Election 2016: Labour holds Rotherham and Sheffield councils
- Published
Labour took 48 of 63 seats in Rotherham to increase their majority by one
Labour has retained control of both Rotherham and Sheffield Councils.
The party took 48 of the 63 seats up for grabs in Rotherham in the first election since the authority was put under government control in 2015.
Meanwhile, in Sheffield, Labour has so far secured 56 of the 84 seats to give it an unassailable majority, with the Lib Dems taking 20 seats.
In Barnsley Labour took 18 of the 21 seats. The Barnsley Independent Group took two and the Conservatives one.
In Rotherham, UKIP gained two seats to take their total to 14, though group leader Caven Vines lost his seat in Rawmarsh.
Abuse campaigner elected
Sole Conservative councillor Chris Middleton lost his seat in Sitwell ward, while Rotherham child sex abuse whistleblower Jayne Senior was elected in the Valley ward for Labour.
Clive Jepson was elected as an Independent in Anston and Woodsetts ward, where 19-year-old Katherine Wilson was elected for Labour.
Councillor Chris Read, leader of the Labour group, said: "It's a really pleasing result. It's a vote of confidence from the public of Rotherham and the changes that we're making, a chance to have another four years to see them through."
Mr Read said he was pleased Ms Senior had decided to stand for Labour adding: "Who better to be part of our team tackling Child Sexual Exploitation than Jayne who has been at the forefront of that fight for so long."
He described Miss Wilson as a "fierce campaigner" who would bring a "fresh attitude, a new approach and real enthusiasm" to the party.
In Sheffield, Kieran Harpham, the son of former Labour MP for Sheffield Hillsborough and Brightside Harry Harpham who died from cancer in February, followed in his father's footsteps by being elected as a Labour councillor for Sharrowvale and Broomhill.
Elsewhere, former council leader Lord Scriven was elected as a Liberal Democrat councillor for Ecclesall ward.
The Greens and UKIP both took four seats.