JOE GOTT made 100 in West Bretton’s home win over Brodsworth Main in Division One Bretton posted 355 with Gott hitting 17 fours and two sixes off 89 balls while George Naylor added 95 off 60 and Luke Smith 79 off 59 Brodsworth fell 109 runs short with Mo Zacky taking four wickets and Chris Reece three Darton fell three runs short chasing 104 against Pollington in the Championship Thurnscoe were 17 runs short chasing 156 at Newton Hill in Division One Notton Challengers chased 181 for a seven wicket win over Allerton Bywater in Division Two Vaishakh Mahadevan and Inayath Ali took four wickets each then Afroz Farooqui scored 90 off 69 balls with 21 fours John Hubery made 52 but West Bretton 2nd XI’s 160 was not enough in a six-wicket loss to Thorpe Audlin Ryhill and Havercroft bowled out Bentley for 107 in a seven-wicket Division Three win Jack Vale and Luke Speight took three wickets each then Joe Corbet hit 79 not out off 60 balls Notton won by 22 runs defending 156 at Horbury Bridge in Division Four Marex Group has bought UK-based Darton Commodities a trader of cobalt metal used to make aerospace and military equipment the financial services firm told Reuters on Monday Two sources familiar with the matter said the transaction completed in March but they did not know how much commodity broker Marex paid for Darton or exactly when the deal was agreed However in its preliminary first quarter results published on April 2 Marex said a “bargain purchase gain is expected to be recognized as a result of the group’s acquisition” of Darton the bargain purchase line estimate showed an estimated negative entry of between $3.4 million and $6.1 million leaving adjusted profit before tax estimates at between $92.3 million and $97.3 million a UK government agency responsible for registering companies Darton’s address was changed on April 8 to 155 Bishopsgate in the City of London where commodities broker Marex is headquartered Marex’s website shows it offers derivative trading of industrial metals including aluminum which trades metals such as copper used in the power and construction industries Marex recently bought warehousing and logistics company Edgemere Terminals Prices of cobalt metal used to make missiles, aerospace parts, magnets for communication, and radar and guidance systems have risen since Democratic Republic of Congo suspended cobalt exports in February At around $16 a lb or $35,270 a metric ton they are up nearly 60% since hitting a nine-year low in February (By Pratima Desai; Editing by Susan Fenton) and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Gruyere gold mine joint venture partners Gold Fields and Gold Road Resources reach agreement on a friendly deal to consolidate ownership. The initiative will be delivered through the regional joint venture established by Fleet Space Technologies and Tahreez. The US central bank is widely expected to hold rates steady in this meeting. Romania has major reserves of rare earths, gold and copper, which have attracted interest from Canadian and American firms. Passengers are being advised of changes to services while important ground investigations take place north of Barnsley A gap between the rail and ballast was discovered under the track line near Darton in December The hole was quickly backfilled by Network Rail engineers but trains have been kept to a restricted speed of 20mph when passing this location Equipment was also installed to maintain 24/7 monitoring of this area Network Rail is ready to carry out detailed investigations of the ground as we look towards a longer-term solution The line will be closed from Saturday 15 February until Sunday 2 March to allow for this work said: “We have worked hard to provide short-term measures and keep train services on the move but we now need to establish the underlying cause of the loss of ballast seen in December “Our investigations so far have not identified a clear cause but given Barnsley’s strong coalmining heritage it is crucial we explore if there have been any changes in the ground beneath the railway line “We’re sorry to passengers and residents affected while this work takes place but it’s important this work is carried out as quickly and thoroughly as possible.” Northern will run a reduced service between Sheffield Replacement buses will operate between Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate/Westgate Passengers should check all parts of their journeys with National Rail Enquiries before setting off Northern’s travel arrangements during the line closure: This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. 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Win HappyPremiumSearch Rayogreatest hitswest yorkshirenewsRailway line between Barnsley and Wakefield to close as Network Rail investigate hole under trackThe problem was discovered near Darton in December There's set to be major disruption to rail services between Barnsley and Wakefield later this month as Network Rail investigate a hole that appeared under the line The problem was discovered near Darton in December The hole was filled in but trains have been running at 20mph through the area since Rail bosses think it could be linked to former coal mines in the area It'll mean the line will be closed between the February 15th and March 2nd Northern will be running a reduced service between Sheffield with replacement buses between Barnsley and Wakefield Kirkgate and Westgate Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app. Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited Company number: 1394141Registered office: Media House Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing Company number: LP003328; Registered office: The Lantern London NW1 2PL All registered in England and Wales VAT no 918 5617 01H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898) PLANNING ROUND-UP: Plans to turn a former chippy into a wine and cocktail bar have been submitted to the council will be turned into ‘The Rose Box’ Two neighbouring properties have been made aware of the plans with no appeals submitted to date The public can have their say until September 24 PLANNING permission is being sought to turn a six-bed HMO in the town centre into an even larger one the property on Hopwood Street would turn into a seven-bed house of multiple occupation Five neighbouring properties have been made aware of the plans with no appeals to date PLANS to demolish a Royston property and replace it with another have been approved by the council An application to knock down the house on Church Hill was originally submitted in February These plans were given the green light by Barnsley Council’s planning board last week THE town’s best performing secondary school has now been awarded the Healthier Futures Accreditation - celebrating its commitment to providing a healthier environment for pupils Darton Academy topped the government’s school league tables last month and has now become the first secondary school to receive this council accreditation Working with Barnsley Council’s public health team has allowed staff to strengthen the academy’s relationships with healthcare services providing students with valuable opportunities to engage with expert advice from public health professionals Through the accreditation process - where council workers provide feedback on physical activity and PSHE - the academy has also learned how important it is to have a co-ordinated and adaptable approach to supporting students and preparing them for life beyond the classroom cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities said: “We want children and young people in Barnsley to enjoy a life of good physical and mental health and our Healthier Futures Accreditation means we can get schools and settings on board to help make this happen “We’re really proud of Darton Academy for achieving the accreditation “This recognition highlights their commitment to fostering a healthy and supportive environment for their students and by working with our public health team the academy has set a remarkable example for other schools in our community.” added: “We are immensely proud to receive the Healthier Futures accreditation a recognition that highlights the ongoing partnership and collaboration between our school and local authority services “This award is a testament to the dedication and collective efforts of our entire staff and the invaluable contributions of professionals beyond education in equipping students with the knowledge and confidence to navigate their teenage years and embrace a happy A TEENAGE boy from Darton Academy tragically died last week Principal Joe Spencer said that the school’s thoughts are with the family of year ten pupil Jack Allott following his death on Friday In a statement on the school’s website he said: “It is with great sadness that Darton Academy confirm the loss of a valued member of our school community “Our academy is working with partner agencies to support both staff and students in navigating this difficult path “Please be aware that Jack’s family do not want balloons or lanterns releasing in memory of Jack due to the damage that they cause to animals cabinet spokesperson for children’s services “Our thoughts and heartfelt condolences go out to this young person’s family “We have services in Barnsley that are available for both young people and adults “Please reach out to them for help and support.” Here are contact details for support services: The Compass Be Bereavement team service have been providing support to young people who attend Darton Academy through one to one and smaller group specialist support to enable bereaved individuals process their grief journey. https://www.compass-uk.org/services/compass-be-barnsley-mental-health-support-team/ Kooth: Online support for young people aged ten to 25. Free access to text support from professionals, self-help resources, and discussion boards. More info at https://www.kooth.com/ Branching Minds Barnsley: Local mental health support services for children, young people, and families. Request support at (01226) 107377 or compass-uk.org/services/compass-be-barnsley-mental-health-support-team The Open Up Directory: Interactive map of wellbeing and youth work organisations in Barnsley. Includes HOME, the early support mental health and emotional wellbeing hub. More info at https://chilypep.org.uk/home-barnsley/open-up-directory-2/ THE government has revealed the town’s best performing secondary schools and Darton Academy has come out on top The Department for Education’s school league tables were released earlier this month and show the performances of all schools across the borough It measures the progress that pupils have made between key stage two the end of primary school to key stage four the end of the GCSE year under the wing of the Delta Academies Trust were the best performing school in Barnsley over the time period They were one of only two schools in Barnsley who achieved a progress score of above zero as they achieved a plus 0.37 score A total of 53 per cent of pupils at Darton achieved a grade five or above in both English and maths in the GCSEs taken during the summer which is 12 per cent above the local authority average Principal Joe Spencer told the Chronicle