Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council Explained

Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Legislature:Third of council elected three years out of four
Coa Res:120
Coa Alt:Arms of Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council
Logo Pic:Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council logo.svg
Logo Res:250
House Type:Metropolitan borough council
Foundation:1 April 1974
Leader1 Type:Mayor
Leader1:John Clarke
Party1:
Labour
Election1:17 May 2024[1]
Leader2 Type:Leader
Party2:
Labour
Election2:1996
Leader3 Type:Chief Executive
Leader3:Sarah Norman
Election3:July 2019
Seats:63 councillors[2] [3]
Structure1:Barnsley Council 2024 after May elections.svg
Structure1 Res:280
Structure1 Alt:Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council composition
Political Groups1:
Administration (48)
  • Labour (48)
    Other parties (15)
  • Liberal Democrat (11)
  • Independents (2)
  • Conservative (1)
  • Reform UK (1)
  • Joint Committees:South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority
    Voting System1:Plurality-at-large
    Last Election1:2 May 2024
    Next Election1:7 May 2026
    Session Room:BarnsleyTownHallVertical.jpg
    Session Res:220
    Session Alt:Town Hall at Barnsley
    Meeting Place:Town Hall, Church Street, Barnsley, S702TA

    Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council is the local authority of the Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley in South Yorkshire, England. It is a metropolitan borough council and provides the majority of local government services in the borough. The council is a member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority.

    The council has been under Labour majority control since the modern borough was created in 1974. Council meetings are held at Barnsley Town Hall, and the council's main offices are in the adjoining Westgate Plaza One building.

    History

    The first elected council for the town of Barnsley was a local board of health established in 1853.[4] This replaced a body of improvement commissioners which had previously administered the town under a local Act of Parliament passed in 1822.[5] The local board in turn was replaced in 1869 when the town was made a municipal borough. In 1913 the borough was elevated to county borough status, making it independent from West Riding County Council.[6]

    The current metropolitan borough of Barnsley was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972. It covered the former county borough of Barnsley plus parts of 13 other districts, which were all abolished at the same time.[7] [8] The enlarged Barnsley district was awarded borough status from its creation, allowing the chair of the council to take the title of mayor, continuing Barnsley's series of mayors dating back to 1869.[9]

    The Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley was initially a district-level authority, with South Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services. However, the metropolitan county councils, including South Yorkshire County Council, were abolished in 1986 under the Local Government Act 1985. Since 1986 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council has therefore been responsible for most local government functions.[10]

    Since 2014 the council has been a constituent member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (called the Sheffield City Region until 2021), led by the directly-elected Mayor of South Yorkshire since 2018.

    Governance

    Political control

    The first election to the reconstituted borough council was held in 1973, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until the new arrangements came into force on 1 April 1974. Labour has held a majority of the seats on the council since its creation.[11] [12]

    Party in control Years
    1974–present

    Leadership

    The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Barnsley. Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council. The leaders since 1974 have been:

    Councillor Party From To
    Brian Varley 1974 1975
    Ron Rigby 1975 1976
    Fred Lunn 1976 1985
    Ron Rigby 1985 1988
    Hedley Salt 1988 1995
    1995 1996
    1996

    Composition

    Following the 2024 election, the composition of the council is:[13]

    PartyCouncillors
    48
    11
    2
    1
    1
    Total63
    The next election is due in May 2026.

    Premises

    Council meetings are held at Barnsley Town Hall on Church Street, which had been completed in 1933 for the old borough council.[14] In 2007 the council moved most office staff to a new building called Westgate Plaza One on Westgate, just west of the Town Hall.[15]

    Elections

    See also: Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council elections. Since the last boundary changes in 2004, the council has comprised 63 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing three councillors. Elections are held three years out of every four, with a third of the council being elected at a time (one councillor for each ward) to serve a four-year term.[16]

    Notes and References

    1. News: Timlin . Josh . New Mayor 'honoured and humbled' to be appointed . 9 June 2024 . Barnsley Chronicle . 17 May 2024.
    2. Web site: Open Council Data UK - compositions councillors parties wards elections.
    3. Web site: Councillors - Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council.
    4. News: Barnsley Local Board of Health . 18 June 2023 . Newcastle Courant . 8 July 1853.
    5. Web site: Barnsley Improvement Act 1822 (3 Geo 4 c. 25) . legislation.gov.uk . The National Archives . 18 June 2023.
    6. Web site: Barnsley Municipal Borough / County Borough . A Vision of Britain through Time . GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth . 18 June 2023.
    7. act. Local Government Act 1972. 1972. 70. 18 June 2023.
    8. si. The Metropolitan Districts (Names) Order 1973. 1973. 137. 18 June 2023.
    9. Web site: District Councils and Boroughs. 28 March 1974. Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). 16 January 2012.
    10. act. Local Government Act 1985. 1985. 51. 18 June 2023.
    11. Web site: Compositions calculator . The Elections Centre . 10 August 2022.
    12. News: Barnsley . 17 October 2009 . . 19 April 2008.
    13. News: Barnsley election result. 25 May 2024 . . 5 May 2024.
    14. Web site: Town Hall . Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council . 19 June 2023.
    15. Web site: Cabinet report, 18 May 2022 . Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council . 19 June 2023.
    16. si. The Borough of Barnsley (Electoral Changes) Order 2003. 2003. 3090. 19 June 2023.