PROPOSALS to create new council ward boundaries will ‘split up’ communities, it has been claimed.

The Local Government Boundary Commission for England (LGBCE) are currently reviewing Barnsley’s 21 boundaries having last done so in 2003.

Approval to press ahead was granted by the council’s ruling cabinet last month but the town’s Liberal Democrats have objected to the council’s plan - which notably saw Silkstone moving from Penistone East into the Dodworth ward - and submitted an amendment to the LGBCE.

The LGBCE will use views received in the consultation to help it draw up proposals for new ward boundaries to apply from the May 2026 local elections.

There will be a further round of consultation once the LGBCE has drawn up those proposals.

Coun Steve Hunt, who represents Darton East, said: “Our proposal is more radical than the council’s and we have proposed a number of new ward names to reflect the revised boundaries.

“The council have tinkered around the edges of the existing boundaries but have ended up creating a number of problems which we have resolved.

“Our proposal keeps the parish of Silkstone together within the Penistone East ward.

“We think the community of Pogmoor should be reunited in a new ward called ‘Pogmoor and Old Town’ but the council’s proposal continues to divide Pogmoor between two electoral wards.

“The council have also proposed to move Springvale, which is an integral part of Penistone, into Penistone East.

“We’d also reunite the community of Great Houghton into a newly-named ‘Darfield and Great Houghton’ ward.”