MINERS and their pensions – raided for years by sticky-fingered governments – have never been far away from the Chronicle’s pages.

Upon their return to office more than a year ago, Labour pledged to put more money in their pockets via two pots – the Mineworkers’ Pension Scheme (MPS) and the British Coal Staff Superannuation Scheme (BCSSS).

First introduced in 1952, the MPS was created for miners to ensure they received a good pension after years of working in coal mines and up until April 1975 members paid a flat-rate contribution of up to 20p per week.

However, following the privatisation of British Coal at the end of 1994, the then-Conservative government took over the role as guarantor for the MPS, with arrangements made whereby the government would take half of all profits in exchange for a guarantee that members would retain their benefits and in future would see them rise annually in line with inflation.

By July 2024, the government received £4.8bn from the MPS and £3.1bn from the BCSSS parallel scheme.

When the government privatised British Coal, both the MPS and BCSSS had surpluses, meaning they had more assets – to the tune of billions – than they expected to need to pay the schemes’ pensions.

It’s these two reserve funds which are making their rightful way back to miners – at long last – and when combined it will result in about £130 extra, per week, for those eligible.

It was signed off by Chancellor Rachel Reeves in this week’s controversial budget and while the Labour administration has no doubt performed many U-turns on its pre-election manifesto, thankfully this is one that’s stuck.

Ms Reeves’ criticism in the budget’s aftermath is perhaps justified – simply because she’s done many things which she promised to absolutely not do in the election campaign’s we’ll-do-everything-for-you hyperbole which, obviously, was nothing more than a load of guff to hoodwink voters.

A total of 924 people in Barnsley South, 859 in Barnsley North and 336 in Penistone and Stocksbridge qualify for the pension uplift, though, so this’ll be music to their ears.

But it is most definitely deserved. Let’s not forget the unimaginable-to-most working conditions, their hours upon hours of graft and the knock-on impact of their years of toil – COPD, mesothelioma and silicosis are regular conditions of ex-coalworkers.

Having covered the areas of Grimethorpe, Brierley, Cudworth, Shafton and Royston in my early days where many former miners live and becoming friendly with brilliant people who are true rough diamonds who’ll do anything for anyone, I know that there’s no-one more deserving of a little extra.

They’re the ones who helped build Barnsley’s stoic, hard-working, no-nonsense reputation; snowflakes they are most certainly not and they’re deserving of every penny that comes their way.

LONG-TIME readers of the Chronicle will remember the office’s furry little friend.

Going by the name of Ferret, his role was to sniff out peculiar and often humorous tales from his time out on the news-hunting beats of Barnsley.

Although retired, his whiskers would have been twitching having noticed the goings-on on Dodworth Road this week.

Bungling, council-commissioned workers erected their shiny new car park information board – a handy addition and one which helps visitors see how many spaces are available in car parks at the Glass Works, Alhambra, Market Gate and The Seam.

However, they placed it on the way OUT of town, in the direction of the M1, so unless motorists are going to do a loop on themselves, it’s about as much use as a chocolate teapot in its current setting.

The mind boggles as to how such a thing could possibly occur, but red-faced council bosses were quick to point out that it was down to a contractor, not its own employees, and that it’ll be put right as soon as possible.

What is has done, though, is show just how many idiotic, politics-obsessed detractors are out there; everyone makes mistakes and poking fun at the Labour-run council is just nonsensical.

Yes, common sense – once again – was lacking in this situation but let’s not make everything political.