the result is a testament to how hard the staff and pupils are working at the school He added: “To be the best performing school in Barnsley and top of the league table is testament to the hard work of both our committed staff and outstanding pupils “I am very grateful for the ongoing support of our parents and carers “Progress is the measure that is most important to our academy community “A progress score of +0.37 demonstrates that students at Darton make over a third more progress than students with similar starting points “We regularly outperform most other schools in Barnsley but to be top of the league table against some very strong competition makes me incredibly proud.” Both Darton and Penistone were classed as above average while Horizon Community College and Kirk Balk Academy were placed in the ‘average category’ Netherwood Academy and Outwood Academy Shafton were all ‘’below average’ While Astrea Academy Dearne and Holy Trinity were ‘well below average’ A spokesperson for Astrea Academy Dearne said: “At Astrea Academy Dearne we are unapologetically ambitious for every child “We want to ensure that all our scholars have the option to be able to go to university or aspirational alternative by leaving the school with an excellent set of outcomes Ofsted inspectors rated our school as ‘good’ “Our main goal for this year is to work with families and partner agencies to significantly improve attendance and ensure all scholars access the brilliant education on offer each and every day.” The progress league tables for primary schools have also been revealed Brierley Church of England Voluntary Controlled Primary School tops the list with 90 per cent of its pupils reaching the expected standard in reading Silkstone Primary School and Mapplewell Primary School also performed well URGENT repair work on a busy railway line which carries thousands of commuters a week is set to cause severe disruption for passengers after a ‘worrying’ hole was found in the track bed by engineers Services will not operate between Barnsley and Wakefield for two weeks after Network Rail found that a hole had opened up in between ballast and the line near Darton station leaving engineers concerned given the town’s ‘strong coal-mining heritage’ Subsidence is set to be investigated by inspectors while the track is closed while intrusive ground drilling will commence to rule out any underground voids The hole was quickly backfilled by track workers but trains have been kept to a restricted speed of 20mph when passing the affected area in recent days Equipment was also installed to maintain 24/7 monitoring of the site levels due to similar holes being responsible for derailments in worst-case scenarios Network Rail bosses confirmed that they are ready to carry out detailed investigations of the ground as they look towards finding a longer-term solution which will increase trains’ speed and quicken recently-delayed journey times due to the reduced limit The line will be closed from February 15 until March 2 to allow work to be carried out said: “We have worked hard to provide short-term measures and keep train services on the move “Our investigations so far have not identified a clear cause but given Barnsley’s strong coal-mining heritage “We’re sorry to passengers and residents affected while this work takes place but it’s important this work is carried out as quickly and thoroughly as possible.” Operator Northern will run a reduced service between Sheffield Replacement buses will operate between Barnsley and Wakefield’s Kirkgate and Westgate stations told the Chronicle he will support residents who have been affected He added: “This is clearly a worrying development but the safety of passengers must come first “I urge Network Rail to expedite both the investigation and repair as quickly as possible and ensure passengers are kept updated at every stage.” Barnsley North MP Dan Jarvis said the works were essential for safety “Whilst these works will cause huge disruption to Barnsley residents relying on the train to get to Wakefield and Leeds they’re urgently needed to keep passengers safe,” he said “I will be in close contact with Network Rail over the next few weeks to ensure the line is back up and running without delay.” A LOCAL councillor has hit out at a developer after they refused to hold a public consultation event on their plans to build more than 100 homes on a disused colliery site in Darton applicant Rouse Homes’ plan to build a total of 115 homes on neighbouring sites off Woolley Colliery Road were approved by the council’s planning board Up to 75 had been earmarked for the northern-most site The site has been plagued by fly-tipping in recent years and the Woolley Grange Residents’ Association said the application is a positive step forward the applicants decided to not move forward despite receiving planning permission - and now Gleeson Homes have earmarked the site for a total of 114 homes who represents the Darton East ward for the Liberal Democrats told the Chronicle that he has been left frustrated after Gleeson Homes refused to hold a public consultation event with residents He added: “I am disappointed and frustrated about the way this application has been managed “A very limited number of impacted residents were advised by the council planning department or the developers that this application was pending and it has been down to the Darton East councillors via street letters social media and the local press to ensure that residents are aware “The developers have also declined my suggestion to hold a public consultation event “Given the number of approved and pending