[4] This replaced a body of improvement commissioners which had previously administered the town under a local Act of Parliament passed in 1822.

[6] The current metropolitan borough of Barnsley was created on 1 April 1974 under the Local Government Act 1972.

It covered the former county borough of Barnsley plus parts of 13 other districts, which were all abolished at the same time.

[9] The Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley was initially a district-level authority, with South Yorkshire County Council providing county-level services.

Since 1986 Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council has therefore been responsible for most local government functions.