Labour has scored a surprise win in Penistone West, unseating the Conservative Mayor of Penistone Steve Webber.

Labour made nine gains in all from the 21 seats contested at the election. It also regained a tenth seat in the St Helen's ward, formerly belonging to long-time Labour Councillor Len Picken, who died earlier this year.

Seven of the nine gains were at the expense of Barnsley Independent Group. It leaves that group - at one time tipped to take control from Labour - with just five seats out of 63 on Barnsley Council. One of its stalwarts, deputy leader Fred Clowery, of Stairfoot, lost his seat to Labour's Wayne Johnson, a market trader.

Another Labour gain came with the defeat of long-serving independent counciilor Grace Brown, who had not belonged to any political group.

The win in Penistone suprised even Labour's Council leader Steve Houghton. All six councillors in the two Penistone wards have been held by the Conservatives for several years.

He said: "A Labour win in Penistone has got to send a very clear message to the government. That was an astonishing result.

"It's been a tremendous night for Labour."

Labour's majority now stands at 41. It has 52 seats, compared to five Barnsley Independent Group, five Conservatives, and one independent of no group, Coun Harry Spence.

However, Coun Spence's daughter, Lesley Duerden, was elected for Labour in his ward, Darton East, and he had displayed 'Vote Labour' posters at his home during the campaign.

He told the Chronicle he was pleased for his daughter, but that he would not be joining her on the Labour benches, and he would remain as an 'unaligned' councillor.

"I've supported her throughout this election, and I've had posters up. But it doesn't affect me one bit. I will continue to carry out my work as a councillor to the best of my ability."

Former Barnsley East and Mexborough MP Jeff Ennis made a return to the council, winning a seat in the North East ward.

Jeff served previously on the council and was its leader prior to becoming an MP in 1996.

He said: "it feels fantastic to be back. I'm so pleased to be given a vote of confidence by the people once more."

The Chronicle understand's Labour's strong result will be followed by a re-shuffle of its ruling cabinet in the coming days.

The share of the vote was as follows:

Labour 56.4%

Barnsley Independent 19.6

Conservative 11.1

English Democrat 5.0

Independent 2.5

BNP 1.6

Lib Dem 0.5

Others 3.3

Turnout was 28.9 per cent.

Full results

* indicates a sitting councillor

Central - LABOUR HOLD

*Douglas Birkinshaw, Labour 1,262 (62.4%)

Dave Gibson, independent 347 (17.1%)

Colin Porter, English Democrats 286 (14.1%)

Anne Hayes, Conservative 129 (6.4%)

Ward turnout: 24.6%

Cudworth - LABOUR HOLD

*Steve Houghton, Labour 1,684 (70.5%)

Terry Hubbard, BNP 244 (10.2%)

Gill Wright, UKIP 220 (9.2%)

Anne Campbell, Conservative 124 (5.2%)

Carol Stacey, English Democrats 115 (4.8%)

Ward turnout: 28.5%

Darfield LABOUR GAIN

Caroline Saunders, Labour 1,142 (46.7%)

Carmen E Hancock, Barnsley Independent Group 984 (40.2%)

David Burnett, English Democrats 209 (8.5%)

George Hill, Conservative 115 (4.7%)

Ward turnout: 30.3%

Darton East - LABOUR HOLD

Lesley Duerden, Labour 1,172 (45.8%)

Sharon Love, Barnsley Independent Group 910 (35.6%)

Howard Pearson, Conservative 234 (9.1%)

Sharon Sutton, English Democrats 185 (7.2%)

Ben Wilson, Liberal Democrats 58 (2.3%)

Ward turnout: 30.6%

Darton West - LABOUR HOLD

*Alice Cave, Labour 1,608 (61.8%)

Ian Sutton, English Democrats 505 (19.4%)

Sam England, Conservative 488 (18.8%)

Ward turnout: 31.3%

Dearne North - LABOUR HOLD

*Jennifer Margaret Worton, Labour 1,314 (69.1%)

Ian Garner, Barnsley Independent Group 501 (26.3%)

Jonathan Robinson, Conservative 87 (4.6%)

Ward turnout: 23.0%

Dearne South - LABOUR HOLD

*Sharron Brook, Labour 1,848 (82.5%)

Susan Elaine Garner, Barnsley Independent Group 277 (12.4%)

Paul Edward Buckley, Conservative 114 (5.1%)

