Open Door 6 - Barnsley Council Online

Barnsley is fast becoming one of the most 

talked about towns in the north of 

England. 2010 will see an array of new 

and exciting cultural events taking place 

in the town centre and at our heritage 

sites. There’s never been a better time to 

visit Barnsley. 

For information on our exciting events 

and attractions please visit 

www.barnsleylive.co.ukc 

Pot hole repairs... Page 8 

Could you be a foster 

carer... Page 12 & 13 

An eco-vision for the 

Dearne Valley... Page 16 & 17 

BARNSLEY 

Metropolitan Borough Council 

BARNSLEY 

Metropolitan Borough Council

➜ 

COUNCIL TAX 

DISCOUNT FOR 65’s & OVER 

Apply now for your 2010/2011 council tax discount 

Welcome 

What’s inside... 

Last year the council introduced a council tax discount scheme for 

the 65’s and over and the scheme will continue into 2010-2011. You 

can claim your discount if you meet all the following criteria on 

1 April 2010: 

• You are liable to pay council tax, either jointly or in your own right, on a 

property in Barnsley, 

We have now, hopefully, seen the last of 

the exceptionally cold winter weather as 

we move into spring. But its effects are 

still visible for all to see in the state of the 

borough’s road. The article on page 8 

looks at the size of the problem and of 

one innovative solution. The council is 

spending an extra £2.4million over the 

next 12 months to repair the damage 

caused. 

This edition of open door is packed with 

information and articles about the work 

the council is doing on your behalf to 

make the borough a better place to live. 

In particular, have a look at the offer of a 

free computer on page 4 or the 

opportunity to help you get fit in 2010 on 

page 9. There are details of how to 

claim your council tax discount for the 

65s and over; how to obtain or renew 

your Passport to Leisure card; or how to 

access the Mortgage Rescue Scheme. 

6 My girl lollipop 

16 Eco-valley 

Also in this issue... 

• Home access 

• Coal to culture 

• Dog fouling 

8 Pot holes 

5 Hunshelf walk 

12 Making a difference 

10 

• Mortgage Resue Scheme 

• Passport to Leisure 

• What’s on 

Britain Works 

Challenge 

• You are a single occupier aged 65 or over, or joint occupiers both aged 

65 or over, 

• You are not in receipt of any council tax benefit on the property 

The discount only applies to your main home and not any other property 

you own. Only one discount will apply to each household. 

If you would like a claim form or you would like to find out more, 

please telephone 01226 774774. Applicants currently in receipt of the 

discount do not need to reapply. 

Four pages of “What’s on” events start 

on page 18. 

Barnsley, a great place to live. 

Cllr Steve Houghton, Leader 

Phil Coppard, Chief Executive 

Front cover: Man about town. 

Your comments and views are welcome. 

Contact Bob Williams, 

Head of Corporate Communications, 

Town Hall, Barnsley S70 2TA 

Tel: 01226 774586 

Email: bobwilliams@barnsley.gov.uk 

If you need help understanding this 

document please contact Corporate 

Communications on 01226 773443 

BARNSLEY 


open door is also available on line at 

barnsley.gov.uk 

open door is published by Barnsley Council and all content is correct at time of going 

to print. 

3

Get a free 

computer for 

your family 

Historic Hunshelf 

4 

Home Access is a national scheme to 

provide families with a computer, 

internet access and support all for free. 

• Help your child(ren) as a resource 

for developing their learning and skills. 

Having a computer at home associates 

with a 2 grade improvement in one 

subject at GCSE. This means that a 

pupil who would have got a D, could, 

with the effective use of technology at 

home, now get a B at GCSE. 

• Save money - the average family 

can save over £10 a week from 

shopping online. 

• For entertainment - watch films, 

listen to music, catch up with TV you've 

missed. 

• Friends and family - you can find 

long lost friends, you can send 

messages, you can even phone 

Australia for free. 

• Education - all the knowledge in the 

world is online, so you can help your 

children with their learning, and learn 

along with them. 

• For convenience - avoid airport 

queues by checking in online, find out 

just when the next bus or train is due, 

or make doctor's appointments that suit 

you. 

• For your hobbies - get news about 

your local football club, join in 

chatrooms with people who share your 

passion. 

Are you eligible 

Are you a parent or guardian 

responsible for and living with a child: 

• who is in school years 3 to 9 

• who attends a state-maintained 

school in England full time 

• who has not already had a 

computer from a Home Access Grant or 

similar programme, such as Computers 

for Pupils 

Do you receive at least one of 

the following 

• Eligibility for free school meals for 

your child 

• Income based Jobseeker’s 

Allowance 

• Income support 

• Child Tax Credit but not Working 

Tax Credit and an income of less than 

£16,040 

• Guaranteed Pension Credit (not 

Savings Credit) 

• Income-based Employment Support 

Allowance 

• Support under Part VI of the 

Immigration and Asylum Act 1999 

If you think you are eligible, and to 

order an application form, please 

phone the grant administration service 

on 0333 200 1004, 

(minicom: 0121 748 1471), or visit 

www.homeaccess.org.uk for more 

information. 

Discover the previous industries of 

Hunshelf in this varied four mile walk 

with viewpoints. 

1. 1 Start at the village playground, 

adjacent to the first (filled-in) quarry and 

the village pump house, an unusual 

structure which provided water for Green 

Moor until 1952 and open at certain 

dates in the year. 

2. 2 Turn into Delph Mews and then left at 

the footpath sign. Walk through this 

quarried area (Delph) bearing right 

through the football field. Take the top 

right path upwards, turning right and 

through the nearby terrace (called New 

Houses). 

3. 3 Continue along, turn left into the 

cricket field and follow the path onto the 

Isle of Skye, thought to be named 

because ‘it is so high you could see the 

Isle of Skye from it’. 

4. Over the style at the top, turn left 

along the Hunshelf bank and continue 

into the wood (Tin Mill Rocher) taking the 

right hand path down the bank. At the 

bottom continue along a broad track by 

a millpond (which once powered a tin 

mill). Turn left up a steep incline. Follow 

this, bearing right along the ridge by the 

river. 

5. 5 To your right are enormous piles and 

ramparts of stone from the Rocher 

quarry, as well as excellent views of the 

river, 160 feet below. At Well Hill Road 

turn right. 

6. 6 At the bottom of the hill turn left. A 

hundred yards along is Wortley Top 

Forge, the site of iron working since 

medieval times and now a museum. 

7. 7 Continue along the road, over Forge 

Bridge, turn left into Old Mill Lane. 

8. 8 Pass Wire Mill, once owned by a 

relation of the poet Wordsworth. 

Continue until a footpath sign on the left, 

leads to a bridge across the river. 

9. 9 Follow the path, forking right up the 

step bank. Where the path flattens was 

formerly the largest quarry in the area – 

California quarry - so named 

because it operated 

around the time of 

the California 

gold rush. 

A616 

N 

9 

Hill Top 

Green Moor Road 

Lane 

Park Lane 

3 

HUTHWAITE COMMON 

1 

Hunshelf Bank 

2 

Stocksbridge By-Pass 

8 

GREEN 

MOOR 

Continue on the path until the road and 

then turn left. 

Although over half the walk is on roads 

or good surfaced tracks, some sections 

are steep, may have wet, muddy or 

uneven ground and appropriate 

footwear should be used. 

A guided walk of this route will take 

place on Saturday, 27 March at 1pm 

from the start point. Please contact 

Damen Keddy, 01226 787650 for more 

details. 

Further guided walks in the Green 

Moor/Hunshelf area will take place on 

Wednesday, 31 March at 1pm and 

Friday, 9 April at 10.30am – see local 

press or www.barnsley.gov.uk for more 

detailed information nearer the time. 

River Don 

Park Lane 

Old 

Mill Lane 

Well Hill Road 

5 

7 

River Don 

Holly Hall Lane 

Cote Lane 

Forge 

6 

Lane 

4 

A616 

Tin Mill 

Dam 

Soughley 

Lane 

c Crown copyright, Barnsley 

Metropolitan Borough Council, 

Licence No. LA10002264 

5

My girl 

lollipop 

A day in the life of a 

school crossing patrol 

6 

Hunningley Primary lies half a mile from 

Stairfoot roundabout, on the B6100. And 

for the past 14 years the job of School 

Crossing Patrol (SCP) Julie Reed has been 

to ensure that the children who walk to 

school arrive safely for their lessons, and 

at the end of day get home safely. 

