Rotherham

[Admin Twaddleford]

Lab majority
Whole council election
Current composition: Lab 48, LD 1, Oth 14

[conservativeestimate]

The Tories ought to win something here as they won seats as recently as 2012.

[YL]

There are new ward boundaries here, with 24 new wards, which are a mix of two and three seaters; the total number of councillors will be 59.

In the next few posts, I'll give a quick summary of the new wards, essentially what they contain, the relationship to the old wards, and how the old wards have voted.

[YL]

First, the "Wentworth" north of the borough: the towns of Wath, Swinton and Rawmarsh, the more rural area to their west around Wentworth itself and Thorpe Hesley, and the northern fringe of Rotherham town. There's a lot of mining history here, and a lot of connections to the aristocratic Wentworth/Fitzwilliam clan who made their money from the collieries and have made their mark on the landscape, including several of the ward names.

Hoober (3) This is very similar to the old ward of the same name, but has lost a small area on the western edge of Rawmarsh to Rawmarsh West and gains a small area from Wath. It contains the rather attractive village of Wentworth and the core of the Wentworth Woodhouse estate including the house and the follies of the Needle's Eye and Hoober Stand, the latter of which presumably gives it its name, but much of the population is in the more urban areas of Brampton Bierlow and West Melton west of Wath upon Dearne. Hoober is one of a handful of old wards to never have elected a UKIP councillor, and has always voted Labour.

Wath (2) The old Wath ward contained parts of Swinton, which have been trimmed to leave a 2 member ward which covers the town of Wath upon Dearne. Wath is another one of the wards which have always voted Labour.

Swinton Rockingham (2) This ward contains the north-west of the old Swinton ward, and the parts of the old Wath ward which were really part of Swinton. It thus covers the west and north-west of the town. Marquess of Rockingham was one of the titles held for a time by the Wentworth clan, most notably by Charles Watson-Wentworth, 2nd Marquess of Rockingham and twice Prime Minister, and there's a Rockingham Road in the area.

Kilnhurst & Swinton East (2) This is formed from the larger part of the old Swinton ward, together with a small part of the old Silverwood ward covering Kilnhurst. (Silverwood was a leftovers ward to end all leftovers wards; bits have ended up here, in Rawmarsh East, Dalton & Thrybergh, Wickersley North and Bramley & Ravenfield.) It forms the eastern part of the town of Swinton, and the area of Kilnhurst which is part of the same built up area as Swinton. The old Swinton ward is another ward which has always voted Labour.

Rawmarsh West (2) This is formed from the larger part of the old Rawmarsh ward, plus a small area which was in Hoober. The Rawmarsh and Parkgate areas are neatly split along the A633 road, and this is the western area. The old Rawmarsh ward has usually voted Labour but voted UKIP in 2014 and UKIP won one out of three in 2016.

Rawmarsh East (2) This includes part of the old Rawmarsh ward, but also quite a chunk of the old Silverwood ward which included eastern Rawmarsh. It covers the eastern parts of Rawmarsh and Parkgate.

Keppel (3) This is similar to the old Keppel ward, but makes gains in Kimberworth Park from Wingfield and has some adjustment to the border with Rotherham West. Admiral Keppel was a mate of the 2nd Marquess of Rockingham, who had a monument, Keppel's Column, built to celebrate Keppel's acquittal at a court martial. (It's an odd looking thing.) The ward covers the area around the column, and includes Kimberworth Park on the fringe of Rotherham town, the villages of Thorpe Hesley and Scholes further north. Keppel was a Labour ward until 2014 but since then has mostly elected UKIP councillors.

Greasbrough (2) This is a more coherent version of the old Wingfield ward, losing Kimberworth Park to Keppel, and covers Wingfield and Greasbrough, on the northern fringe of Rotherham town. Wingfield in particular is a very deprived area. The old Wingfield ward voted UKIP in 2014 and gave them one out of three in 2016, but has otherwise voted Labour.

[YL]

Next, the core of Rotherham town, plus the area east to Thrybergh and south-west to Brinsworth.

