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‘Going Dutch’ no longer an option at Town End
BARNSLEY Council will ‘categorically not’ be looking into a plan to create a Dutch-style roundabout scheme at Town End after highways bosses claimed it was only ever a suggestion.
The roundabout plans were first mooted in Barnsley back in 2021 but there was no exact location for the scheme until February.
Town End roundabout had been chosen as the location for the scheme, with cabinet members signing off on £420,000 in funding at Wednesday’s meeting....
Bus service pulled as vandals strike again
STAGECOACH were forced to pull the 226 bus from Bolton-upon-Dearne at the weekend following antisocial behaviour - just months after the service was brought back.
In October 2022, Stagecoach suspended all services running into the Thurnscoe area after 5pm after missiles were launched at passing buses.
Following a six-month hiatus, the bus operator working alongside South Yorkshire Police brought back the service to Thurnscoe in a ‘trial period’ in May.
However, they said at the...
Council puts brake on taxi numbers despite ‘unmet demand’
BARNSLEY Council will not increase the limit on the number of Hackney taxis allowed in the town despite there being an ‘unmet demand’, a report has revealed.
Each year, the council undertakes a demand survey to accurately assess the availability of taxis in the town centre.
There are currently 67 Hackney taxis in Barnsley though the report states that despite there being a demand for more, the cap will not be raised.
A survey of...
Queen Camilla makes Maundy memories for Barnsley preacher
A LOCAL preacher received a special gift from Queen Camilla at the Royal Maundy Service last month.
Rev Jean Daykin, from the United Benefice of Darton and Staincross, was in shock when she received an invite from the Lord Chamberlain’s Office at Buckingham Palace back in January.
Thanks to the nomination from Bishop Nick Baines at the Diocese of Leeds, and support from Bishop of Wakefield Tony Robinson, Rev Daykin got the opportunity to meet...
Parents face more action over term-time holidays
SPIRALLING numbers of Barnsley children missing school - which has resulted in some parents being slapped with fines totalling £800 - will see more action being taken by education bosses to stop the trend after almost 3,000 were caught breaking the law in a year.
A flurry of cases have made their way through Barnsley Magistrates’ Court in recent weeks following proceedings brought about by the council’s education welfare service.
Unauthorised absence rates in the...
Barnsley FC
Reds trust hits out at FA Cup replay change
Barnsley Football Club Supporters’ Trust has launched a passionate attack against the ‘disrespectful’ decision to scrap FA Cup replays.
The change was announced yesterday and was prompted an angry response by clubs and fans.
The trust said: “Barnsley Football Club Supporters’ Trust was bitterly disappointed with yesterday’s announcement that FA Cup replays will be scrapped from the first round onwards.
“We find this decision to be disrespectfu
O’Keeffe: get behind us and we’ll bring it home
COREY O’Keeffe says Barnsley will ‘regroup’ once they secure a place in League One’s top six while his message to the fans is: ‘get behind us and we’ll bring it home.’
The Reds were in top two contention last month but are now fifth, four points clear in the top six with two games left.
O’Keeffe told the Chronicle: “Last month we were in a very good position and we haven’t had the best results. ...
Grant pleased with full debut after ‘frustrating’ Reds spell
CONOR Grant was delighted to make his full debut for Barnsley at Portsmouth in midweek, after a ‘frustrating’ start to his Reds career.
The Irish midfielder, 22, signed on loan from League Two MK Dons in the summer and has come off the bench ten times, scoring in the win at Wycombe last month.
But he has only had two minutes of action in the month leading up to Tuesday’s match, sometimes being left out...
Boss backs Reds to get through ‘dry patch’
NEILL Collins admits Barnsley must improve defensively to get through their current ‘dry patch’ but added: “I don’t think there’s loads wrong.”
The Reds have won two of their last ten games but are still fifth in League One, four points clear in the play-off places with two matches remaining.
Collins told the Chronicle: “It’s disappointing when you put it like that – nine points in ten games.
“But when you look at the previous
Reds aim to win Blackpool’s ‘cup final’ and avoid final day drama
NEILL Collins is confident Barnsley can get the win they need to secure a play-off place at Blackpool tomorrow rather than have to endure a nervous final day next week.
The Reds, with two games to play, are fifth in League One, four points clear in the top six. They currently need three more points from two games to secure a place in the play-offs.
This week they drew 2-2 at home to Reading on...