It’s a role she took on in October 1995 

with some trepidation, because of the 

huge responsibility of ensuring that 

young children do not come into conflict 

with cars, motorbikes and heavy goods 

vehicles. 

But now Julie speaks with enthusiasm 

and delight about a job that brings her 

into daily contact with the pupils and 

their parents. And because she combines 

her position as school crossing patrol 

(SCP) with that of teaching assistant she 

gets to know the personalities and talents 

of many of the Hunningley Primary 

children. 

She spends the whole of the working 

day at school, arriving soon after 8am to 

put on her bright ‘lollipop lady’ uniform 

for the 8.30am to 9.10am shift, and 

then stepping inside the classroom to 

help teachers deliver their lessons. 

“Sometimes the children are surprised to 

see me in the classroom in my normal 

clothes, having earlier seen me in my 

school crossing patrol uniform. But they 

soon realise why, and it’s lovely to get to 

know them by helping them with their 

learning,” says Julie, who herself walks 

to school from nearby Kendray. 

In the classroom Julie’s work includes 

helping children to develop their reading 

skills, making sure they mix their paints 

correctly, and then supervising morning 

playtime. It’s a varied and interesting 

role that occupies her until midafternoon, 

when it’s time to put back the 

fluorescent SCP uniform on again, for 

her 3pm to 3.35pm shift. 

“It’s a 40-week a year job, you must 

never be late and you need complete 

concentration at the roadside because 

children’s lives depend on it,” she says. 

“I wait for a long gap in the traffic so 

that drivers have plenty of warning, 

raising the lollipop out into the road to 

advise traffic before I step into the road. 

Only when the traffic has come to a halt 

will I beckon the children across, making 

sure they cross in front of me so I can 

see them. There’s time for a friendly hello 

or bye-bye with the children, but that’s 

all. It is very important they cross quickly 

and safely.” 

Like all SCPs managed by Barnsley 

Council, Julie makes sure children 

crossing the road know they 

mustn’t skip in case they trip, 

bounce a ball in case they 

lose control of it and 

especially never try to 

ride a cycle across. As 

well as children, she’ll 

help parents and 

anyone else who 

asks to cross 

Hunningley Lane 

at this location 

when she is on 

duty. 

She is concerned if any child, with or 

without their parent, decides to cross the 

road elsewhere. “The risk of being 

involved in an accident is that much 

greater, and I inform the headteacher if I 

hear of this happening so that staff can 

speak to the child and parent to remind 

them of the unnecessary risks they are 

taking.” 

“You need to be constantly 

vigilant, and always be alert for 

the few drivers who speed.” 

Julie became a SCP when the previous 

postholder, a Mrs Taylor, retired after 

long-service. “She asked 

me if I was interested in 

doing it, and quite 

honestly I was 

nervous because 

it’s a huge 

responsibility. After 

a few days I decided it was something I 

wanted to try, and I am so glad I did. 

My son Lewis, then six, was at 

Hunningley Primary at the time, and that 

helped me to decide.” 

Julie meets with other SCPs employed by 

Barnsley Council at regular training days 

where they are briefed on health and 

safety matters, and learn more about the 

healthy lifestyle benefits for pupils that 

walking to school brings. 

“The uniform has evolved since I started, 

becoming even more high-visibility, she 

explains. Likewise the road I patrol has 

certainly become a lot busier which 

means the role is always challenging. 

You need to be constantly vigilant, and 

always be alert for the few drivers who 

speed.” 

In return for her hard work, Julie is 

delighted if she receives gifts from some 

of the children, usually at 

the end of term. “I’ve had 

so many things,” she 

reflects. “Cakes, thank-you 

cards, keyrings, even a 

mug that said Best School Crossing 

Patrol! 

“It’s a role I love and these gestures 

make it even more special.” 

Barnsley Council’s School Crossing 

Patrol Service is managed by the Road 

Safety section of Highways, 

Engineering and Waste 

and there are over 50 

patrols operating on a 

daily basis throughout the 

borough. 

If you would like to be a school crossing 

patrol or a relief patrol please contact the 

SCP supervisor on (01226)772024. The 

hourly rate at present is £7.19 and you 

will probably be expected to work 

between 5 and 7 hours per week. All SCPs 

are checked by the Criminal Records 

Bureau and complete a medical prior to 

beginning service. 

Thanks to Julie for her contribution to this story 

7

The 

hole 

story 

Coal to culture 

This winter the council expects to 

repair more than 55,000 potholes, 

compared with the seasonal norm 

of 40,000. The effects of repeated 

freeze and thaw also mean the 

area of damage around each 

pothole is that much greater. 

Pothole repair is going hi-tech and 

environmentally friendly in Barnsley. 

The council has contracted a specialist truck 

which can repair the borough’s weatherdamaged 

roads quicker than conventional 

hot tar methods. 

The Velocity system first blasts water and 

debris out of the pothole using a highpressure 

jet of air. The interior of the cavity 

is sealed with a coating of cold bitumen to 

prevent further water damage before it is 

filled with a mixture of recycled aggregate 

and bitumen. 

The pothole doesn’t have to be cut around 

first, and together with the use of unheated 

bitumen this reduces the emission of 

greenhouse gases normally created in such 

highway repairs. 

The road repair truck is capable of 

patching 200 square metres of potholes 

quickly and effectively. This rapid operation 

is good news for motorists as it reduces the 

need for traffic control measures and 

delays to waiting vehicles. 

The specialist truck has been put to work at 

numerous locations across the borough 

where the hardest weather conditions for 

30 years have damaged the road surface. 

To report a pothole please call the 24-hour 

helpline (01226) 773555 or complete the 

reporting page via www.barnsley.gov.uk 

8 

Participation in cultural activities in 

Barnsley is increasing and visits to the 

borough’s museums are up, a newly 

released report shows. 

The Active People survey, conducted by 

Sport England, measures people’s 

involvement in all aspects of the arts. 

Latest results show that last year there 

was a four per cent rise in arts 

participation and a five per cent 

increase in visits to museums such as 

Cannon Hall and the Cooper Gallery. 

This is fantastic news for Barnsley and 

means the council’s new approach to 

arts and cultural activity, based on a 

three-season programme, has been well 

received. In 2009 for example, through 

the Springboard, Viva and Reflections 

seasons, residents enjoyed high-profile 

exhibitions, spectacular large events, 

continental markets and a wealth of 

workshop opportunities. 

To support this, investment has been 

made in the borough’s museums and 

galleries, with an extensive programme 

of improvements. These include new 

visitor reception areas and shops at 

Cannon Hall and Worsbrough Mill 

museums, new exhibition casing and 

lighting at the Cooper and an access lift 

at Cannon Hall. 

Barnsley Council’s decision to join the list 

of 14 towns and cities bidding to be the 

first UK City of Culture, in 2013, reflects 

its ambition to give the borough a new 

profile regionally, nationally and 

internationally. As open door went to 

press the government’s Department for 

Culture Media and Sport had not 

announced which of the bidders would 

go forward to the shortlist of five. 

Shortlisted or not, Barnsley will uphold its 

ambition to develop its cultural 

attractions, boost visitor numbers and 

make the borough an even more 

prosperous and enjoyable place. 

The town or city selected as UK City of 

Culture in 2013 will host high-profile 

events such as The Brits, BBC Sports 

Personality of the Year and The Turner 

Prize. 

Barnsley’s bid for this prestigious 

inaugural title is entitled Barnsley Main 

and charts the journey from ‘Coal to 

Culture’. Through five ‘rich programme 

seams’ it offers contemporary dance, 

virtual museums and living drama 

alongside engaging 

public art. Most 

importantly, it will 

give Barnsley 

people and 

visitors the 

opportunity 

to engage 

in a truly 

unique 

experience. 

 

If you had planned to get a 

bit fitter or lose a few 

pounds in 2010, but couldn't 

get started or lost your 

motivation in the cold 

weather, help has arrived. 

The solution; a new physical 

activity scheme in Barnsley. 