development applications I would hope that all bodies would believe it be both prudent and in their interests to engage the local community both proactively and transparently in order that the best informed comment and decisions can be made in the wider context of the residential expansion of the area.” Coun Denton added that there are a number of active applications in his ward and admits he is concerned about the lack of infrastructure there currently is for residents given the proposed number of new houses that are set to be build “We will of course consider the application carefully but my initial concerns expressed two years ago when this site was first proposed and approved for development still remain apparently unaddressed,” he added “There seems to be little consideration for the infrastructure needed to support further developments and the extra pressure that this will put on our already overburdened road transport networks is not sustainable “As Liberal Democrat councillors we have spoken before about Barnsley Council’s ‘flawed local plan’ “With other applications pending or approved for Darton Lane Wakefield Road and now Woolley Colliery Road “There appears to be little thought for the cumulative impact of multiple simultaneous development applications in the Darton East ward “Should this application be approved we will be insisting vocally that any statutory developer’s contributions should be invested in the immediate vicinity.” IMMINENT plans for a huge housing development in a village which locals say is already struggling to cope must not be approved without improving its ‘bursting-at-the-seams’ road network Representatives from Barratt and David Wilson Homes held a consultation event with Darton residents ahead of a planning application’s submission to Barnsley Council The proposed development is for 266 houses on the former Darton Primary School site and adjacent land to the north and west along with ward colleague Coun Dickie Denton attended the consultation event and spoke to residents who voiced concerns over planned access to the site and no provision for a new link road The council’s local plan - a development blueprint for the next decade - allocated the land for a future housing estate but also included a caveat that approval would rely on providing a new roundabout from Station Road and a spine road linking that stretch to Woolley Colliery Road Coun Hunt said both the roundabout and new road were missing from the projected plan “From speaking to residents the overwhelming and biggest issue with this development is the proposed road access to the site,” he told the Chronicle “The land that is proposed to be developed was allocated for housing in the council’s local plan “But that states that the development will be expected to provide a new roundabout and access from Station Road adequate to accommodate the development of the entire site and ensure that the internal road layout provides a spine road through the site linking Station Road with Woolley Colliery Road that can take through traffic “The proposal that the developer consulted on last week contained neither a roundabout nor a spine road.” Howden Close - currently a cul-de-sac - has been mooted as an access as well as Station Road near Sackup Lane and Darton Hall Drive “The access point is where the school crossing patrol officer stands,” Coun Hunt said “The proposal risks the safety of children on a stretch of road which I am receiving many concerns about road safety at school times as it is “The location of the proposed access road will only make matters worse and flies in the face of the council’s ambitions to improved safety on Barnsley’s roads “The second access road planned from Howden Close is totally unsuitable “This is a narrow cul-de-sac which suffers from problems on occasions with the bin wagon unable to access due to parked cars near its junction with Sackup Lane “I have been very critical of the local plan - it does not contain within it the level of accompanying infrastructure that communities need to support development “This site could have been something of an exception in providing a better road network in Darton through a new roundabout and a spine road to Woolley Colliery Road which could have helped ease congestion “These plans contained neither of these improvements and what is proposed does not comply with the local plan and will make road safety worse “I know that local residents will have overwhelmingly told Barratt to go back to the drawing board and I hope that they listen “Residents often tell me that we don’t have the infrastructure in place for more housing in the area that many services such as doctors and schools are extremely stretched and that the road network is already close to breaking point during peak times “If the planning application is submitted in its current form I can’t see how the board could possibly approve it.” A statement from the developer said the estate - if approved - would deliver ‘significant benefits’ to Darton “Our aim is to create a desirable new community delivering significant economic and social benefits to the area “The proposed development is seeking to deliver 266 new homes at two four and five bedrooms in size providing new homes to meet the housing needs of local people “The development will be accessed from a new priority ‘T’ junction formed to the south-east of the site on Station Road “At the site’s entrance onto Station Road new off-street car parking spaces will be provided to benefit visitors and parents of Darton Primary School.” PLANS to build more than 100 homes on a disused colliery site in Darton