Ward turnout: 24.6%

Dodworth - BARNSLEY INDEPENDENT GROUP HOLD

*Phillip Birkinshaw, Barnsley Independent Group 1,396 (48.9%)

Tony Wright, Labour 1,165 (40.8%)

Andrew Barr, Conservative 292 (10.2%)

Ward turnout: 35.8%

Hoyland Milton - LABOUR GAIN

Mick Stowe, Labour 1,524 (56.2%)

Damion Krska, Barnsley Independent Group 635 (23.4%)

Justin Saxton, English Democrats 243 (9.0%)

Elizabeth Hill, Conservative 183 (6.8%)

Brian Caton, Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition 125 (4.6%)

Ward turnout: 28.9%

Kingstone - LABOUR GAIN

Donna Green, Labour 1,099 (58.2%)

Geoff Bowden, Barnsley Independent Group 458 (24.3%)

Nathan Walker, English Democrats 120 (6.4%)

Danny Cooke, BNP 116 (6.1%)

Clive Watkinson, Conservative 94 (5.0%)

Ward turnout: 23.5%

Monk Bretton - LABOUR GAIN

Steve Green, Labour 1,398 (55.5%)

*Grace Brown, independent 719 (28.5%)

Jane Hubbard, BNP 286 (11.4%)

Chris Pilkington, Conservative, 116 (4.6%)

Ward turnout: 30.2%

North East - LABOUR GAIN

Jeff Ennis, Labour 1,625 (54.0%)

Stella Milner, Barnsley Independent Group 1,250 (41.5%)

Peter Murray, Conservative 137 (4.5%)

Ward turnout: 29.9%

Old Town - LABOUR GAIN

Phil Davies, Labour 1,391 (52.3%)

Clive Pickering, Barnsley Independent Group 665 (25.0%)

Donald Wood, independent 214 (8.1%)

David Peace, English Democrats 206 (7.8%)

Howard Oldfield, Conservative 182 (6.8%)

Ward turnout: 30.9%

Penistone East - CONSERVATIVE HOLD

*John Wilson, Conservative 1,405 (42.2%)

Jill Hayler, Labour 1,298 (39.0%)

Gylnis Heathcote, UKIP 629 (18.9%)

Ward turnout: 36.0%

Penistone West - LABOUR GAIN

Peter John Starling, Labour 1,389 (47.6%)

*Steve Webber, Conservative 1,337 (45.9%)

Robert Teal, Liberal Democrats 190 (6.5%)

Ward turnout: 31.3%

Rockingham - LABOUR GAIN

Emma Patricia Dures, Labour 1,611 (57.4%)

Steve Sylvester, Barnsley Independent Group 774 (27.6%)

Kevin David Riddiough, English Democrats 253 (9.0%)

Mike Toon, Conservative 168 (6.0%)

Ward turnout: 32.2%

Royston - LABOUR HOLD

*Graham Kyte, Labour 1,573 (67.4%)

Jim Johnson, UKIP 322 (13.8%)

Edward Alan Gouthwaite, independent 248 (10.6%)

Gill Millner, Conservative 117 (5.0%)

Paul Robinson, English Democrats 73 (3.1%)

Ward turnout: 27.8%

St Helen's - LABOUR HOLD

Sarah Jane Tattersal, Labour 1,387 (81.9%)

Dean Walker, English Democrats 222 (13.1%)

Lesley Watkinson, Conservative 85 (5.0%)

Ward turnout: 21.6%

Stairfoot - LABOUR GAIN

Wayne Johnson, Labour 1,140 (46.1%)

*Fred Clowery, Barnsley Independent Group 981 (39.7%)

Sandra Baker, BNP 193 (7.8%)

Delia Weldon, Conservative 102 (4.1%)

Frank Watson, Socialist Labour 58 (2.3%)

Ward turnout: 28.4%

Wombwell - LABOUR HOLD

*Margaret Morgan, Labour 1,769 (73.3%)

Trevor Smith, Barnsley Independent Group 329 (13.6%)

Gary Carnell, English Democrats 192 (8.0%)

Alex Wilkinson, Conservative 124 (5.1%)

Ward turnout: 27.0%

Worsbrough - BARNSLEY INDEPENDENT GROUP HOLD

*Gill Carr, Barnsley Independent Group 1,108 (47.6%)

Kevin Williams, Labour 969 (41.6%)

Terry Robinson, Socialist Labour 126 (5.4%)

Helen Jean Smith, Conservative 124 (5.3%)

Ward turnout: 30.4%

*denotes a sitting councillor