Despite dirty deals Labour retain control.

Barnsley council remains a Labour council after the local elections despite the desperate and shameful deals done by the Independent party and the BNP. In fact, had the Independent party not convinced their allies in the far right BNP not to put up a candidate in the Worsbrough ward there would have almost certainly been no overall change in the Labour majority. As it is, by appealing to the racist and nazi voters, the independents grabbed an extra seat while promising their votes in Darton West ward to the Fascist candidate.
Let us hope that the many former labour members of the independent group who still claim to be Labour at heart have the decency to be ashamed of this unholy alliance and to ditch their leadership for bringing them into this kind of disrepute. Time will tell if they have the courage to speak out and disassociate themselves from this despicable action. This is thought to be the first example in the country of any other political party doing deals with the BNP.
Sources in the Conservative group also claim that Independent group leader Cllr Fisher had approached them too in an attempt to deny the voters choice and form a single right-wing alliance.

Labour comrades, trade unions and relatives gathered in Athersley to commemorate the pit disaster in August 1936 that claimed 58 lives. Unveiling the restored sculpture and winding wheel at the entrance to the new business park on the colliery site Mayor Len Picken, a schoolboy at the time, gave a moving speech recounting his memories of the day.
The Leader of the council joined other local Labour councillors along with MP Eric Illsley in a minutes silence before the dedication. Representatives of the NUM were present with the original colliery banner.