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'As frustrating as it comes'
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News
£17m signed off for road improvements
AROUND £17m will be spent on improving Barnsley’s road network over the next year after the council signed off on funding earlier this week.
The £12.8m highways programme includes an additional £2m for highways works on local B and C roads that connect small towns and villages across the borough, and a further £2.2m to be spent on Active Travel initiatives, funded through the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement,
The majority of the cash will...
Mum heartbroken as thieves target grave
THE heartbroken mother of a youngster who died aged just eight has blasted thieves - after they cruelly stole an ornament from her grave last weekend.
The grave of Stacey Louise Ogley - who died in 1993 - was decorated with a unique stone pumpkin carriage that her brother Stephen bought as a Christmas present.
Yet last Saturday, when Stacey’s mother Wendy went to do some voluntary work at Carlton Cemetery, the ornament had gone...
Progress as Barnsley A&E wait times are slashed
SIGNIFICANT progress has been made to reduce A and E patients’ waits at Barnsley Hospital - after last month’s figures revealed turnaround times were the best since the pandemic struck.
The four-hour A and E standard - which had been set at 95 per cent - is one of the most high-profile indicators of performance and has dwindled in recent years, hitting a record low of 55 per cent in January.
Ministers outlined steps to...
‘Postcode lottery’ of bus services has got to stop
LONG-HELD ambitions to franchise under-fire buses in Barnsley have been backed by an MP - after plans to given more power to fed-up passengers received support.
The plan, announced by Shadow Transport Secretary Louise Haigh MP, outlines how Labour would create or save bus routes, and end the ‘postcode lottery’ on services.
Stephanie Peacock, the MP for Barnsley East, has been campaigning for better bus services in the Barnsley area for some time and completed...
Twitchers flock to see rare duck at lake
TWITCHERS flocked to Manvers Lake this week after a rare duck arrived at the site.
The garganey is a scarce and very secretive breeding duck in the UK.
It is smaller than a mallard and slightly bigger than a teal.
There are very few breeding pairs in the UK - but it was spotted at Manvers Lake earlier this week, with twitchers flocking to the site to take a glance at the rare bird.
A...
Sport
‘Begging bowl’ Barnsley clubs fight to complete seasons
THE COUNTY Senior League season will go on for ‘as long as it takes’ with several Barnsley clubs still trying to fit in up to ten games due to major problems with their pitches.
Premier League clubs North Gawber, Wombwell Main and Houghton Main have been unable to play on their waterlogged home pitches for almost all of the season.
They each have huge backlogs of fixtures to fit in in the final weeks of...
Leaders Dearne to visit third-placed Dinnington
DEARNE and District are set to visit third-placed Dinnington Town on Saturday in a crucial match in their title race.
They won 2-0 at home to Chesterfield Youth with goals by Bayley Lowe and Shay Evans-Booth.
That left them 12 points clear of Doncaster City who were due to play one of their three games in hand last night.
Doncaster City beat Cudworth-based Elite AFC 5-1 on Saturday.
Church’s play-off chances over after draw with Knaresborough
PENISTONE Church missed out on the Premier Division play-offs after a 1-1 draw at home to Knaresborough Town on Wednesday.
Church needed to win all their remaining games to finish above Albion Sports, who have played all their matches, on goal difference and take fifth place.
But they were held at home to Knaresborough in their penultimate game.
Manager Steve Lenthall said: “We were disappointed but extremely proud of the club and players for what...
Wombwell Town beat Worsbrough 5-0
Wombwell Town beat fellow Barnsley club Worsbrough Bridge 5-0 on Tuesday but results elsewhere all-but ended their promotion chances from NCEL Division One.
The scorers were Edward Agnew, twice, Morgan James, Jordan Kershaw and Daniel Youel.
With three games left, Town can still reach 92 points with teams above them Wakefield and Parkgate needing one more win each to deny them a place in the play-offs.
Meanwhile, Penistone Church reserves are on the brink of the County Senior Premier..
Barnsley women Bethany and Amy into FA Cup final
BARNSLEY women Bethany England and Amy Turner are due to play in the FA Cup final next month after both playing 120 minutes in Tottenham Hotspur’s semi-final victory on Sunday.
Spurs fell behind in the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium but scored in the 83rd and 118th minutes.
They are now due to face Manchester United at Wembley on May 12.
