UKIP finished second in six Barnsley wards and Barnsley Independent Group snatched a seat from Labour, but little has changed in the balance of power on Barnsley Council.
Labour has maintained its majority, with its lost seat in the Old Town Ward replaced by one stolen from the conservatives in Penistone West.
New councillor for the Old Town ward Coun Liz Grundy said she believed people voted for her because they wanted a change had has vowed to help improve things across the borough.
Coun Grundy took the seat from Labour's Penny Lofts after political infighting which saw the local branch deselect Penny - only for her to remain as the Labour candidate after it was referred to the regional party.
Coun Grundy won the seat by 80 votes.
She said: "It was a very close result. I think people are ready for a change. I put out a good manifesto, spoke to lots of people and worked very hard leading up to it (the election) and we're delighted with the result.
"I want to work very closely with the people from Old Town and get their priorities pushed to the forefront, and work with other Barnsley Independent Group councillors to help improve things across the borough."
UKIP stood in nine wards and came second in six of them.
A vacancy remains on the council due to the sudden death last week of Labour's other Penistone West councillor, Peter Starling, who unseated a Conservative in that ward two years ago. A by-election will be held soon.
Meanwhile, Dodworth councillor Jack Carr said he was pleased to have been elected for a third term.
He retained the seat for the Barnsley Independent Group with 997 votes.
"I was a bit worried but it finished ok in the end. At one stage, Dodworth was a Labour controlled ward, but the Independents have been in for the last 12 years, we work hard throughout the year and local people know that."
He said UKIP was a national concern, but admitted he had been worried the night before the count.
"We had a UKIP candidate in our ward. She hasn't even been around the ward, wasn't at the count and has picked up 720 votes. How can they come in and get the seats when they are not putting the work in? I think it's a protest vote - I think they've picked up more votes from Labour than they have from me."
But UKIP candidate for the Royston ward, Aiden Benoit, insisted he wasn't disappointed with the defeat by Labour's Tim Cheetham, and said coming second with 887 votes was a sign that UKIP was getting stronger.
"I'm not disappointed, I'm happy and want to thank everyone from Royston who voted and put their faith in me. I will keep going and try to do my best for Royston."
The 26-year-old, of Lineside Lane, Royston, said he stood for UKIP because he was 'fed up of being angry about things and wanted to stand up and show his face.'
"I was angry about the state of the country and about people struggling to get work. I've got three children to support and a house and I was on a zero-hours contract.
"The country is just in big mess. There are financial issues, everyone is skint, there are foodbanks everywhere, the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer and I wanted to stand up for the poor.
"It would've been nice to win but I will be standing again when the time comes. Last time we had two candidates, this year there were eight. It gives a very strong base to build on."
Turnout was 29.6 per cent.
The full results were as follows:
Central
Margaret Bruff*, Labour, 1,219
Colin Porter, English Democrats, 481
Dave Gibson, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 405
Stuart Wilkinson, Conservative, 265
Labour HOLD
CudworthJoe Hayward*, Labour, 1,582Tony Devoy, independent, 280George Hill, Conservative, 235Ralph Dyson, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 169
Labour HOLD
Darfield Pauline Markham*, Labour, 1,305David Burnett, English Democrats, 633Debbie Toon, Conservative, 373
Labour HOLD
Darton East Harry Spence*, Labour, 1,432Paul Robinson, English Democrats, 501Anthony Mawson, Conservative, 491Robert Teal, Liberal Democrats, 219
Labour HOLD
Darton WestSharon Howard*, Labour, 1,377Ian Sutton, English Democrats, 715Clive Watkinson, Conservative, 567
Labour HOLD
Dearne North Dave Sim, Labour, 1,179Graham Swiffen, UKIP, 752Gordon Wilkinson, Conservative, 103
Labour HOLD
Dearne South May Noble*, Labour, 1,935Lee Ogden, Conservative, 295
Labour HOLD
Dodworth Jack Carr*, Barnsley Independent Group, 997
Tony Wright, Labour, 796Anisa Kola, UKIP, 717Andrew Barr, Conservative, 315
Barnsley Independent Group HOLD
Hoyland Milton Robin Franklin*, Labour, 1,425Michael Davies, Barnsley Independent Group, 551Justin Saxton, Putting England First!, 278Lesley Watkinson, Conservative, 238Freddy Ponce, independent, 206Brian Caton, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 149
Labour HOLD
KingstoneKath Mitchell*, Labour, 1,011Christopher Houston, UKIP, 873Mike Toon, Conservative, 164Tracey Ann Holland, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 137
Labour HOLD
Monk Bretton
Ken Richardson*, Labour, 1,676
Garry Needham, Conservative, 512
Labour HOLD
North East
Dorothy Higginbottom*, Labour, 1,493
Jim Johnson, UKIP, 990
Eddie Devoy, independent, 204
Nichola Richardson, Conservative, 183
Labour HOLD
Old Town
Liz Grundy, Barnsley Independent Group, 1,133
Penny Lofts*, Labour, 1,053
Gill Millner, Conservative, 234
Estelle Marie Mageean, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 134
Barnsley Independent Group GAIN
Penistone East
Robert Barnard*, Conservative, 1,511
Jill Hayler, Labour, 1,142
Chris Wood, UKIP, 971
Conservative HOLD
Penistone West Joe Unsworth, Labour, 1,015Andrew Millner*, Conservative, 973David Wood, UKIP, 891Steve Webber, independent, 635
Labour GAIN
Rockingham James Andrews*, Labour, 1,032Andy Belk, UKIP, 829Steve Sylvester, Barnsley Independent Group, 652Peter Murray, Conservative, 194Kevin Riddiough, Putting England First!, 69Karen Fletcher, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 64
Labour HOLD
Royston Tim Cheetham*, Labour, 1,134Aiden Benoit, UKIP, 887Anne Haynes, Conservative, 155Edward Gouthwaite, independent, 90Tom Dean, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 59
Labour HOLD
St. Helens Dave Leech*, Labour, 1271Dean Walker, English Democrats, 383Jan Campbell, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 168Delia Weldon, Conservative, 108
Labour HOLD
Stairfoot Brian Mathers*, Labour, 1,409Paul Buckley, Conservative, 396Frank Watson, Socialist Labour, 378
Labour HOLD
Wombwell Robert Frost*, Labour, 1,302Neil Robinson, UKIP, 909Alex Wilkinson, Conservative, 174Angela Waller, Trade Unionists and Socialists Against Cuts, 76
Labour HOLD