BeActive was launched in early 

March and offers a variety of ways 

for you to get involved in regular 

physical activity in your local area. 

If you have a BMI of 25 or more (we 

can help you work this out) and live in 

Athersley, Goldthorpe, Grimethorpe, 

Hoyland, Kendray, Lundwood, 

Wombwell, Worsbrough or Thurnscoe, 

you could be on your way to a 

healthier lifestyle. 

Family members can also get 

involved. 

BARNSLEY 


Regular activity can bring many 

benefits, such as controlling weight 

and reducing the risks of high 

cholesterol and blood pressure. 

Muscles and bones get stronger, 

whilst mental health and mood 

improve, making it easier to get 

through the challenges of the day. 

Look at what the BeActive 

programme offers; there are several 

different options and you can take up 

as many as you like. 

BeActive offers a range of physical 

activities, set up in response to local 

requests and suggestions. 

All of them are hosted by a BeActive 

coach who will help you get started, 

answer questions and provide loads 

of encouragement! 

There is an exclusive FREE interactive 

DVD that provides information about 

BeActive and how it can benefit you 

and your family. It provides tools, tips 

and resources and a guide to 

creating your own activity plan. 

Contact us now to receive your copy. 

“The offer includes a free DVD 

and a range of physical activities” 

There's also a 12 week 'Small 

Changes' course that will cover 

different topics each week, plus 

friendly discussions and a chance to 

meet up with people who have similar 

aims to yourself. 

To get started, simply contact the 

BeActive team for more information 

and find out what will work best for 

you. 

• Call 0114 22 55 66 8 

• E-mail beactive@shu.ac.uk 

• Return the slip below 

PLEASE POST TO: Barnsley BeActive, C.S.E.S., Collegiate Crescent Campus, Sheffield, S10 2BP. 

NAME: 

ADDRESS: 

E-MAIL: 

PHONE: 

9

New online 

approach 

As open door went to press final arrangements were 

being made to go live at the end of March with the 

new council web site, under the banner Barnsley 

Council online. We’ve listened to people’s comments 

about the current site, as a result of which it will be 

easier to navigate and search. Work has also been 

going on for some time to review the content to 

ensure the new site will be as ‘up to the minute’ as 

possible. The new home page will be far more news 

driven – keeping the reader up to date on what the 

council is doing and why. 

£5m Microsoft training 

vouchers for 

Barnsley residents 

Residents across the borough will 

benefit from £5million worth of 

Microsoft training vouchers 

following Barnsley’s success in 

Microsoft’s Britain Works 

Challenge campaign. 

Councils across the UK were invited to 

devise effective programmes to address 

unemployment and availability of digital 

skills in the local community. The total 

commercial value of the top three places – 

bronze, silver and gold - was £18 million. 

The passion and energy the council 

showed throughout the whole campaign 

was recognised with a silver award from 

the judges. The council was also praised 

for its outstanding leadership and the fact 

that its strategy included the private sector. 

Getting the silver award is a fantastic 

achievement for Barnsley, meaning that 

anyone in the borough who wants to get 

basic Microsoft training can do so for free 

and thousands of people can also get 

more advanced training. It’s great for the 

people and great for the economy. 

The scheme is expected to go live in April 

and further details will be available in the 

next open door. 

The first person in the country to receive one of the vouchers is Barnsley Council 

Future Jobs Fund worker, Alex Baldwin. Alex is a Digital Outreach worker based 

at Cudworth Centre of Excellence. 

Free card, 

big savings… 

…with your Passport to Leisure card 

Would you like 

to join the 

12,000 plus 

people in the 

borough already 

making use of their 

card to make big 

savings 

Passport to Leisure staff will be on the 

road in the Kendray and Worsbrough 

areas in March to issue or renew 

Passport to Leisure cards free of charge 

to any Barnsley resident eligible for 

membership. 

All you have to do to get your free card 

is turn up at one of the venues below 

with proof of your eligibility. 

• Tuesday, 23 March, 

10am to 12.30pm 

Worsbrough Library, 

Elm House Estate, Queensway 

• Wednesday, 24 March, 

10am to 12:30pm 

Kendray Learning Resource Centre, 

Thornton Road 

• Thursday, 25 March, 

10am to 12:30pm 

Worsbrough Common ICT Centre, 

Warren Quarry Lane 

For further information about the scheme, 

call 01226 774477, or email passporttoleisure@barnsley.gov.uk 

Passport to Leisure members can obtain 

discounts at many sporting and leisure 

facilities across South Yorkshire, as well 

as at golf courses, entertainment venues, 

retail outlets and places of interest. 

To be eligible for membership you must 

live in Barnsley and be either on a 

benefit, aged 60+, 16 or 17 years of 

age, a full-time student aged 18+, a 

disabled person or an unemployed 

dependant of someone on a benefit. 

As part of this new site the recruitment pages have 

already been redeveloped and, since they first 

appeared at the start of the year, have proved a 

great success. If you’ve not already done so why not 

take a look (barnsley.gov.uk/jobs-and-careers). The 

pages provide a real insight into the aims of the 

overall site - a site that is informative, easy to use 

and helpful to the customer. 

10 

11

Why foster 

Fostering is one of the most varied, 

challenging and rewarding jobs you can 

do. All kinds of people choose to foster 

for all kinds of reasons. 

In Barnsley we have over 100 foster 

carers who are caring for around 130 

children. We always need more foster 

carers to care for Barnsley children who 

are unable to live with their own 

families. These children and young 

people need a safe caring home and 

they need it locally with a Barnsley 

family. 

Could you foster 

Lots of different people foster. You can 

foster - 

• If you are single, married or living 

with a partner 

• Whatever your race, religion or 

sexuality 

• Whether you live in your own home 

or you rent 

• If you are employed, unemployed or 

retired 

• Whether you have had your own 

children or not. 

We are looking for people who have the 

skills to foster. If you are a good listener, 

patient, optimistic, a good team player 

and have a sense of humour then you 

have some of the skills needed. Foster 

carers have a unique chance to make a 

real difference to a child’s life, and it 

could change yours. 

How can I find out more 

Visit www.barnsley.gov.uk/fostering or 

www.couldyoufoster.org.uk 

You can phone us to talk about your own 

circumstances and about any questions 

you may have on 01226 775876. We 

can send an information pack that tells 

you about the process of applying to 

foster. 

In Barnsley we provide foster carers with 

a good financial support package, 

support and professional advice and an 

ongoing training package. 

Foster Care Fortnight takes place17th to 

30th May including launch day in 

Barnsley town centre on Saturday, 22 

May. Check the council’s website and 

local press for more information nearer 

the date. 

We’ve made a difference. Can you 

Jan and Paul Johnson began 

fostering in 2000, starting off part time 

by providing respite care on some 

evenings and weekends for a disabled 

child. 

For the past seven years they have had 

more long-term placements, although 

they still continue to provide respite care. 

“We started 

fostering as we 

had time on 

our hands 

which we felt 

could be well spent with children who 

needed it.” 

They really enjoy the benefits they can 

bring to all their placements: “Providing 

respite care means that parents and 

other family members can get some 

quality time together, 

which makes all 

their 

relationships 

stronger. 

“The 

benefit for 

us of 

having 

long-term 

older placements is that we can help 

prepare young people for adulthood.” 

There are a lot of different fostering 

options to suit different types of people 

but Jan says whatever type of fostering 

people choose to offer, they need to be 

prepared to give a lot of time, 

commitment and effort. A lot of this 

could be deemed as ‘normal parenting’ 

but some children in foster care naturally 

need more input: “It’s fostering and then 

some – you need to be aware of this 

from the start.” 

The couple intend to carry on fostering 

children and young people for as long 

as possible. “Every child is different and 

brings different rewards. There have 

been plenty of challenges along the way 

- especially fostering teenagers – but 

there have also been lots of rewards.” 

“When you see kids thriving and they 

give you positive feedback, you really 

get back everything you have put in.” 

Ann and Vincent Murphy have 

been fostering children for 12 years and 

love making a positive difference to the 

lives of children and young people, 

saying “It’s one of the few careers where 

you can love your job and your job 

loves you back.” 

They already had three children of their 

own when they decided give fostering a 

go. 