Turner, from Carlton, used to play for Manchester United while England, from Kingstone, won the FA...
News
£10m investment to clean up waterways
YORKSHIRE Water are investing more than £10m to improve the health of rivers in Barnsley - after it was revealed that sewage was released into the town’s waterways for more than 26,000 hours last year.
Data from the Environment Agency shows sewage from storm overflows was flowing into water bodies in Barnsley for 26,302 hours in 2023, during 3,736 spills.
All of these were from facilities operated by Yorkshire Water.
Yorkshire Water release sewage when...
MP supports flood-hit club
BARNSLEY East MP Stephanie Peacock has promised to support a local football club who have been left with major issues with their waterlogged pitch.
Wombwell Main FC have played less than a handful of times at home this season due to issues with their pitch.
Manager Terry Simon has said the club are unsure if they’ll be able to complete their season due to the struggles they’re facing.
He also anticipated it would cost in...
Cates cleared of breaching lockdown rules
BARNSLEY’S only Conservative MP Miriam Cates has been cleared of breaching lockdown rules by the Parliamentary standards watchdog.
Mrs Cates, who represents the Penistone and Stocksbridge constituency, was accused of attending a birthday drinks event during lockdown on December 8, 2020.
Complaints were made against Mrs Cates and deputy speaker Dame Eleanor Lang - as well as Tory backbenchers Sir Bernard Jenkin and Virginia Crosbie.
However, in a report by the Parliamentary standards com
Historian delves into personal link with church
A LOCAL historian has been tracing her own family connections to a church that is at risk of permanent closure.
Jane Ainsworth was already aware that her family had some connections to Hoyland’s St Andrew’s Church, however after reading in the Chronicle that the church was ceasing services on March 31 before hosting consultations on its future, decided to dig further.
Through this research she discovered that not only did her great-grandfather Charles Firth -...
Emily ‘a leading light’ to students
A MUSICIAN is on her way to achieve her dream of becoming a professional singer.
Formerly a student at the Real Music Centre in Wombwell, 18-year-old Emily Jackson is now in her first year of studying music at the Leeds Conservatoire.
She has already recorded several charity songs, performed on radio and had the opportunity of working with members of the famous Opera North.
Real Music Centre teacher Helen Ingham told the Chronicle: “It’s a...
Barnsley FC
Both Russell and Connell ‘progressing’
BARNSLEY midfielders Luca Connell and Jon Russell should play in the league again this season, possibly at Blackpool on Saturday, says head coach Neill Collins.
Connell picked up an injury in training last Friday while Russell hobbled off the next day against Reading, with both missing Tuesday’s trip to Portsmouth.
Collins told the Chronicle: “They are progressing in the right direction. There is still an opportunity for them to be involved on Saturday, if not...
Reds contacted over pitch invasion incident
Barnsley FC are participating in an investigation into an incident involving one of their players during Tuesday night’s pitch invasion at Fratton Park.
Portsmouth fans ran onto the pitch after their team clinched promotion and the League One title with a 3-2 win over the Reds.
Footage appears to show a Barnsley player, thought to be defender Jamie McCart, being struck in the head as supporters rush past him. He is not thought to have...
Talking points from Portsmouth loss
Analysis of Barnsley's 3-2 loss at Portsmouth on Tuesday.
The Reds led through Devante Cole then John McAtee but the hosts scored twice late on to win the title and get promoted.
REDS GUTTED AMID POMPEY PARTY
WHILE overjoyed Portsmouth players and fans celebrated in a sea of blue on the barely-visible pitch, Neill Collins conducted his much less joyous post-match interview in a utility room between a washing machine and a laminator.
It...
'As frustrating as it comes'
Neill Collins says Barnsley’s late 3-2 loss at Portsmouth was ‘as frustrating as it comes.’
The Reds led twice through Devante Cole and John McAtee but Pompey scored an 85th-minute penalty then won it soon after and secure both promotion and the title.
Barnsley are still fifth, four points clear in the top six and need three from the last two games for the play-offs.
Collins said: “That is as frustrating as...
Reds stunned by two late Pompey goals in loss
Barnsley lost 3-2 at Portsmouth, having led 2-1 on 85 minutes, and still need three points from the last two games to secure a play-off place.
Devante Cole ended his goal drought with a fifth-minute opener but the hosts levelled almost instantly. John McAtee restored the lead after the break then conceded a penalty late on which was converted before an 89th-minute winner.