are set to be submitted to the council - more than two years after a separate firm had plans approved applicant Rouse Homes’ plan to build a total of 115 homes on neighbouring sites off Woolley Colliery Road were approved by the planning board The site has been plagued by fly-tipping in recent years and the Woolley Grange Residents’ Association said the application is a positive step forward A leaflet was sent out to neighbouring residents recently stating their intention to build homes on the site It states: “Gleeson Homes is proposing a new development set to deliver around 114 high-quality energy efficient homes off Woolley Colliery Road “We focus on developing in areas where housing is most needed ensuring our projects not only provide quality homes but also enhance the local community “We value the importance of being part of the communities in which we build and take pride in delivering developments that appeal to people from all walks of life “To find out more about the areas in which we are building Darton East Coun Dickie Denton admits there are some positives surrounding the plan - but more needs to be done to support the current amenities He said: “An application to build on this site was first submitted by Rouse Homes in 2022 and approved by the council’s planning regulatory board “Gleeson’s are now looking at the site for their own development councillors and relevant consultees will all have the opportunity to comment on the application “The Liberal Democrats recognise the need for extra housing in Barnsley but the council needs to include communities in the planning of the required infrastructure to support this extra school places and GPs which you need “We should be developing communities and not just building houses “There are some potential positives to this development by utilising untidy brownfield land and providing a stimulus to the Woolley Colliery community which some feel is forgotten and isolated.” Coun Denton has urged residents who are concerned about the plans to get in touch He added: “We would like to hear your views about this development and how you feel about it “Once the planning application is submitted your Darton East councillors will scrutinise it very closely “I will be your principal point of contact on this matter.” BARNSLEY Council are in ‘advanced negotiations’ with a housing developer to sell the old Darton Primary School land - and if plans are approved 332 houses will be built on the entire site on the corner of Sackup Lane and Station Road is part of a much larger site allocating for housing under the council’s local plan This site stretches from the old primary school up to Bloomhouse Lane to the north and across to Woolley Colliery Road to the west Planning permission has yet to be submitted but a total of 332 houses could be built on the entire site said that an intrusive ground survey is currently taking place and vegetation will be cleared for heavy machinery He said: “No doubt many of you will be alarmed at the prospect of this development “A planning application is expected to be submitted later this year and we have been advised that the developers plan to hold a consultation event with residents in advance of this along with your other Darton East councillors will scrutinise the plans very closely and promise to listen to your concerns as things progress “I will be your principal point of contact on this matter “Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any queries or concerns regarding this.” TWO local councillors have raised concerns regarding a proposed 39-home development in Darton - stating the community needs to be involved in the application Plans to build the properties south of Coniston Avenue were submitted to the council earlier this month The site had previously been mooted for 53 homes by Barratt but these plans were subsequently withdrawn to due a number of reasons Locals had raised their concerns regarding that development with many feeling they had not been listened to by the council following its approval Couns Dickie Denton and Steve Hunt have raised some concerns regarding the new developments - and they’re hoping the community will be involved further this time They told the Chronicle: “Barratt gained outline permission for the building of 53 houses on this site back in 2022 “This was despite opposition from both of us and many residents “Barratts subsequently withdrew their application “We welcome the reduction in scale of this revised development of 39 homes but remain opposed to it due to several concerns “The removal of mature trees and hedges and the loss of a valuable wildlife habitat “The location of surface water attenuation in the green belt outside of the area allocated for development in the Labour council’s Local Plan “The impact on some neighbouring properties who may be overlooked and the location of the pathway connecting Pennine View to the development “The risk of subsidence on land where open cast mining previously occurred and near where unsafe houses had to be demolished “We recognise the need for extra housing in Barnsley but the council needs to include communities in the planning of the required infrastructure to support this “The council’s flawed local plan extra school places and GPs which residents need in this area.” Mind the Gap: Join the Place North Viability Gap Campaign The eastern parcel at Avant's Smithywood project has 1412 homes Duchy Homes and Yelcon are all hoping for success with proposals across the borough The largest proposal comes from Avant Homes with 179 homes proposed across two parcels either side of Smithywood Lane Both parcels