“It was something we had wanted to do 

for a while, but it’s still a huge decision 

to make and it has to be right for 

everyone in the family – it’s the whole 

family that fosters.” 

The family has welcomed over 20 foster 

placements over the years, with children 

ranging from new born babies to 13 

year old and Ann and Vincent still keep 

in touch with many of them: “The hardest 

part can be when they move on as 

they’ve been part of the family and you 

love them, but you have to remember 

that you have provided a stable, loving 

environment for them while decisions can 

be made about what’s best for their 

future care.” 

Ann says most of the qualities needed by 

a good foster carer are those which most 

people already have, like being a good 

listener, having a good sense of humour 

and working as part of a team. But 

fosterers also need to be an advocate for 

their children and willing to fight their 

corner sometimes, be creative in your 

approach to children and their 

behaviour and most 

importantly, be able to 

accept children for who 

they are. 

As well as the positive 

impact Ann and 

Vincent have been 

able to provide to the 

children placed in 

their care, their 

own children 

have also 

learnt 

many life skills. “By fostering, my 

children have learned empathy, that 

everyone is different, not to make 

assumptions and to be non-judgemental.” 

Ann sums up foster caring by saying 

“Children and young people only get 

one shot at being young. To make that 

period of time positive in what, for them, 

is a not so positive time, makes it all 

worthwhile.” 

12 

Thanks to Jan, Paul, Ann and Vincent for their contribution to this story. 

All of the photographs of children are posed by models. 

13

And that’s 

a fact... 

In August every year, 105,000 electoral 

registration forms are posted to households 

in the borough. 

Minding your 

dog’s business 

60,000 of these forms are usually 

returned in the pre-paid second class 

envelopes provided by the council. 

As you will probably know, there will be 

elections happening later this year. 

Thursday 6, May will see the local 

elections taking place, and while at the 

time of going to press there had been no 

date announced for a general election, 

the latest this can happen is Thursday, 3 

June this year. 

To make sure you have your chance to 

have your say, you need to ensure that 

your name is on the electoral register. To 

check whether you are on the register, 

call the elections helpline on 01226 

773070. 

If you are not registered to vote but are 

eligible to do so you can download a 

form from the council’s website or 

request one from Electoral Services, 

again on 01226 773070 

✗marks 

the 

spot 

Alternatively, you can fax it to 01226 

774259, or email a scanned image of 

your filled in form to 

electoralservices@barnsley.gov.uk 

When filling in the form, it is important 

for you to tick the ‘opt out’ option if you 

do not want your details to be available 

to direct mail companies and so on. This 

does not affect your rights or your ability 

to vote. 

If we get your form back by Tuesday, 20 

April your details will be updated by 

Wednesday, 28 April, allowing you to 

vote in the upcoming elections. 

Please note that the last day to apply for 

a postal vote for the 6 May elections is 

5pm on Tuesday, 20 April. Telephone 

01226 773070 for an application form. 

Households that do not return their forms 

at the first time of asking –normally about 

40,000 – are sent a reminder letter and 

registration forms. About 20,000 of these 

reminder forms are usually returned. 

Personal visits to the remaining 20,000 

properties then take place. Temporary 

employees are recruited and collect as 

many completed forms as possible by 

hand. 

About 13.5% of households chose to 

respond electronically to the latest 

canvass. 

The Elections Service has to deal with 

between 300 to 500 requests to register 

on the Electoral Register every month. 

The annual canvass usually generates 

about 13,000 postal vote applications. 

The service has to organise 145 polling 

stations across the borough – in places 

that are accessible for local people 

including those with disabilities. 

150,000 polling cards are sent out, one 

for every person on the Electoral Register. 

A woman pushes a pram down 

the road in the face of oncoming 

traffic rather than on the pavement. 

An elderly man slips right outside 

his house, resulting in a broken 

collarbone. 

A young child plays on a field 

with her friends. Weeks later, she 

is blinded in one eye. 

Three seemingly unrelated 

incidents, but all have the same 

initial cause – dog fouling. 

Dog fouling is one of the major causes of 

dissatisfaction in neighbourhoods. It can 

seriously affect an area’s look, and 

combined with the smell and the health 

nuisance, can turn once popular areas 

into no-go zones. 

As well as looking untidy, not picking up 

after your dog has potential health risks. 

Dogs can carry a worm called toxocara 

canis, whose eggs become infectious 

when they mature. This may take two to 

three weeks, during which time they 

contaminate their surroundings, such as 

the soil on which they were left. 

The eggs can cause a number 

of infections such as blindness, 

stomach pains, dizziness, 

nausea, asthma and epileptic 

fits. 

By leaving your dog’s mess where 

it lay, you’re not only breaking the 

law but endangering someone’s 

health. 

So, act responsibly. Bag it, tie it 

and bin it. 

You can purchase doggy bags from pet 

shops and supermarkets. You could also 

use carrier bags, nappy bags, or 

whatever else is suitable. Once you’ve 

picked it up your dog’s mess, tie the bag 

and then put it safely into any of the 

numerous dog fouling bins located across 

the borough. Alternatively, simply drop it 

in a litter bin or your own grey bin. 

To report an irresponsible owner 

or a dog fouling hotspot, call us 

on 01226 772468, or email 

regulatoryservices@barnsley.gov.uk 

and we’ll investigate. 

You can then send the completed form 

to: 

Electoral Services, Town Hall, 

Church Street, Barnsley, S70 2TA 

For more information on voting and 

elections, please visit the ‘How the 

Council Works’ under the ‘Council and 

Democracy’ section of the council’s 

website at www.barnsley.gov.uk 

Cleaning up after your dog is your duty. 

You have to do it, by law. If you don’t, 

and we catch you, you’ll receive a £50 

fine. Not being there when it happened, 

not having anything to pick it up with, 

saying you’ll come back later: all 

unacceptable excuses. 

Members of the public can help us beat 

irresponsible owners by letting us know 

who isn’t cleaning up after their dog, 

when it is happening, and where. The 

more information you can give us, the 

better. 

14 

15

Photograph by Thomas Ley 

“An enhanced natural environment will create 

a place where more people want to live and 

work and bring up their families.” 

16 

From carbon production 

to carbon reduction 

An eco-vision for the Dearne Valley 

Once one of the mostly heavily polluted 

places in western Europe, the Dearne 

Valley is now virtually unrecognisable 

from its industrial past following the 

restoration of former pit sites, investment 

by business and the creation of 

thousands of jobs. 

The geographical area covers parts of 

Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham and 

sits within an area known as the 

Sheffield City Region. 

In recent years there has been a 

growing recognition that the Dearne 

Valley’s physical and economic 

transformation needs to be matched by a 

fresh sense of purpose, and a belief 

among residents, community leaders and 

businesses that it has a important and 

distinctive role for the future. 

Under the guidance of a Special Board, 

a new ‘eco vision’ for the area is being 

developed which will give the Dearne 

Valley a new identity which in time 

would see the Dearne Valley designated 

as the first eco park in the UK. A series 

of measures and policies aims to bring 

about a transformation that touches 

every aspect of life. Within ten years the 

Dearne would have the lowest carbon 

footprint of any comparable place and 

would become more attractive to quality 

businesses that specialise in tackling 

climate change. 

An enhanced natural environment will 

create a place where more people want 

to live and work and bring up their 

families, as well as attracting visitors. 

The eco vision is a major initiative which 

will be achieved in three major steps 

over the next 20 to 30 years. Three 

priority themes have been identified to 

provide focus for the early work: 

1 Community - working with 

communities to help reduce fuel bills by 

changing over to a low-carbon lifestyle 

and tackling climate change on a local 

level. Improving public transport, 

walking and cycling links, 

2 Economy - encouraging new green 

businesses into the area, creating jobs 

for local people, addressing the training 

needs of local people to meet this 

demand, 

3 Environment - improving the local 

environment and leisure activities by 

rediscovering the river Dearne. 

For the communities of the Dearne, the 

vision will mean more energy efficient 

homes which will cut fuel bills. Better 

public transport links will improve access 

and reduce reliance on the car. More 

training opportunities will be available in 

skills to address climate change, 

improving people’s job prospects and 

equipping them for the new jobs created 

in the Dearne as more businesses, 

specialising in environmental 

technologies, are attracted to the area. 

