Barnsley Council

metropolitan local authority in south yorkshire serving a population of approximately 228,000. delivering a diverse range of public services including development, environment, culture, adults and childrens services. the borough is bisected by the m1 motorway; it is rural to the west, and largely urban/industrial to the east. 68% of barnsley's 32,863 hectares is green belt and 9% is national park. the borough was formed under the local government act 1972, by a merger of the county borough of barnsley with cudworth, darfield, darton, dearne, dodworth, hoyland nether, penistone, royston, wombwell and worsborough urban districts, along with penistone rural district, part of hemsworth rural district and part of wortley rural district, all in the west riding of yorkshire.