The Reds played well for the majority of the game...
News
‘GP crisis’ will not bring new practices
NO new GP practices will be built in Barnsley - despite an increase in the number of patients being registered at the town’s surgeries and medics claiming the situation is at a ‘crisis’ point.
The British Medical Association say GPs face unmanageable workloads in the face of a vast backlog of care caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The average number of patients each fully qualified GP is responsible for is 2,286 in Barnsley, figures show....
Coach’s pride in young team
A BOYS’ football team proved themselves unbeatable after claiming victory in 18 consecutive matches.
Pinfold Pumas’ under-sevens set-up, from Cudworth, are now in the final stages of their preparations for the Barnsley Junior U7s’ Supplementary Cup final this Sunday and players have high hopes.
Coach Ryan Brown told the Chronicle: “They’re absolutely ecstatic.
“We’ve been winning game after game - everyone is generally feeling optimistic.
“The
Pilot bird of prey project deemed a failure
A TRIAL set up to reverse declining numbers of a rare bird of prey has not achieved the success of similar schemes elsewhere in the country - and there are now no breeding pairs in Barnsley’s countryside.
Hen harrier numbers have shown continuous improvement in recent years, coinciding with the introduction of a government-led recovery plan for the species and the availability of the brood management trial two years later to alleviate conflict.
However, a...
Life-saving defib installed thanks to volunteers
A NEW defibrillator has been installed in Stairfoot thanks to the work of local volunteers.
The defibrillator - which is located at 23a Field Lane - was unveiled last Tuesday, after volunteers from the Victoria Almshouses and Field Lane Crafters worked with the Stairfoot Ward Alliance to get the equipment put in place.
It comes as part of a national push to get more accessible defibrillators in public, as the British Heart Foundation revealed that...
Man and woman charged with drug offences
A MAN and woman from Barnsley have been charged with drug offences following a warrant at a property in Darfield.
Last Wednesday a warrant was executed on Margaret Close by officers from the tasking team and Barnsley South Neighbourhood Policing Team.
During the warrant a large quantity of crack cocaine and heroin were found.
Matthew Brookes, 43, is charged with production of crack cocaine, possession with intent to supply crack cocaine, possession with intent to...
Sport
Imogen 3rd in Cleveland Classic
BARNSLEY teenager Imogen Wolff finished on the podium in the women’s race at The East Cleveland Classic in the North East.
Wolff, from Silkstone Common, was six seconds off top spot as she finished third.
She said: “I felt shocking, really really bad.
“My legs weren’t there. It was hard. But I am chuffed to win the sprint and kept my legs in the final moments. It was a good performance.
“It was much better...
Mixed weekend for Rowland
Oliver Rowland moved briefly into first place in the Formula E championship standings on Saturday with a first race win of the season but missed out on another when he ran out of battery on the final lap on Sunday.
The 30-year-old from Penistone finished second in the first race in Misano, Italy - moving up from fifth in qualifying - but was then moved up to first due to a disqualification. It was a...
Wombwell Town win 4-0
Wombwell Town won 4-0 at home to Harrogate Railway on Saturday in NCEL Division One.
Rikki Paylor, Owen Sykes, Gadhafi Kiwanuka and Rhys Plater scored.
Town are nine points and one place off the play-offs with four games to play.
Worsbrough Bridge lost 1-0 at home to Clay Cross Town on Saturday.
Athersley Rec lost 2-1 at home to Retford.
Nathan Perks opened the scoring.
In the County Senior League, Dodworth won 1-0 at Denaby...
Shaw Laners look to move up leagues after last day survival
BARNSLEY RUFC stayed in Yorkshire League Three on the final day of the season and are now looking to reach the top level of the county league system.
The Shaw Laners began the day in the relegation zone but just one point from safety and within three of the four teams above them.
They knew that a victory would almost certainly keep them in the division, while a draw or even a defeat with...
Barnsley AC clean sweep at 1st league race
THE FIRST leg of the South Yorkshire Road League took place in Elsecar.
First and second male finishers were Barnsley AC’s Kai Sunman and Gareth Cooke with times of 26-02 and 26-52 respectively.
The first and second women’s finishers were also from Barnsley AC with Ruby Sykes first in 29-10 and Naomi Drakeford second with 29-33.
Chris McNicholas was the first over60 man in a time of 31-34 while Gail Colville with 34-31 was the...