Boston Castle (3) This is little changed from the old ward of the same name, with some small gains from Valley ward in the Broom area. It covers Rotherham town centre, and extends southwards into the Canklow, Broom and Moorgate areas. The town centre area is deprived but some of the areas further south are not, and are quite middle class. The name refers to a folly in a park south of the town centre. Boston Castle has consistently voted Labour.

Rotherham West (3) This is also little changed, with some adjustments to the border with Keppel in the Kimberworth area. It contains areas around Masbrough and Kimberworth west of Rotherham town centre, and stretches over to the Sheffield border near Meadowhall. The old Rotherham West has always voted Labour except in 2004 when it elected two Independents and in 2014 when the controversial incumbent was narrowly beaten by UKIP.

Brinsworth (2) As might be guessed, this is the old Brinsworth & Catcliffe ward without Catcliffe. It covers the parish of Brinsworth south-west of Rotherham town centre and adjoining Tinsley in Sheffield, together with an adjoining unparished area which is clearly associated with Brinsworth. The old Brinsworth & Catcliffe has usually been Labour, but voted BNP in 2008, elected one UKIP councillor in 2016, and has since elected a Lib Dem at a by-election. I'm sure they know what they're doing really.

Rotherham East (3) This ward is similar to the old Rotherham East, but has been extended southwards in the Herringthorpe area taking in areas in the old Valley ward. It covers the deprived area of Eastwood and parts of Herringthorpe, east of Rotherham town centre. The old Rotherham East is another ward which has always voted Labour.

Sitwell (3) This is also similar to the old Sitwell with an extension in the Herringthorpe area from the old Valley ward. Much of it consists of the parish of Whiston, the northern part of which is part of the Rotherham urban area, and it also covers adjoinging parts of the Moorgate and Herringthorpe areas outside the parish. It is a relatively middle class and low deprivation area, and is historically the most right-wing area of the borough. The old Sitwell is the only 2004 ward to never have elected a Labour councillor, voting Tory before 2014 and UKIP since then.

Dalton & Thrybergh (2) This is loosely based on the old Valley ward, but loses territory in the Herringthorpe area and parts of Dalton parish more associated with Wickersley, while gaining the parts of Thrybergh parish in the old Silverwood ward. It contains the areas of East Herringthorpe and Dalton (but not the parts of Dalton parish more associated with Wickersley) on the eastern edge of the Rotherham urban area, and the village of Thrybergh to the east; all of these are distinctly deprived areas. The old Valley ward is one of the wards which voted UKIP in 2014 and gave them one out of three in 2016 and has otherwise been Labour.

[YL]

Next, the east of the borough. This includes the suburban area around Wickersley east of Rotherham town, and the mining town of Maltby further east, beyond the M18.

Bramley & Ravenfield (2) This is a new ward covering the eastern end of the old Silverwood ward and the parts of the old Hellaby and Wickersley wards in Bramley parish. It contains most of the parish of Bramley, which is an eastward extension of the Wickersley urban area; to the north the urban area extends into the parish of Ravenfield, but beyond that there is a rural area including the rest of Ravenfield and Hooton Roberts. The old Silverwood is another ward which has usually been Labour except for UKIP winning in 2014 and getting one out of three in 2016.

Wickersley North (3) This is based on the old Wickersley ward, but shifts west, losing most of the parts of Bramley parish to Bramley & Ravenfield, but gaining areas of Dalton parish adjoining Wickersley from Valley and Silverwood. It covers the core of the Wickersley area north of Bawtry Road, adjoining parts of Dalton parish and a small part of Bramley. The old Wickersley has voted Labour except in 2008 when it went Tory.

Thurcroft & Wickersley South (2) This shotgun marriage is essentially a new ward covering the parts of Wickersley which were in the old Hellaby ward and the Thurcroft area from the old Rother Vale ward. So it contains the southern part of Wickersley, a relatively well off area, together with the deprived mining village of Thurcroft the other side of the M18.