of land are mostly agricultural with the eastern plot abutting housing at Calver Close The western parcel contains 38 homes: 11 pairs of semi-detached houses 14 would be allocated for affordable housing Access to the site would be from Smithywood Lane in the north-eastern corner Access to the site would be from the head of Calver Close to the north-west of the site There will be a loop road arrangement with frontage access The most significant element of the proposed Section 106 agreement is a contribution of around £1m for education Avant’s plans have attracted 33 letters of objection Yelcon Construction and the Cornell Group have put forward 83 homes north of Wood Walk The site is bounded by the  Wombwell Wood roundabout to the east and sits between the A6195 Dearne Valley Parkway to the north Platts Common and Hoyland are to the south-west of the site featuring residential and commercial development Yelcon’s site has a history of opencast mining and it is this history that has led to revisions being required for a 2021 consent also for 83 homes but with a layout now deemed undeliverable due to discoveries made during remediation Seventy five homes will be for open-market sale According to the project’s design & access statement Sten Architecture has worked with Yelcon and sister company Camstead Homes on the scheme’s design Duchy Homes and the Church Commission are seeking reserved matters approval for 46 homes and associated works on land off Darton Lane a greenfield site currently used for grazing horses Darton Primary School is to the west of the site and Darton Business Park to the south-west separated from Duchy’s site by a railway line Thirty seven homes will be for open-market Barnsley’s planning committee meets on 18 June with approval for all three schemes recommended Avant’s planning portal reference is 2021/1642 Duchy’s 2023/0566 and Yelcon’s 2023/0988 Read our comments policy Located on a 30-acre site north of Rawmarsh all of the houses would be affordable and developed in conjunction with Vico Homes The housebuilder has completed the survey stage and is clearing the site for work to begin at its second Sheffield scheme Register for free Yorkshire property intelligence Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Stay updated on the latest news and views in Yorkshire property views and opportunities in Yorkshire property By subscribing, you are agreeing to Place Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_3" ).setAttribute( "value" Welcome to housingtoday.co.uk. This site uses cookies. Read our policy Trusted media brand of the Chartered Institute of Housing By 2023-02-15T05:24:00+00:00 Darton scheme to be built on site of former coal mine Leeds-based housebuilder Rouse Homes has been granted outline approval to build 115 homes on a former coal mine site in south Yorkshire Barnsley council voted to back its planning officer’s recommendation to approve the 20% affordable scheme in Darton yesterday afternoon It will be built on a 4ha site split over two plots on the former site of the Woolley Colliery Mine which closed in 1987 with the site being cleared in the early 1990s The site is now largely covered in vegetation although there remains remnants of its historic use including concrete bases Parts of the site are classified as a “high risk” area for development because of the likely presence of shallow coal mine workings and mine entrances although the council’s Local Plan said it is suitable for development >> Inside the council planning department resource crisis >> Top 50 Housebuilders The planning officer added that a “robust” mitigation strategy had been put forward to protect the site’s county-wide importance for butterflies to prevent a loss of habitat and biodiversity The project team includes architects PDG Architectural planning consultant DLP Planning and engineer Fore The government’s landmark bill is progressing through parliament at speed Lisa Tye explains what the legislation means for the sector Battersea Development Company says new phase will have a “more modern aesthetic” The Planning and Infrastructure Bill offers a chance to look at how we can improve the planning application process further Paul Smith gives his thoughts on some ways to do it  Deal goes through two years after Berkley named preferred bidder on £2bn scheme  DESNZ will boost green skills under its Warm Homes Plan through financial awards  Developer also wins grant funding from London mayor  Site powered by Webvision Cloud while Jaby was stationed as a dentist in the Air Force in Paris Blake and his family returned to Thomasville when Blake was a year old Blake attended Westchester Academy and Thomasville High School and he graduated from NC State University with a degree in communications Blake’s college choice to NC State from a family with a three-generation legacy to the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill was always a subject of verbal jousting around the holiday table and at ACC Tournament time Blake’s love of a good story translated into a passion for comic books and he subsequently amassed an impressive collection of comic books from an early age Blake met Don Barbour of Greensboro and married Don almost thirty years later in 2014 Blake supported Don through Don’s illness until Don’s death December 15 Blake served as a caregiver to both of his parents until their passing in 2014 There was no one more earnest about the Psalm 100:1 biblical phrase “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” as Blake Singing with a heart full of thanksgiving was a core part of Blake’s life Blake spent much time in the