THE Labour Party’s deputy leader lost his seat by less than 50 votes in today’s local election - as their majority was cut by three.

At the start of play, Labour had 49 councillors in office - with a majority of 35.

But following tonight’s results - and a gain for the Liberal Democrats and the Conservative party - the majority has been cut, though they still retain a majority control of the council.

Will Fielding, now of the Dodworth Ward, joined his dad Peter as a Lib Dem councillor in the area in the first change of party of the night.

Hannah Kitching then retained her seat in the Penistone West ward as more than 2,200 residents voted to re-elect her.

It was a majority of more than 1,500 votes.

Jim Andrews, the deputy leader of the council, has served since 1986 - but was unseated by just 42 votes by Conservative candidate David White.

David said he wants to be a voice for local residents in his ward.

Liberal Democrats now have three councillors in the Darton East ward after Dickie Denton received more than 1,500 votes.

It was the second gain of the night for Hannah Kitching’s party.

The Labour Party now has 46 councillors, Lib Dems nine, Conservatives have four, Barnsley Independent Group, one, and there are three Independent councillors.

The Labour Party’s majority is now 32 but they retain control.

AS IT HAPPENED
  • 10:40pm
    The Chronicle are here at the Barnsley Local Elections, 2022.
  • 10:40pm
    We'll bring you updates on results as we get them - starting from around 1am.
  • 10:57pm
    Here's how the count looks.
  • 12:35am
    The turnout for the Central ward has been announced. Out of a possible 8,531, 1,866 residents voted - a 21.87 per cent turnout.
  • 1:34am
    The turnout percentage for the Dodworth ward is 34.01 per cent. Of the 8,506 registered, 2,893 voted.
  • 1:35am
    Less than 23 per cent of the North East ward turned out to vote. Of the 10,268 eligible, 2,320 voted - 22.6 per cent.
  • 1:36am
    More than 27 per cent of the Worsbrough ward turned out to vote - 2,017 out of 7,443.
  • 1:38am
    CENTRAL WARD: Janine Moyes of the Labour party has been announced as the new councillor for the Central ward. Margaret Bruff, who served on the council since 2006, retired this year.
  • 1:40am
    All three councillors in the Central ward remain from the Labour Party, as they retain the first seat of the night.
  • 1:54am
    Full list of the Central Ward results: Chad Bronson, Conservative - 282 votes. Steve Bullcock, Barnsley Independent Group - 476 votes. Janine Debra Moyes, Labour - 946 votes. Catherine Theresa Rogerson, Lib Dems - 145 votes.
  • 2:04am
    WORSBROUGH WARD: John Clarke has been re-elected for the Worsbrough ward. He received 913 of the 2,017 votes.
  • 2:05am
    Labour have now retained both of the seats reported so far.
  • 2:06am
    WORSBROUGH RESULTS: Sarah Calvert, Lib Dems - 133 votes. Gill Carr, Barnsley Independent Group - 731 votes. John Clarke, Labour - 913 votes. Andrew Millner, Conservative - 229 votes.
  • 2:24am
    CUDWORTH WARD: Joe Hayward has retained his seat - he has been a councillor since 1999.
  • 2:25am
    He received more than 1,100 votes in a big majority win - that's now three out of three for Labour.
  • 2:27am
    CUDWORTH RESULTS: Mark Brook, Conservative - 228 votes. Tony Devoy, Yorkshire Party - 328 votes. Joe Hayward, Labour - 1,192 votes. Elizabeth Waters, Lib Dem - 89 votes.
  • 2:33am
    DEARNE SOUTH RESULTS: Janine Bowler has been elected as the Labour councillor for the ward.
  • 2:34am
    She replaces May Noble who retired this year after serving the council since 2006.
  • 2:34am
    That's four holds from four seats for the Labour Party so far.
  • 2:35am
    DEARNE SOUTH FULL RESULTS: Janine Marie Bowler, Labour - 1,307 votes. Donna Marie Cutts, Conservative - 243 votes. Linda Fielding, Lib Dems - 62 votes. David Jarvis, Social Democrats - 115 votes. Janus Polenceusz, English Democrats - 101 votes.
  • 2:38am
    NORTH EAST WARD RESULTS: Ashley Peace is the new Labour councillor for the North East ward.
  • 2:38am
    He replaces Dorothy Higginbottom who has served the council since 2004.
  • 2:40am
    FULL RESULTS DEARNE SOUTH: Ray Archer, Barnsley Independent Group - 639 votes. Sam Christmas, Lib Dems - 93 votes. Ashley Peace, Labour - 1,249 votes. Sam Wilkinson, Conservative - 323 votes.
  • 2:42am
    DODWORTH RESULTS: William Fielding is the new councillor of the Dodworth ward. That's a gain for the Lib Dems as Neil Wright loses his ward.
  • 2:44am
    It's now three seats for the Lib Dems in the Dodworth ward.