Hellaby & Maltby West (2) This is largely the eastern part of the old Hellaby ward, east of the M18, but extends further into Maltby, and also gains Hooton Levitt which had been in Maltby ward. It includes the western (and better off) part of Maltby, together with the fairly small parishes of Hellaby and Hooton Levitt. Hellaby has been one of Labour's worst of the old wards, voting Tory from 2004 to 2010 and mostly UKIP since 2014.

Maltby East (2) This is the old Maltby ward without its westernmost parts, which go to Hellaby & Maltby West. It covers a large part the mining town of Maltby, including the most deprived parts of the town, and an adjoining rural area including the ruined Roche Abbey. The old Maltby ward has stuck with Labour in recent years, never voting UKIP, but did elect a BNP councillor in 2008 on 23% of the vote. It also voted for Independents a couple of times.

[YL]

Finally, the south, covering most of the Rother Valley constituency.

Dinnington (3) This is almost unchanged from the old ward of the same name, but a small area of Dinnington is transferred to Anston & Woodsetts. It is based around the mining town of Dinnington, and also contains the Laughton Common area which for some reason is part of Thurcroft parish but is really part of the Dinnington area, together with the more rural parishes of Laughton en le Morthen, Firbeck, Letwell and Gildingwells, which don't contribute much electorate. Dinnington is one of those wards which voted UKIP in 2014 and gave them one out of three in 2016, but has otherwise voted Labour.

Anston & Woodsetts (3) This is the old Anston & Woodsetts ward plus a small area transferred from Dinnington and Thorpe Salvin from the old Wales ward. The core of the ward is North and South Anston, which are a southern extension of the Dinnington urban area, but mostly rather less deprived than Dinnington itself. A small part of Dinnington itself is included, and also the rural parishes of Woodsetts and Thorpe Salvin. Anston and Woodsetts has never elected a UKIP councillor, but voted Tory in 2008; the Tory councillor defected to Labour, and was defeated in 2012 by an Independent who was re-elected in 2016.

Wales (2) This is simply the old Wales ward cut down to a 2 seater by removing Todwick and Thorpe Salvin. It is close to the Sheffield and Derbyshire borders, and contains the adjoining communities of Wales and Kiveton Park, which have a mix of mining heritage and more commuter elements, and the village of Harthill. The old Wales has never voted UKIP, but gave the Tories one out of three in 2004 and voted for them again in 2007 and 2008.

Aston & Todwick (2) The old Holderness ward is split, with this being the south-eastern part, with Todwick added from the old Wales ward. It contains the Aston part of Aston cum Aughton, an urban area close to the Sheffield border, and extends across the M1 to include the village of Todwick. Holderness has usually been Labour but elected one UKIP councillor in 2016.

Aughton & Swallownest (2) This contains the other part of the old Holderness ward, together with Orgreave, Ulley and Swallownest from the old Rother Vale. It includes the Aughton and Swallownest parts of Aston cum Aughton and the parish of Ulley whose reservoir once nearly flooded much of South Yorkshire. On the other side of the Rother it includes the tiny parish which now bears the name of Orgreave, essentially just a few streets adjoining Woodhouse in Sheffield which have never been annexed by the city, but most of the area historically associated with the name Orgreave, including the colliery site, is now in Waverley, to the north.

Rother Vale (2) This shares the name of the old Rother Vale ward, but has lost Thurcroft, Ulley and the rump Orgreave and gained Catcliffe from the old Brinsworth & Catcliffe, so is quite substantially changed. It contains the villages of Treeton and Catcliffe, and the new "Waverley" development, now a separate parish, an large ongoing development on reclaimed land formerly associated with the Orgreave colliery and including housing as well as the Advanced Manufacturing Park associated with the University of Sheffield. In the long run, Waverley is going to dominate this ward, so past voting patterns are less relevant, but the old Rother Vale has always elected Labour councillors except in 2014.

[gwynthegriff]

Feb 25, 2020 22:11:36 GMT YL said:

Wath (2) The old Wath ward contained parts of Swinton, which have been trimmed to leave a 2 member ward which covers the town of Wath upon Dearne. Wath is another one of the wards which have always voted Labour.

I visited Wath once. (Some people on here will probably surmise why.)

I am not surprised it has always voted Labour.

