Reform UK takes control of Barnsley Council, ending Labour's 50-year reign.

Tom Hunt says the results in Sheffield are "extremely disappointing" for Labour.

With the final results in Barnsley now not due till tomorrow lunchtime, that's the end of our live coverage of today's local election results in South Yorkshire - thank you for joining us.

Image source, Getty Images

Before we go, here's a round up of the main talking points:

• Reform UK have taken control of Barnsley Council - securing 41 of the 63 seats - with three still to declare
• Sheffield's Labour leader Tom Hunt narrowly lost his seat to the Green Party
• Labour lose 13 seats in Sheffield and the Lib Dems six as Reform and the Greens make gains - leaving the council under no overall control

Three recounts have taken place for Penistone West, and candidates have declined to accept the result.

This means a further recount will take place at midday tomorrow at Barnsley Town Hall.

Whatever the result, it will make little difference to the makeup of the council - Reform already holds 41 out of 63 seats.

11 seats have gone to Labour, six to the Liberal Democrats and two to independent councillors.

Results for the last three seats will be returned tomorrow.

James Vincent
Yorkshire political editor

Both in Sheffield and Barnsley today Reform UK decided not to speak to us.

That means we don’t know who is likely to lead Barnsley Council or what priorities they’ll have when it comes to running the town.

To be fair to them they just had a load of new people elected and they need to choose their leader - but voters will want to know pretty quickly what they’re getting for their vote.

The next challenge - as it is for every party - is convincing people you’re up to the job.

There will be a lot of new councillors who’ve never done anything like this before. Some will say that’s a good thing, but it’s also a huge commitment.

In Doncaster we’ve seen Reform councillor numbers drop already in their first year because of individuals leaving and some being suspended.

It’s one thing winning an election - it’s quite another to run a council.

Reform UK's newly elected councillors may have chosen not to speak to the BBC in South Yorkshire, but leader Nigel Farage has been talking to reporters in other parts of the country.

Image source, Getty Images

Speaking after Reform secured control of Havering, Farage said: "What's happened is a truly historic shift in British politics.

"We've been so used to thinking about politics in terms of left and right, yet what Reform are able to do is to win in areas that have always been Conservative, but equally, we're proving in a big way that we could win in areas that Labour has dominated since the end of World War I."

Farage highlighted his party's successes in former Labour strongholds dubbed the "red wall", which the Conservatives initially made gains in the 2019 general election under the leadership of Boris Johnson before suffering losses in 2024.

He said he was convinced a "fundamental change" was happening in which voters "aren't just coming to us for a one-off, they're now becoming Reformers in every way".

Sir Steve Houghton says the seeds of Labour's losses were sown decades ago.

Speaking to the BBC he said: "We can't lay all this at the door of Keir Starmer, but what we can do is say to him and his colleagues 'you'd better deal with it now, because if you don't this will become even worse for Labour'."

We've been focusing on the results here in South Yorkshire today, but what has been going on elsewhere in England?

As in Barnsley, Reform UK has been the biggest winner, picking up more than 1,200 councillors so far.

Meanwhile, the Greens and Lib Dems have also made gains, while the Conservatives have lost almost 500 seats and Labour has lost over 1,000.

A recount is underway for the seats in Penistone West, the only Barnsley ward yet to be declared.

Lucy Ashton
South Yorkshire political reporter

What happens when a new political party takes control?

The Barnsley count is still going on but Reform have a very clear majority and are now in control of the council.

Labour leader Stephen Houghton says he will move out of his town hall office on Monday, parting company with the team who support the council leader.

It's an office he has occupied for the past 30 years.

Image source, Getty Images

Officially Houghton remains as council leader until the council's annual general meeting at the end of May but it's in name only, a caretaker role.

For the next three weeks there will be state of flux at Barnsley town hall - the first time in 50 years it has not been Labour.

Lucy Ashton
South Yorkshire political reporter

While Barnsley's Labour leader Stephen Houghton has been very vocal throughout this election count, Reform has declined our requests for interviews.

The party have now taken control of Barnsley Council but have not shared any information about who their leader is or what their first policies in office will be.

Old Town, Rockingham, Wombwell and Worsbrough have been declared.

Six seats go to Reform, four to Labour, and two to independent councillors from the four wards.

The current total count is:

• 38 Reform UK
• 11 Labour
• 6 Liberal Democrats
• 2 independents

Six seats are left to declare.

The Conservatives have lost their only Barnsley seat, in Penistone East, to Reform's Kay Hughes.

Labour held the other two seats in the ward.

Victoria Scheer
in Barnsley

Labour's 50-year reign in Barnsley has come to an end.

After Reform wins three seats in Stairfoot and three in Darfield and Great Houghton, the party now has the numbers it needs to take control of the council.

Image source, Victoria Scheer/BBC

Rebecca Wearn
in Barnsley

Barnsley has had a Labour council for fifty years. But all that looks set to change.

Lee is installing a door in a terraced home. He’s voted Labour for most of his life.

“But for the last ten years they’ve made no difference my every day life, I’ve seen no benefits," he says

“As a taxpayer we are paying too much out for illegal immigrants; for housing, for benefits. That’s my number one, followed by all the unemployed but who can work.”

Lee has held down a job since he was 16. His wife worked as a carer.

“Everything is just tax, tax, tax and tax again,” he says. “I just want the country to be run fairly.

“We can but vote and hope for the best."

Over at the market, Jackie is doing her weekly shopping and told me she is worried.

"I’ve been Labour all my life. I’m sad,” she said.

“I don’t think they will know how to run [the] council, Reform.”

Meanwhile Paul, from Keith’s Quality Meats butchers, thinks people have not voted on local issues.

“It seems to me that national issues are in play. In my opinion people have voted against Keir Starmer.”

Chloe Aslett
Yorkshire

The leader of Sheffield City Council, who lost his seat earlier, said it was an "extremely disappointing" set of results.

He notes the "positive track record" of Sheffield Labour, citing bus franchising and plans for new homes.

Image source, Simon Thake/BBC

"We've seen national issues persuade people here about how they're going to vote," he says.

"Voters are rightly impatient for change and they want to see change happen quicker."

He says he hopes the more "fragmented" authority will not lead to "chaotic scenes" in local politics.

Hunt remains the leader until an AGM takes place later this month, but it is a name-only, caretaker role.

James Vincent
Yorkshire political editor

Reform UK are now on 25 councillors in Barnsley.

They need 32 for a majority on the council.

It's looking like in the next hour or so, Labour's 50 years of running Barnsley will be over.

Sheffield Heeley MP Louise Haigh has been speaking to the BBC following her party's poor performance in the city

"These are absolutely devastating results," she said.

"They are a hammer blow here in Sheffield, in our heartlands and across the country, and we've lost some brilliant, dedicated councillors.

"Having spoken to thousands of people during this election period the cost of living crisis was foremost in people's minds.

"But, we've got to be honest, the prime minister and national issues came up on nearly every doorstep."

She said while she believed Keir Starmer was doing an "absolutely exceptional job" on the international stage the "message is clear from the public that unless the government delivers significant and urgent change the PM can't lead us into another election".

The Liberal Democrats have taken their first two wards in Barnsley.

The party has held all its seats in Kingstone and Darton East.

Results at the Metrodome have just passed the halfway point.

Chloe Aslett
Yorkshire

Reform wins all seats in four wards in Barnsley:

• Dearne South
• Dodworth, Stainborough and Tankersley
• Monk Bretton
• Royston

The party has won a total of 22 seats so far, and Labour has won five.

32 seats are required for a majority.

Image source, Victoria Scheer/BBC