Funded from the European Regional 

Development Fund and Yorkshire 

Forward and reporting to the Special 

Board, a project team has been set up to 

drive forward the Dearne Valley ecovision. 

A communications strategy is 

being developed to engage the 

communities of the Dearne. In Barnsley 

these include Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe and 

Bolton-upon-Dearne. In the coming weeks 

residents will be asked for their views on 

how these ideas can be turned into 

reality, and how they can become 

involved in helping to shape and deliver 

the vision. 

The Dearne Valley Special Board was set up in 

2007 and is chaired by Wentworth MP John 

Healey, whose constituency covers part of the 

Dearne. Mr Healey is housing minister in the 

Department for Communities and Local 

Government. The role of the Special Board is to 

oversee the development of the Dearne Valley 

including the creation of the eco vision for the 

Dearne. 

To learn more about the Dearne Valley 

eco vision visit sheffieldcityregion.org.uk 

or contact the project team on 

(0114) 263 5683, or email 

dearnevalley@sheffieldcityregion.org.uk 

Pictured in the 1960s, the Manvers Main 

Colliery between Wath-upon-Dearne and 

Mexborough was a complex of collieries which 

also housed coke ovens and a coal by-products 

plant. 

17

18 

What’s on 

To book your place or for more information contact the individual venues. 

For a full events listing visit www.barnsleylive.co.uk 

Oshima and the Big Sea 

The Civic - 01226 327000 

www.barnsleycivic.co.uk 

Wednesday 17 March, 7.30pm. 

National Dance Network presents 

Dance3. Three talented artists let 

their imaginations run riot, 

creating compelling and varied 

performances mixing physical 

brilliance, music and film: £9 

adults, £7 concessions. 

Thursday 18 March, 7.30pm. 2010 A Space 

Oddity. Company Gavin Robertson takes us 

into the world of science fiction, cult movies, 

and spoof! £9 adults, £7 concessions. 

Friday 19 March to Friday 30 April, daily 

10am to 5pm, Sundays 10am to 4pm. out of 

the ordinary/extraordinary. Japanese 

contemporary photography, introducing the 

work of 11 photographers. Free admission. 

Friday 19 March, 8pm. Eliza Carthy plus 

support (part of Barnsley Folk Festival). One 

of the most dazzling and recognised folk 

musicians of a generation, the winner of 

seven Radio 2 Folk Awards and two Mercury 

Prize nominations. £15 adults in advance. 

Sunday 21 March, 2.30pm. Who’s Been 

Sitting in my 

Chair A 

delightful and 

playful 

interpretation 

of a wellknown 

tale. 

Suitable for 

ages 3+. £6 

adults, £4 

Rat Pack Vegas Spectacular 

concessions, £18 family ticket (2 adults, 2 

children). 

Wednesday 24 March, 7.30pm. Forever in 

Your Debt. A band rolls into town, teetering 

on the edge of fiscal failure, their woeful 

stories of debt and despair. A must-see for 

anyone who’s had their cashpoint card cut up 

in front of them! £9 adults, £7 concessions. 

This Is Now 

Friday 26 March, 7.30pm. 

This is Now. Tom finds an 

illegally taped copy of the first 

Now That’s What I Call Music 

LP in a drawer. Britain’s funniest 

dance duo New Art Club 

wrestles with classic hits from the 

80s. £9 adults, £7 concessions. 

Wednesday 31 March, 7.30pm. 

Earthfall – Gig. The story of a band that 

encapsulates the world outside with songs, 

film and dancing. Suitable for ages 15+. £9 

adults, £7concessions. 

Sunday 4 April, 2.30pm. The Little Red Hen. 

Featuring a host of animal puppets, 

singalongs and comic routines. Stuff and 

Nonsense presents a real treat for the whole 

family for ages three to seven years and 

parents. £8 adults, £6 concessions, £23 

family (2 adults, 2 children). 

Sunday 4 April, from 11am. Easter Zoo and 

Egg Hunt. Reptile feeding, and handling of 

ducklings, chicks, rabbits, guinea pigs, large 

snakes and a tarantula. Contact Civic for 

further details. 

Friday 9 April, 7.30pm. Rat Pack Vegas 

Spectacular. Wonderful memories of Frank 

Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis 

delivered live in true Vegas style. Adults £18, 

no concessions. 

Sunday 11 April, 2.30pm. Lyngo Theatre, 

Room in the Sky. The sky is so big and 

everything comes from it: light and shadow. 

Come and play. Suitable for ages 3 +. £6 

adults, £4 concessions, £18 family. 

out of the ordinary/extraordinary 

The Civic (continued) 

Tuesday 13 April, 7pm. Joe 

Strummer: The Future is 

Unwritten. A screening of the 

documentary from British film 

director Julien Temple. Tickets 

£3. 

Thursday 15 April, 7.30pm. 

The Future is Unwritten – 

Meeting Joe Strummer. Rebel politics since 

the end of the punk era: this passionate punk 

comedy is about attitude, friendship and 

celebrity. £9 adults, £7 concessions. 

Saturday 17 April, 8pm. Variety Lives! In 

Barnsley. Two hours of 

entertainment brought by the 

voice of Spitting Image Steve 

Nallon, featuring the music 

and comedy of Ronnie 

Golden, and Andi Osho. 

Hosted by Otiz Cannelloni. 

£12 adults, £10 concessions. 

Friday 23 April, 8pm. Mucking Around. A 

chance to watch Plested and Brown mucking 

around with ideas for their brand new show 

Seven Year Bitch. Your chance to see how a 

show is created and have your say. £5 adults, 

no concessions. 

Sunday 25 April, 2.30pm. Oshima and the 

Big Sea. With lovingly made puppets and 

engaging performances, a 

tale from Angela Heart 

Theatre about kindness, 

trusting and the 

unknown. Features 

amazing sea 

creatures, shadow 

puppetry and live 

music. Suitable for 

ages 3+. £6 

adults, £4 

concessions, 

£18 family. 

Friday 30 

April, 8pm. 

Jacqui 

Dankworth. 

One of the 

country’s leading 

jazz vocalists, 

Jacqui’s live 

performances 

showcase her 

versatility and 

effortless mastery 

of a wide 

spectrum of 

genres. £15 

adults in 

advance, no 

concessions. 

out of the 

ordinary/extraordinary 

Worsbrough Mill Museum 

and Country Park 01226 774527 

Events are suitable for all the family. 

Saturday to 

Monday, 3 to 5 

April, 11am to 

3pm (drop in). 

Easter Bunny’s 

Treasure 

Basket Mission. 

Work out the 

combination to 

the Treasure 

Basket to claim 

your prize. 

Admission £1. 

Monday 5 April,11am to 2.30pm. Milling 

Day. Come along and watch, learn and ask 

questions about the traditional flour milling 

processes. Call in to the gift shop selling flour 

milled on site, cereals and the locally made 

Worsbrough Mill Loaf. Admission free. 

Tuesday 6 April,11am to 1pm 

and 2pm to 4pm. Bee Boxes by RSPB. Join 

the rangers from the RSPB in providing homes 

for our wild bees. £2 per bee box (booking 

essential). 

Tuesday 13 April, 11am or 2pm. Bug Hunt. 

Bug sheets will help children identify and 

investigate the mini beasts they find in the 

hedgerows, woodland or grassland, using the 

necessary equipment for catching and storing 

their finds. £3 per family group up to 5 

persons, booking essential. Children must be 

accompanied by an adult. 

April, May and June, Saturday to Wednesday 

(closed Thurs and Friday), 11am to 4pm. Bird 

Box Cam. Live colour camera pictures sent 

direct to the Mill Shop. 

Observe the bird 

sitting on the 

eggs, see the 

eggs hatch, 

monitor 

their 

progress 

as the 

parent 

birds fetch 

insects and 

watch them 

take their first 

flight. Free. 

Worsbrough Mill Museum 

and Country Park 01226 774527 

Monday 3 May, 11am to 2.30pm. Milling 

Day and Caterpillar Trail. Watch, learn and 

ask questions about the traditional flour 

milling processes. Also explore the folklore 

and stories behind trees and plants on our 

Caterpillar Trail (small prize on completion). 

Admission: Mill Day – free, Caterpillar Trail - 

£1. 

