Vote planned for all council seats for first time

Voters in Barnsley will go to the polls next May to elect councillors

Changes to the way councillors are elected in Barnsley mean every council seat will be up for grabs on the same day for the first time in the authority's 50-year history.

All 63 councillors will be elected at once, across 21 newly created wards, in May 2026.

It follows a review by the Local Government Boundary Commission for England, which led to changes in ward boundaries and the way elections are run.

Currently, Barnsley elects one third of its councillors every year over a three-year period, with no local elections in the fourth year.

The Labour Party has held a majority on Barnsley Council since the modern borough was formed in 1974.

In contrast, all-out elections allow voters to have their say on the make-up of the entire council at once, potentially opening the door to political change in a way that the current system does not.

Neighbouring councils like Doncaster and Rotherham already use this system.

'Out of step'

Barnsley Council held a consultation on the proposals earlier in the year and a spokesperson said "most councils now have whole council elections and Barnsley is out of step in this regard".

The spokesperson said the change was also expected to save about £1.2m over the next seven years, by reducing the number of elections held, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

The change follows a review by the Local Government Association in 2024, which recommended all-out elections to improve political stability and governance in council leadership.

The results of the consultation are due to be discussed at a council meeting on 22 May, when councillors are expected to decide which election system to use after 2026.

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