  • 2:45am
    FULL DODWORTH RESULTS: Will Fielding, Lib Dems - 1,315 votes. Amanda Griffin, Freedom Alliance - 101 votes. Kirk Harper, Conservative - 518 votes. Neil Wright, Labour - 944 votes.
  • 2:48am
    ROYSTON RESULTS: Dave Webster is the new Labour councillor for the Royston ward. It's a hold for Labour as Tim Cheetham retired this year following 16 years serving the council. They still hold all three seats in the ward.
  • 2:49am
    FULL RESULTS FOR ROYSTON: Neil Fisher, Independent - 246 votes. Jonathan Hood, Lib Dems - 53 votes. Macaulay Larkin, Conservative - 167 votes. Dave Webster, Labour - 534 votes.
  • 3:01am
    DARFIELD WARD: Pauline Markham has been re-elected as the borough councillor for the ward. She has served on the council since 2010.
  • 3:01am
    All three councillors in the Darfield Ward remain Labour.
  • 3:02am
    FULL DARFIELD RESULTS: Ben Harrison, Conservative - 406 votes. Simon Hulme, Lib Dems - 121 votes. Pauline Markham, Labour - 1,234 votes. Scott McKenzie, Social Democrats - 208 votes.
  • 3:07am
    DEARNE NORTH RESULTS: Sue Bellamy is the new councillor for the ward. She represents Labour and takes over from Annette Gollick who retired this year.
  • 3:10am
    MONK BRETTON: Labour hold Monk Bretton as Ken Richardson retains his seat.
  • 3:11am
    FULL Monk Bretton RESULTS: Ken Richardson, Labour - 1,070 votes. Sue Rose, Lib Dems - 123 votes. Rachel Stewart, Independent - 660 votes. Alexander Wilkinson, Conservative - 257 votes.
  • 3:12am
    Labour have held nine seats so far, losing one - Neil Wright in the Dodworth Ward to the Liberal Democrats.
  • 3:14am
    Coun Pauline Markham after retaining her seat in the Darfield ward.
  • 3:16am
    ST HELEN'S WARD: Dave Leech has retained his seat in the St Helen's ward. That's ten elected councillors for his party so far tonight and St Helen's still has three Labour councillors.
  • 3:18am
    KINGSTONE RESULTS: Kath Mitchell has regained her Labour seat in the Kingstone ward - she has served on the council since 2010.
  • 3:19am
    That's 11 councillors elected for Labour so far as all but one has held their seat.
  • 3:20am
    PENISTONE WEST: Liberal Democrat leader Hannah Kitching retains the ward. She received the most votes so far with more than 2,200.
  • 3:21am
    That's the second Liberal Democrat seat of the night and the only seat they could lose. They are now guaranteed a gain.
  • 3:27am
    Hannah said she's delighted she has been re-elected four years after the Penistone West ward took 'a chance' on her.
  • 3:28am
    The Liberal Democrats have now gained a seat as they look to build on being the official opposition to the Labour Party.
  • 3:41am
    WOMBWELL WARD: Robert Frost, cabinet support member, has been re-elected in his ward.
  • 3:42am
    He received 1,362 votes and all three councillors in the Wombwell ward remain from the Labour Party.
  • 3:49am
    STAIRFOOT WARD: Ian Shirt is the new councillor for the Stairfoot ward. He faced opposition from Gavin Frost of there Barnsley Independent Group, but the Labour Party man received 150 more votes.
  • 3:50am
    ROCKINGHAM WARD: Jim Andrews has lost his seat in the Rockingham ward.
  • 3:51am
    Jim Andrews received 1,067 votes whilst David White had just 42 more votes.
  • 3:52am
    The deputy leader of the council has lost his seat.
  • 3:53am
    DARTON WEST: Sharon Howard has been re-elected in her war as she gained 975 votes.
  • 3:58am
    OLD TOWN WARD: It's another Labour hold as Clive Pickering retains his seat, receiving more than 1,000 votes in the process.
  • 3:59am
    New Rockingham councillor David White says he's got plenty to get stuck into in his ward and says he can offer a voice to residents
  • 4:01am
    DARTON EAST: It's another gain for the Lib Dems - their second of the night - after Dickie Denton is named the new councillor.
  • 4:16am
    PENISTONE EAST: Robert Barnard has retained his seat for the Penistone East ward. The Conservatives have retained the only seat they had up for grabs and gained one in Rockingham.
  • 4:25am
    HOYLAND MILTON: Robin Franklin has been re-elected for the Hoyland Milton ward, He has been in term since 2010.
  • 4:25am
    That's this year's elections finished - Labour has lost three seats, Lib Dems have gained two and Conservative have gained one.
  • 4:26am
    Labour now have 46 councillors, Lib Dems nine, Conservative four, Barnsley Independent Group has one whilst there are three Independent councillors.

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