Saturday 8 and Sunday 

9 May, 11am to 3pm. 

National Mills 

Weekend – costumed 

guided mill tours. 

Explore Worsbrough’s 

water-powered flour 

mill with the 18th 

century miller and his 

wife. Admission free. 

Sunday 9 May, 5am 

start. Dawn Chorus 

by RSPB. Experts will 

be on hand to help identify the bird songs 

and calls heard around the country park. £7 

(including breakfast), booking essential. 

Monday 31 May, 11am to 2.30pm. Milling 

Day and Caterpillar Trail. Come along and 

watch, learn and ask questions about the 

traditional flour milling processes. Explore the 

folklore and stories behind our trees and 

plants on the Caterpillar Trail. Milling Day – 

free. Caterpillar Trail – £1. 

Also in May (date to be confirmed): Birds in 

Paradise. Local artist Brian Proctor will handcarve 

a large scale wooden sculpture. 

The Cooper Gallery 

01226 242905 

Currently until 27 March. The Addy 

Collection. Works by Copley Fielding, David 

Roberts and Richard Wilson feature in this 

exhibition drawn from this collection. 

Saturday 3 April to Saturday 26 June. 

Turner’s Travels. This exhibition explores 

JMW Turner’s use of colour and light in a 

variety of locations and landscapes both at 

home and abroad. 

Saturday 20 March to Friday 7 May. South 

Yorkshire Open Art. With prizes for artist of 

the year and emerging artist, this popular 

annual exhibition is open to professional 

and amateur artists. 

Continental market 

Tuesday 20 to Sunday 25 April. Enjoy food, 

drink and other fine produce from continental 

producers. Stalls in Cheapside, Queen Street 

and May Day Green in Barnsley town centre. 

19

What’s on 

20 

more 

Cannon Hall Museum 

01226 790270 

cannonhall@barnsley.gov.uk 

Sunday 28 March, 11am to 2pm. Hot cross 

buns and butter making. Make your own 

hot cross buns for Easter. Aimed at adults, 

£10. Booking essential. 

Sunday 4 and Monday 5 April, 11am to 1pm 

and 1.30pm to 3.30pm. Potty about pots. 

Create your own Moorcroft design. 5 to 11 

year olds. Cost varies depending on choice of 

pot painted. Drop in. 

Wednesday 7 April, 11am to 1pm and 2pm 

to 4pm. Fruity bread. Join us to make 

delicious fruity bread. Aimed at 5 to 11 year 

olds and their families. £3 per child. Booking 

essential. 

Wednesday 7 April, 11.30am to 1pm and 

2pm to 3.30pm. Traditional gypsy flowermaking. 

Work with expert gypsy paper 

flower makers to create your own bouquet. 5 

to 11 year olds. Free. 

Wednesday 14 April, 11am to 1pm and 2pm 

to 4pm. Gardens in miniature. Design and 

make a model garden using recycled 

materials, wire and modeling material. 5 to 

11 year olds. £3 per child. Booking essential. 

Sunday 25 April, 11am to 1pm and 

1.30pm to 4pm. Come and make a 

date with nature. Discover the 

world of birds with the RSPB. 5 to 11 

year olds. Free. Drop in. 

Wednesday 2 May, 11am to 1pm 

and 2pm to 4pm. Bug boxes and 

minibeast hunt. Create a bug house 

and search for mini beasts. Aimed at 

5 to 11 year olds and their families. 

£3 per child. Booking essential. 

Saturday 15 May. Sleepover. Museums 

at night family sleepover with ghost 

stories. Aimed at 5-11 year olds and 

their families. Booking essential. 

Easter weekend, 2,3 and 31 May. Victorian 

kitchen. Seasonal 

cooking demonstrations using 

produce from the walled garden. 

Saturday 3 to Monday 5 April, 11am to 4pm. 

Moorcroft Spring Festival. View the new 

exhibition celebrating the opening of the new 

Moorcroft gallery. Free admission. 

Friday 9 April, 7.30pm. Wartime wedding. 

A presentation about rationed fashion with 

many original items on show. £12 including 

refreshments. Booking advisable. 

Sunday 2, Monday 3, Sunday 30 and 

Monday 31 May, 11am to 4pm. Craft fairs. 

Hand crafted goods for sale at reasonable 

prices. Free admission. 

Sunday 30 May, 11am to 

4pm. Jowett centenary 

international car rally. See 

over 120 Jowett vehicles from 

pre-world war 1 to the early 

Fifties. Free admission. 

Lamproom Theatre – 

01226 200075 

enquiries@barnsleylamproom.com 

Monday 15 to Saturday 20 March, 7.15pm 

(Saturday matinee 

2.15pm). The King 

and I. Barnsley 

Amateurs Musical 

Theatre Group 

present this Rodgers 

and Hammerstein 

musical, with classic 

songs such as Shall 

we Dance. £10, £9 

concessions. 

Monday 29 March 

to Saturday 3 

April, 7.30pm. 

And then there 

were none... The 

Lamproom Theatre 

Company presents 

one of the most 

famous mysteries by the Queen of 

Crime – Agatha Christie. £10, £9 

concessions. 

Friday 9 April, 7.30pm. A musical evening 

with tenor John Hudson. Presented by 

Barnsley Gilbert and Sullivan Society in aid of 

Yorkshire Air Ambulance. £10. 

Saturday 10 April, 2.30pm and 7.30pm. A 

night at the music hall. Bravo Productions 

recapture the fun of the Good Old Days with 

songs, ballads, dance routines, humorous 

monologues, comedy and magic. £8. 

Wednesday 14 to Saturday 17 April, 

7.30pm. All things bright and beautiful. A 

northern comedy by Keith Waterhouse and 

Willis Hall presented by Trinity Players. £10, 

£9 concessions. 

Tuesday 27 April to Saturday 1 May, 7.15pm 

(Saturday matinee 2.15pm). Boogie Nights - 

the 70s musical. A night of glam rock and 

70s tunes presented by Lamproom Youth 

Theatre. £9.50, concessions £8.50, family 

ticket £34. 

Monday 10 to Saturday 15 

May, 7.15pm. Carousel. 

One of the best-known 

musicals, with such songs 

such as When I Marry Mr 

Snow and You'll Never 

Walk Alone'; brought by 

The Lamproom Musical 

Theatre Company. Adults 

£10, concessions £9. 

Monday 24 to Saturday 29 May, 7.30pm. 

The rise and fall of little voice. A northern 

fairytale of painfully shy Little Voice who sings 

to escape from life with her drunken, sniping 

mother. Adults £10, concessions £9. 

Wentworth Castle Gardens 

01226 776040 

www.wentworthcastle.org 

Sunday 14 March, sittings from 12noon. 

Mother’s Day lunch at the castle. Explore 

the early spring gardens and treat mum to a 

delicious lunch (vegetarian option available). 

2 courses £14.95; 3 courses £19.95. 

Booking required. 

Sunday 21 March, 10am to 4pm. Gift and 

craft fair. Admission free. Car parking £3. 

Thursday 25 March 1.30pm. Joseph Bramah 

inventive genius from the Wentworth 

Castle Estate. Illustrated talk by Harry 

Leigh. Tickets £10 include garden 

admission and afternoon tea. Booking 

required. 

Sunday 28 March, 10am to 4pm. 

Wentworth Wedding Fair. Meet the 

events co-ordinator and a host of weddingrelated 

businesses. Free admission and car 

parking with registration. 

Thursday 1 to Monday 5 April, 10am to 

5pm. Spring Chickens! An exhibition and sale 

of work by the artists and craftspeople from 

Penistone and district. 

Friday 2 to Monday 5 

April, 10am to 5pm. 

Children’s Easter Egg 

Hunt. Meet 

Wentworth Wabbit 

and join in the hunt 

for golden eggs 

hidden in the 

gardens. A free 

reward for all children 

taking part. 

Tuesday 6 to Sunday 18 April, 10am to 5pm. 

Children's Easter Trail. Follow the Easter trail 

through the gardens to claim your free 

reward. 

Thursday 22 April, 1.30pm. Stainborough 

Hall – an exploration of tunnels. An 

illustrated talk by Phil Eaton. Tickets £10 

include garden admission and afternoon tea. 


