Cllr Robert Barnard

…to the webpages of Cllr. Robert Barnard

Cllr. Barnard was born in Barnsley and his family have lived in the area for many years; his father worked in the coal industry and his mother was a teacher. Currently self-employed he has previously held managerial positions with several local businesses. A natural sceptic, he is unwilling to embrace every passing fashion and will be amongst the first to challenge schemes which are unworkable, inefficient, un-scientific or just plain daft.

A member of the Conservative Party since 1983 he was elected to the Council in 2006 and re-elected with an increased majority in 2010 and re-elected for a third time in 2014. Recognising that innovations are not always improvements he supports local people in their efforts to preserve the traditional character of their communities and the rural way of life.

He includes golf among his hobbies but says his handicap is the way he plays!

“Labour has always taken the people of this area for granted. However, unlike the urban centred Labour Council, the Conservative Group understands the problems faced by people in rural areas and is actively seeking innovative ways of maintaining services in these difficult times.” He says.

For the Municipal Year 2014/15 Cllr. Barnard represents your interests as:-

• Chair of the Penistone Area Council
• Member of the Audit Committee
• Member of the Treasury Management Panel
• Chair of the Penistone Ward Alliance
  
• Member of the Western Area Rural Transport Partnership
• Conservative Group representative on the Members’ Strategy Group
• Conservative Group representative on the Members Development Working Party

Cllr. Barnard represents BMBC on the following outside bodies:-

• Management Board of the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation
• Scrutiny and Audit Sub-Committees of the Yorkshire Purchasing Organisation
• Rural Action Yorkshire
• The Penistone School Trust

Penistone East is the largest ward in the Barnsley Borough and stretches from the boundaries of Wakefield and Kirklees in the North to Sheffield in the South. It incorporates the Parishes of Cawthorne, High Hoyland, Hunshelf, Oxspring, Silkstone, Stainborough, Tankersley, Thurgoland and Wortley as well as the Hoylandswaine ward of Penistone Town Council. Predominantly rural in character it is not classed as deprived according to the most widely used criteria although residents do not enjoy the same easy access to services as their counterparts in the more urban areas of Barnsley.

Public transport is limited and as most residents need to travel outside the area for employment, car ownership is higher than the Barnsley average. Health expectations are good and the area is generally acknowledged to have a good environment with excellent primary schools and a low level of reported crime.

Other Councillors representing the Ward:-

Cllr. Paul Hand-Davis

Cllr. John Wilson