Megan Wallace explores the Barnsley Chronicle archives from 1991.

SIBERIAN weather conditions in Barnsley have resulted in the council needing extra cash after spending all of its £700,000 winter budget.

Howard Newton, director of the council’s public services department, admitted all the winter budget had been spent gritting roads and is now looking to other sources for funds.

“The current snowfall and that in December and the particularly frosty weather since the new year has taken its toll on funds approved to winter maintenance,” he said.

“The estimate for the winter budget has been spent and we are looking for other sources to fund the winter maintenance,” he said.

Mr Newton said the ‘very coarse estimate’ used for the winter budget had been too low, but that council crews would continue gritting and ploughing areas still affected by snow.

“Teams have been working 24-hours, including nightshifts since last Wednesday when the snow started to fall, they were even working on Sunday night in the Penistone area,” he added.

“HE’S a jolly good fellow,” say colleagues at Brampton Fire Station.

Chief fire officer Harry Wright presented Anthony Baker with a bravery award at Brampton in recognition of him rescuing a youth in danger of being buried under loose earth.

Firefighter Baker, aged 38, gained access to crevice about eight feet below the surface where a youth had been trapped for some time after falling through a hole in land off Mucky Lane, Ardsley.

The rescuer crawled along the crevice to fit an oxygen mask and to reassure the young man, who was beginning to panic.

A NEW initiative to foster business development in the Dearne Valley has been launched by the Training and Enterprise Councils for Rotherham and Barnsley and Doncaster in co-operation with enterprise support groups for the area.

The TECs each have responsibility to encourage the economic regeneration of the Dearne Valley and the primary function of the new business advice service will be to give professional and practical advice and information to a range of people from those in new or existing businesses to those who are unemployed and considering self-employment.

Counselling will be available on key business issues and business planning, finance and marketing while there will be detailed information on the range of training and enterprise support services which are available in the area.

ONE of the few remaining buildings with historical significance in Grimethorpe is in danger of being demolished due to vandalism and neglect.

Foldhead Farm on High Street, which is owned by British Coal, is mentioned in local historical documents relating to the 11th and 12th centuries.

Although the farmhouse may date from the mid-19th century, when a Thomas Miller was the occupier, some of the stone outbuildings appear to be much older.

Brierley Town Council wants to retain the farm, which is unoccupied, as a local feature, but are even more concerned about the way the buildings have become dilapidated and vandalised, and which may be a danger to people trespassing on the land.

BARNSLEY Junior Chamber has appointed its first woman president since it was formed in 1952.

Sarah Ford, aged 31, is administration manager at British Home Stores in Barnsley and has lived in Barnsley for three years.

She joined the Junior Chamber only two years ago and last year was debates officer.

In her capacity as president, she will be a representative of the Yorkshire regional group.

“It’s pretty unusual for someone to become president within two years - usually people have been members a long time before they are elected,” said Sarah.

Sarah was born in Sale, Cheshire, and has lived in 27 towns.

When she came to Barnsley she didn’t know anyone and thought it would be a good idea to join some society, and thought she was most suited to the Junior Chamber.