[bluelabour]

Feb 25, 2020 22:08:17 GMT YL said:

There are new ward boundaries here, with 24 new wards, which are a mix of two and three seaters; the total number of councillors will be 59.

In the next few posts, I'll give a quick summary of the new wards, essentially what they contain, the relationship to the old wards, and how the old wards have voted.

Enjoyed the summaries – which wards do you think are most likely to go Tory in May?

[Chris from Brum]

Is Rotherham moving to all-outs every 4 years now?

[Tony Otim]

Feb 26, 2020 8:42:05 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Is Rotherham moving to all-outs every 4 years now?

It moved in 2016.

[Chris from Brum]

Feb 26, 2020 9:07:28 GMT Tony Otim said:

Feb 26, 2020 8:42:05 GMT Chris from Brum said:

Is Rotherham moving to all-outs every 4 years now?

It moved in 2016.

Ah ok, hadn't spotted that.

[jamie]

Feb 26, 2020 0:26:16 GMT bluelabour said:

Enjoyed the summaries – which wards do you think are most likely to go Tory in May?

Not YL, but did I some notionals for 2017 and would expect the following to have been close/won in 2019:

Hoober - Close. 
Swinton Rockingham - Close but lean Labour. 
Kilnhurst and Swinton East - Close but lean Labour. 
Keepel - Close. 

Boston Castle - Close but lean Labour. 
Sitwell - Miles ahead. 
Brinsworth - Close. 

Bramley and Ravenfield - Miles ahead. 
Wickersley North - Close but lean Tory. 
Thurcroft and Wickersley South - Close but lean Tory. 
Hellaby and Malthy West - Comfortably Tory. 

Dinnington - Reasonably Tory. 
Anston and Woodsetts - Miles ahead. 
Wales - Comfortably Tory. 
Aston and Todwick - Miles ahead. 
Aughton and Swallownest - Comfortably Tory. 
Rother Vale - Close. 


Overall, they would probably win around 25 seats by repeating their 2019 general election performance, so maybe around 20 once accounting for LDs and independents. Of course, who knows what the national environment will be by May, but even on 2017 figures they would get around 8 seats so anything but a comfortably Labour lead nationally should get the Tories into double digits in Rotherham. 

[syorkssocialist]

Feb 25, 2020 22:45:44 GMT gwynthegriff said:

Feb 25, 2020 22:11:36 GMT YL said:

Wath (2) The old Wath ward contained parts of Swinton, which have been trimmed to leave a 2 member ward which covers the town of Wath upon Dearne. Wath is another one of the wards which have always voted Labour.

I visited Wath once. (Some people on here will probably surmise why.)

I am not surprised it has always voted Labour.

We visit Wath fairly regularly for the lovely Thai cafe on Manvers Way.

[YL]

Feb 26, 2020 0:26:16 GMT bluelabour said:

Feb 25, 2020 22:08:17 GMT YL said:

There are new ward boundaries here, with 24 new wards, which are a mix of two and three seaters; the total number of councillors will be 59.

In the next few posts, I'll give a quick summary of the new wards, essentially what they contain, the relationship to the old wards, and how the old wards have voted.

Enjoyed the summaries – which wards do you think are most likely to go Tory in May?

Sitwell is the most likely of all. All the wards in my eastern and southern groups except for Maltby East feel like they could, but Bramley & Ravenfield and Anston & Woodsetts are probably the next two most likely. I would also add Keppel to the list given the old ward's history of right populist strength.

I expect the Lib Dems to win Brinsworth.

[YL]

As mentioned in the "Adventures through the Register of Political Parties" thread, 11 of the councillors elected as UKIP in 2016 have formed the "Rotherham Democratic Party" and are now sitting under that label. It'll be interesting to see how many candidates they have.

The make-up of the council is now Lab 48, RDP 11, LD 1, Ind 3. The independents are Clive Jepson in Anston & Woodsetts, elected as such, and two ex-UKIP councillors, one in Brinsworth & Catcliffe and one in Sitwell. (The other UKIP seat, in Dinnington, went Labour in a by-election.)