Phil Birkinshaw - Chairman

Who are we:

Background: There has been Independent councillor representation on Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council for many years prior to the local elections in 2004. Some of these councillors related together in an informal arrangement. In the the 2004 elections the number of Independent councillors went up dramatically and these gains have continued ever since. Shortly afterwards, in response to the party political factions on the council setting themselves up as formal groups most Independent councillors did the same.

Barnsley Independent Group: In January of 2006 the majority of the Independent Councillors (then 18 out of 21, now 21 out of 23) took the decision to register the group with the Electoral Commission as the 'Barnsley Independent Group'. This was done simply to enable us to clearly identify and differentiate ourselves to electors.

Barnsley Independent Group councillors have found that by and large we adopt like minded policies and have a common sense practical approach to running the council. We have no hidden party political agenda counteracting the will of Barnsley people and we do not find it neccesary to play Punch & Judy politics. We accept no external funding and cannot be influenced in this manner. Membership of the group is limited to Councillors and Candidates and so control cannot be exerted by influential party members in the background. All candidates (including councillors up for re-election) pay their own election expenses, which we regard as important because it is the candidate's commitment to the elector.

Structure: The structure of the Barnsley Independent Group is simple and the same as any local voluntary group. There are members, some of which are officers. These are Chair, Vice chair, Secretary, Treasurer and Membership Officer. In addition, the Electoral Commission for co-ordination purposes require us to have a Nominating Officer who identifies whom can use the Group's name and logo in elections.

We have no Whip because we believe that it leads to internal dictatorship and destroys democracy. Whipping together with the top down structure of political parties, enables the half dozen people at the top to take all decisions. They force their own members into line using the whip. Then if they have a majority these decisions apply to the whole council. This has been amply demonstrated both locally and nationally and in our view much to the detriment of good governance.

Representation: The Barnsley Independent Group are the only effective opposition to the ruling faction on Barnsley Council. There is no possibility that any other group or party are capable of challenging Labour for control of the Council. The combined opposition is now a single seat away from achieving this.