow to Labour when David White won the Rockingham seat, unseating deputy leader Jim Andrews with a majority of 42 votes.

Coun White said: "It's more about the people of Rockingham sent out a message.

"All through my campaign...people recognise that they haven't had a voice. It's a big challenge, there's a load of work to do and I'm looking forward to it.

"There's issues with the environment, there's fundamental issues of people having mental health with air quality, with green space, dog walking - very very basic issues.

"Also, the promotion of the area - we've got some areas of natural beauty, we've got something that we should be shouting about."

The Liberal Democrats made their first gain of the night as Will Fielding was elected to the Dodworth ward joining his father, fellow Liberal Democrat Peter Fielding.

Coun W Fielding unseated Labour's Neil Wright, and the Lib Dems gained two seats overall, increasing their seats to nine.

The party gained Darton East and Dodworth.

Councillor Hannah Kitching, who retained her Penistone West seat with a majority of 1,539, said: "We will continue doing exactly what we've been doing for the last four years, which is holding the Labour party in Barnsley to account, providing effective opposition, we'll continue to ask questions, put forward ideas of our own and make sure that our ideas for our residents and our communities are brought forward to benefit them all."

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