Council leader Steve Houghton has warned the Labour group not to become complacent - despite gaining five seats at last night's election.

He said: "It was a good night for Labour, we gained five seats and consolidated on the gains we won last year.

"But we can't afford to be complacent. There are very difficult years ahead with the government cut backs. But at least there is a strong Labour group to stand up for Barnsley."

He said the candidates had worked hard and the party had hoped to pick up a few seat but had taken nothing for granted.

He added: "The Independents and others had not been voicing concerns about the cuts and the effects on Barnsley people and we were picking up on some of that on the doorstep.

"People want their councillors and their MPs to stand up for them. What's being done to Barnsley is wrong and there is only Labour saying that."

Phil Birkinshaw, leader of the Barnsley Independent Group, said the loss of five seats had been 'a bitter blow' but the party would live to fight another day.

He added: "Obviously we're disappointed but the disadvantage we have is we don't have national issues to go on and the election seemed to be about national issues and local ones.

"We retained Dodworth and the North East wards with good majorities and lost five which we're very disappointed about.

"We're going to keep going, we've lost the battle but not the war."