Sunday 25 April, 10am to 5pm. Classic car 

rally. 

Saturday 1 to Monday 3 May, 10am to 5pm. 

Medieval re-enactment weekend. Marvel at 

mock skirmishes, displays and a medieval 

living history camp. 

Thursday 13 May, 1.30pm. The Vernon- 

Wentworths of Wentworth Castle. An 

illustrated talk by Trevor Wilson. Tickets £10 

include garden admission and afternoon tea. 


Saturday 29 May to 

Sunday 6 June, 10am- 

5pm. Children's treasure 

hunt. Children ahoy! Come 

dressed as a buccaneer or a sea princess and 

sail forth into the gardens to solve the treasure 

trail. 

Sunday 30 and Monday 31 May, 10am to 

5pm. Rhododendron festival. Enjoy majestic 

views and hundreds of colorful rhododendron 

blooms. 

Elsecar Heritage Centre 

www.elsecar-heritage-centre.co.uk 

01226 740203 

Friday 22 March. Hungry Caterpillar (for 

toddlers). For details call 01226 744344. 

Sunday 28 March. Don Valley Festival – male 

voice choir competition. Details: 01302 

850202. 

Monday 29 March. Easter activities for 

toddlers. For details call 01226 744344. 

Saturday 3 to Monday 5 April. Easter Egg 

Special Trains, Elsecar Heritage Railway. 

Details: 01226 746746. 

Sunday 4 April. 

German shorthaired 

pointer 

association dog 

show. Details: 

01899 308972. 

Monday, 5 April. 

Outdoor stalls and 

pitches. Details: 

01226 740203. 

Saturday 10 April. 

North of England 

Weimaraner dog show. Details: 01904 

763149. 

Sunday 11 April. Antique and collectables 

fair. Details: 01226 744425. 

Sunday 11 April. Doncaster Traditional Car 

Club rally. 

Sunday 11 April. Car boot sale (BMBC 

approved). Details: 01226 746746. 

Sunday 25 April. VW GTi Megameet. Details: 

07941 132681. 

Saturday 1 May. Yorkshire Shetland 

sheepdog show. Details: 0113 2370952. 

Sunday 2 May. Wedding fair. Details: 01709 

760852. 

Sunday 2 and Monday 3 May. Diesel gala 

at heritage railway. Details: 01226 

746746. 

Monday 3 May. Outdoor BBR bottle fair. 

Details: 01226 745156. 

Saturday 8 and Sunday 9 May. Garden 

lovers’ event. Details: 01226 740203. 

Sunday 16 May. Antique 

and collectables fair. 

Details: 01226 744425. 

Sunday 16 May. Morris 

Minor rally. 

Saturday 22 and Sunday 

23 May. Newcomen 

craft fair. Details: 

01226 744425. 

Tuesday 25 May. Toy, train and doll fair. 

Details: 01226 744425. 

Sunday 30 and Monday 31 May. Mardy 

Monster Day/Steam day on heritage 

railway. Details: 01226 746746. 

Sunday 30 and Monday 31 May. Family 

oriented event. Details: 01226 740203 

Barnsley Folk Week 

Friday 12 to Sunday 21 March, Barnsley 

Folk Week. International and local artists 

perform traditional acoustic music at a 

range of venues: Eliza Carthy 

Band (The Civic, Friday 19), 

Demon Barbers Roadshow 

(Kingstone School, Saturday 

20), Lau (Kingstone School, 

Sunday 21). Tickets 

priced £15 (discount 

for all three concerts) 

from The Civic, 

0845 1800 363. 

Folk Week starts at 

Shaw Lane Cricket 

Club on Friday and 

Saturday, 12 and 13 March, 

with a ceilidh and concert given by Barnsley 

young performers. For full details visit 

www.myspace.com/barnsleyacoustic 

21

Councillor Contacts 

Central Ward 

cllrmargaretbruff@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 388308 

cllrmichaelstokes@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 286036 

cllrdougbirkinshaw@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 243716 

Cudworth Ward 

cllrjoehayward@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 712443 

cllrcharleswraith@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 712135 

cllrstephenhoughton@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 717348 

Darfield Ward 

cllrtrevorsmith@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 270617 

cllrdavidwainwright@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 752700 

cllrronaldfisher@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 758266 

Darton East Ward 

cllrharryspence@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 381289 

cllrroymiller@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 385064 

cllrjohnparkinson@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 384496 

Darton West Ward 

cllrsharonhoward@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 743906 

cllrlindaburgess@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 07968 696321 

cllralicecave@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 297021 

Dearne North Ward 

cllrjanicehancock@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01709 889936 

cllralangardiner@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01709 898266 

cllrjenniferworton@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01709 893036 

Dearne South Ward 

cllrmaynoble@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01709 880577 

cllrkennethsanderson@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01709 898728 

cllrsharronbrook@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01709 894315 

Dodworth Ward 

cllrjackcarr@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 294235 

cllrbrianperrin@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 246127 

cllrphillipbirkinshaw@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 232404 

Hoyland Milton Ward 

cllrtrevornaylor@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 750544 

cllrbarrylipscombe@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 743433 

cllrmichaelbrankin@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 743727 

Kingstone Ward 

cllrdonnahollins@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 208778 

cllrgeoffbowden@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 200990 

cllrmalcolmprice@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 286892 

Monk Bretton Ward 

cllrkenrichardson@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 206006 

cllrmargaretsheard@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 283271 

cllrgracebrown@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 286923 

North East Ward 

cllrdorothyhigginbottom@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 758410 

cllrdavenorth@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 712703 

cllrdannygillespie@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 714126 

Old Town Ward 

cllrpetermiddleton@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 286282 

cllrjohnlove@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 282063 

cllrbillgaunt@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 214002 

Penistone East Ward 

cllrrobertbarnard@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 382861 

cllrpaulhand-davis@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 767968 

cllrjohnwilson@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 243497 

WANT TO MEET YOUR COUNCILLOR 

Or go online at www.barnsley.gov.uk 

Penistone West Ward 

cllrandrewmillner@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 763772 

cllrstephenmarsh@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 763173 

cllrstevewebber@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 07890 313043 

Rockingham Ward 

cllrjamesandrews@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 743906 

cllrstevesylvester@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 748403 

cllrmarybrankin@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 743727 

Royston Ward 

cllrtimcheetham@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 723159 

cllrbillnewman@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 722191 

cllrgrahamkyte@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 726453 

St. Helens Ward 

cllrjennyplatts@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 294690 

cllrlenpicken@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 200001 

cllrroybutterwood@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 212963 

Stairfoot Ward 

cllrjimsmith@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 212508 

cllrkarendyson@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 287056 

cllrfredclowery@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 217150 

Wombwell Ward 

cllrdenisewilde@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 754259 

cllrrichardwraith@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 755570 

cllrsmargaretmorgan@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 753515 

Worsbrough Ward 

cllreunicetaylor@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 247195 

cllrbettybarlow@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 297143 

cllrgillcarr@barnsley.gov.uk Tel: 01226 294235 

Barnsley’s councillors hold regular advice sessions or ‘surgeries’. These sessions give you the chance to raise any problems or discuss 

issues with them. If you want to find out when your councillor is next holding an advice session - ring: 01226 787890 

Or visit any Barnsley Connects office 

Keeping a roof over your head 

Residents in Barnsley with mortgage or 

secured loan worries can get advice and 

information on their options to prevent 

repossession, including regional and 

national schemes, that help people stay 

in their homes. 

The council’s housing options team offers 

quick and friendly advice on all options 

and schemes such as the government’s 

Mortgage Rescue Scheme, and the 

regional Breathing Space loan scheme. 

The team can also arrange advice on 

managing your money, debt restructuring 

and court hearings. 

The Mortgage Rescue Scheme (MRS) 

supports the most vulnerable homeowners 

facing repossession – families with 

dependent children, elderly and vulnerable 

groups, who can no longer afford 

their repayments, and who would risk 

being made homeless. 

MRS brings together the council, registered 

social landlords (RSL) and lenders. 

It has two options: 

• Shared equity: the RSL provides an 

equity loan where the householder needs 

some help in paying their mortgage, or 

• Mortgage to rent: the RSL buys the 

property and the resident pays rent to 

the RSL at a level they can afford. 

Applications for MRS are made through 

the council and in Barnsley there have 

been 168 enquiries in the 10 months to 

January 2010. 

Breathing Space is for homeowners who 

have lost their job, suffered illness or a 

relationship breakdown and as a result 

are facing severe but short-term mortgage 

repayment problems. 

It offers a secured interest-free loan from 

£2,000 up to £15,000 secured as a 

legal charge on the home; the total 

charges secured on the home including 

the loan can’t exceed 90 per cent of its 

value. The three-year loan can be used 

to pay for mortgage arrears, cover some 

future mortgage payments or repay a 

secured loan. 

For more information please contact the 

council’s Housing Options, Advice and 

Homelessness Prevention Service on 

(01226) 772430 or email housingadvice@barnsley.gov.uk 

A 

A 

B 

C 

Listed below are the main council numbers you are likely to need. If you can’t find the number you need, please call our main switchboard 

Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm. Our staff will be happy to help. All numbers are 01226 unless specified. 

Abandoned Vehicles. . . . . . (01226) 772468 

Adoptions . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775876 

Adult Learning . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775270 

Allotment Lettings . . . . . . . (01226) 774351 

Barnsley Music Service- 

(PADS) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 291525 

Benefits 

Fraud 24Hr hotline . . . . . 0800 138 2940 

Housing benefit and Council Tax 

Benefit helpline . . . . . . . (01226) 774743 

Building Control – 

General enquiries . . . . . . (01226) 772678 

Inspection (24 hrs) . . . . . (01226) 772699 

Business Units for Rent 

Athersley & 

Mount Osbourne. . . . . . . (01226) 732911 

Kendray. . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 249894 

Thurnscoe. . . . . . . . . . . . (01709) 881951 

Bus Passes – 

School pupils . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773584 

Disabled persons . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Business Rates 

(non domestic enquiries) (01226) 774765 

Car Parking . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773555 

Cemeteries & Crematorium (01226) 206053 

Central Call Unit – ‘in touch’ 

Community Alarm Service(01226) 775671 

Cesspools, septic tanks. . . . (01226) 774118 

Community Resources – 

Athersley Roundhouse . . (01226) 244528 

Barnsley Youth Service . . (01226) 753406 

Blackerhill Lifelong 

Learning Centre . . . . . . . (01226) 749543 

Cudworth Centre. . . . . . . (01226) 717531 

Dearne Enterprise Centre (01709) 881181 

Eldon Centre. . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775270 

Grimethorpe Acorn Centre (01226) 712575 

Worsbrough Common 

Centre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 771099 

Consumer Advice . . . . . . . . 0845 4040 506 

Council Meetings 

(including Cabinet) . . . . . . (01226) 773420 

Scrutiny Meetings . . . . . (01226) 773066 

Councillors . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773055 

Councillor Surgeries. . . . . . (01226) 787890 

Council Tax Helpline . . . . . (01226) 774774 

Country Parks – 

Cannon Hall . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 790270 

Carlton Marsh 

Nature Reserve . . . . . . . (01226) 772646 

D 

E 

F 

G 

H 

Dearne Valley Park . . . . (01226) 772646 

Neverwood Country Park (01226) 772646 

Trans Pennine Trail (bsly) (01226) 772142 

Trans Pennine Trail (outer)(01226) 772574 

Diesel Emissions Hotline . . (01226) 772468 

Disabled People – 

Bus Passes . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Car badges (blue badges) (01226) 775656 

Dog Fouling & Dog Warden(01226) 772468 

Drains blocked 

Public sewers – 

Yorkshire water. . . . . . . . 0845 124 2424 

Flooded Roads (highways)(01226) 773555 

Private 

(commercial service) . . . (01226) 774198 

Dumping – illegal . . . . . . (01226) 772468 

Early Years & Childcare. . . . 0800 034 5340 

Education – enquiries . . . . (01226) 773500 

Education premises 

(out of hours) . . . . . . . . (01709) 895517 

Education Welfare Service . (01226) 773543 

Election Office. . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773070 

Flyposting. . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Food Hygiene/ 

Health And Safety. . . . . . . (01226) 772468 

Footpaths (roadside) . . . . . (01226) 773555 

Fostering . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775876 

Golf Courses – 

Barnsley Municipal . . . . . (01226) 380358 

Wombwell . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 754433 

Govenor Development 

Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 772268 

Graffiti . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Grants – 

Further Education 

(16 to 19 years) . . . . . . (01226) 773595 

Higher Education . . . . . . (01226) 773570 

Renovation. . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 772478 

Gritting/snow clearing. . . . (01226) 773555 

Ground Maintenance 

(grass cutting). . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Homecare Services . . . . . . (01226) 775858 

Homelessness (daytime) . . (01226) 773870 

(emergency/out of hours) 0844 984 1800 

Housing – Berneslai Homes 

General Enquiries . . . . . (01226) 775555 

Repairs . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 787878 

J 

L 

M 

N 

P 

Job Vacancies (Council) . . . (01226) 772250 

Land & Property enquiries 

Except housing . . . . . . . . . (01226) 774611 

Leisure Centres (operated by 

Barnsley Premier Leisure) 

Athersley . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 299907 

Dearneside. . . . . . . . . . . (01709) 880040 

Dorothy Hyman, Cudworth(01226) 710736 

Hoyland . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 744063 

Metrodome . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 730060 

Penistone . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 766025 

Royston . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 722991 

Wombwell . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 753896 

Library – Central . . . . . . . (01226) 773930 

Licensing – taxis, raffles 

Street collections. . . . . . . (01226) 772468 

Litter – bins & street 

Sweeping . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Local Partnership Teams – 

Golden Line Central . . . . (01226) 736395 

Goldthorpe. . . . . . . . . . . (01709) 832138 

Hoyland . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 736457 

Penistone, Stairfoot 

& Worsbrough . . . . . . . . (01226) 736387 

Royston . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 736361 

Longcar Professional 

Development Centre . . . . (01226) 281961 

MOT & Class VII test – 

Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 774194 

Moorland Plastics . . . . . . . (01226) 206886 

Museum & Art Galleries 

Cannon Hall Museum . . . (01226) 790270 

Worsbrough Mill Museum (01226) 774527 

Cooper Gallery . . . . . . . . (01226) 242905 

Noise/Pollution 

Complaints . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 772468 

Neighbourhood Pride . . . . (01226) 775656 

Parks, Open Spaces & 

Playgrounds . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 774353 

Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 772468 

Planning – 

General Enquiries . . . . . . (01226) 772000 

Property & Procurement 

- design & procurement. . . (01226) 774300 

Public Conveniences . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Public Health . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 433747 

or . . . (01226) 773477 

Public Rights of Way . . . . . (01226) 772142 

R 

S 

T 

W 

Y 

Registrar of Births, 

Deaths & Marriages . . . . . (01226) 773085 

Road Repairs . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773555 

Road Sweeping . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773555 

Schools – General Enquiries(01226) 773500 

Meals – free meals . . . . (01226) 773513 

Places . . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773689 

Transport . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 773584 

Social Services – 

General Enquiries . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Emergencies/Out of hours 0844 984 1800 

South Yorkshire Mining 

Advisory Service. . . . . . . (01226) 772689 

Sports Pitches – Hire of. . . (01226) 774353 

Street Lighting – 24 hr Service 

Faults & Enquiries. . . . . . (01226) 774200 

Substance Misuse . . . . . . . (01226) 787316 

Taxi Testing. . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 774194 

Tourist Information . . . . . . (01226) 787888 

Trading Standards – 

Quality, price & safety . . (01226) 772468 

3 (01226) 773555 

Treework . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 775656 

Waste Disposal, Recycling, collection 

& special collections . . . . . (01226) 772045 

Commercial Waste Finance (01226) 774773 

Household Recycling 

Centres. . . . . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 774215 

Weighbridge, public. . . . . . (01226) 774138 

Welfare Rights advice . . . . (01226) 772360 

Youth Service . . . . . . . . . . (01226) 753406 

The main council 

switchboard number is 

770770 

22 

March 2010. Please tear off and save for further use. Don’t forget to recycle open door when you have finished with it.

Open Door 6 - Barnsley Council Online

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