choir lofts of the Memorial United Methodist Church in Thomasville and the Congregational United Church of Christ of Greensboro When he heard about the legacy and intention of the Triad Pride Men’s Chorus in Greensboro he became an active member and performed in concerts across the Piedmont until his health issues impacted his participation Blake found a community of his dearest friends and purpose in bringing song to others Blake is preceded in death by his husband Don Barbour David Williams and sister-in-law Ashley of Greensboro; his niece Spencer Williams Slone and her husband Charlie all of Whitsett; and caregiver and surrogate brother Hap Holt-Reid of Gibsonville and Hap’s extended family Josh Reid and wife Deana; and their children Blake was known as “Uncle Blake” to many A memorial service to celebrate Blake’s life will be held on Saturday at the Congregational United Church of Christ Blake’s family and dear friends will greet his friends following the service in the church fellowship hall Blake requested that memorials be sent to the Triad Pride Performing Arts at triadprideperformingarts.org Online condolences may be sent to the family at www.jcgreenandsons.com Poundland has begun recruitment for around 120 new roles at its Barnsley chilled and frozen food hub in Darton as it transforms the site into its second digital distribution centre Poundland intends to increase the number of roles at Darton from 77 to almost 200 by December as the centre becomes a hub for its growing digital business Poundland’s online business is growing rapidly after the 2022 acquisition of Poundshop.com and its picking and fulfilment operations centre in Wednesbury The success of Poundshop.com which has seen orders more than double under Poundland ownership means its operations are running close to full capacity Adding Darton as the discount retailer’s second digital centre will enable Poundland to continue to expand its digital business at pace After establishing the second digital distribution centre at Darton, it intends to combine its Poundshop.com and Poundland.co.uk websites later this summer allowing customers to shop an expanded Poundland range online for delivery to their homes The expansion at Darton adds to Poundland’s commitment when it acquired Fultons to nurture and grow employment at the site The partnership with the Fultons team has enabled Poundland to roll out frozen and chilled foods to more than half its 800-plus stores nationwide proudly becoming its National Frozen Distribution Centre “We’re extremely proud to bring good jobs news to Barnsley and South Yorkshire,” said Poundland director of digital Tom Hill “Since bringing Fultons into our family as we’ve built our food offer we’ve made Darton a true centre of excellence in the buying and distribution of chilled and frozen ranges for a rapidly growing number of stores “We now look forward to building a team at Darton that can help us also expand our digital business as we offer our customers more ways to shop at Poundland.” Poundland’s digital expansion is one element of the transformation programme being rolled out across the business this includes bringing Pep clothing and homewares to the majority of its stores It is also currently bringing fresh fruit and vegetables and beers wines and spirits to an increasing number of locations as it offers more of what customers buy week-in Poundland is on track to add over half a million square feet of new space this financial year as it opens and relocates stores It has already opened and relocated 33 stores in FY23 and expects to have opened around 50 by the end of September The InternetRetailing France Luxury 2025 report explores customer attitudes shopping habits and luxury retail in France A FORMER Darton High School teacher has been jailed for over four years after being found guilty of sexual offences against children was sentenced to 49 months in prison at Leeds Crown Court after pleading guilty to an offence of inciting a child to engage in sexual activity and two offences of causing a child to watch a sexual act must also sign on the sex offenders register for life His offending took place in 2014 and 2015 against girls aged 13 12 and 11 and came to police attention after one of the victims disclose his offending Detective Inspector Charlie Manson of Wakefield District Child Safeguarding said: “We welcome Booth’s sentencing today for offences in which he targeted young and vulnerable victims and utterly betrayed the trust of those around him “I hope those involved can take some comfort for seeing justice done and from knowing that Booth will now spend several years behind bars." A REMARKABLE turnaround has been completed at a Barnsley school which has been named the best in Barnsley - despite being branded ‘inadequate’ less than three years ago Darton Academy school has earned a Progress 8 score - which measures progress pupils make from primary school to their final GCSE exams - of +0.37 topping the table of Barnsley’s ten secondary schools for progress The academy has become the most improved in Barnsley after receiving an ‘inadequate’ rating by Ofsted inspectors in October 2017 joined Delta Academies Trust in May 2018 to drive improvement and bring the school out of special measures said: “On average our students left last year with grades which are over a third higher in every GCSE subject than the national average based upon their end of key stage two scores from primary school “These results reflect the hard work put in by both students and staff “They are an indication of the strong teaching and individual support we provide for our students.” added: “The team at Darton is rightly proud of the positive impact we make to help young people in our academy achieve well so they can take advantage of every opportunity and fulfil their potential “We were delighted with the engagement of the class of 2019 “They were a fantastic group of students and it was a privilege to work with them “We are already hearing about their great progress since leaving us and I’m sure they have bright futures ahead of them.” The report also highlighted that 94 per cent of leavers have stayed in school or are entering employment said: “These results are truly impressive and demonstrate what can be achieved through the hard work of pupils “Delta Academies Trust is demonstrating its worth and recording impressive results year after year.” added: “We have the highest expectations for what children can achieve and back this up with strong leadership excellent teaching and support for all the children and young people in our academies “These results demonstrate the positive impact we make to help children and young people in our primary and secondary academies achieve well and how we add real value from the moment they join our schools “We are committed to making sure children are getting the first-class education they deserve so they can take advantage of every opportunity and fulfil their potential.” Cabinet spokesperson Coun Margaret Bruff praised the school’s turnaround “Barnsley Council works very closely with all our schools and academies through the Barnsley Schools Alliance which is helping school leaders across the borough drive up standards and improve outcomes for our pupils,” she said we are particularly proud of the achievements of Delta Academies Trust the staff and pupils at Darton Academy and would like to congratulate all involved in helping secure these excellent results.” NEW boards celebrating Darton’s history have been unveiled - much to the delight of a local councillor The Darton and Kexborough Heritage Trail has expanded into the Darton East ward with new boards in place on Station Road and the Outreach Christian Centre They celebrate the area’s history - and Coun Steve Hunt told the Chronicle he was delighted with the new additions He added: “I have been working on this project with the Darton Local History Group for some time so it’s great to see these two boards come to fruition “The boards have been funded by Barnsley Council’s Principal Towns investment “Well done to the Darton Local History Group for their hard work and painstaking research “These boards are a great way of capturing and displaying the history of the area “There are a further four boards in the pipeline which will be situated elsewhere in Darton and Woolley Colliery.” Darton Primary School pupils learnt lifesaving skills as part of a safety training week where they unveiled a new defibrillator the focus week saw officers working with year four five and six pupils to develop practical skills that will help keep them safe both in real life and online The school also recently installed a defibrillator on the grounds which the community is free to use in any emergency situations Pupils learned to use the equipment during the safety week giving them not only a potentially lifesaving skill but making the new addition as accessible as possible if any emergency situation does arise said: “We have had a wonderful week in school linked to our overarching theme of ‘Keeping Safe’ “The children found some useful information to support them with their cyber safety as well as learning the practical skills of first aid “We are really pleased to now have a defibrillator at school that will be available to our community.” RESIDENTS have spoken out after scores of pupils from a local school crowded the bus in an effort to get into town have been seen catching the 95 public service bus after school has ended The school is currently provided eight school buses from Globe which help to transport the 890 students but students have been waiting to catch the 95 bus to visit Barnsley town centre coupled with social distancing measures has made them miss the bus on multiple occasions “Since the kids have gone back it’s been a nightmare to get to work,” they said “Stagecoach only allow a certain number of people on the bus and when the students all get on “I rely on public transport to get to and from work and I have been late many times since the schools went back because the bus has driven past me “I pay £17 per week and would like to know that I can get on a bus at a reasonable time before work “I just think it is ridiculous because they have school buses that they can get on yet they hang around and catch the regular bus which means passengers like myself either have to set off hours early or face being late for work.” The resident said they also have fears of the virus as most of the students sit together at the back of the bus they all go immediately to the back of the bus It’s scary because we are all trying to keep to a distance to slow the spread yet there’s more than ten of them sat together without a care in the world “The students have enough school buses which I am sure go to town I just don’t think it’s fair because we can’t catch another bus we just have to wait until the students get off.” 19 passengers are currently permitted on a single-decker bus and 32 passenger on a double-decker bus headteacher at Darton Academy said: “The 95 is not a school bus Decisions as to service capacity are taken by them A FORMER Barnsley head teacher has walked free from court after last week admitting charges relating to indecent images of children and possession of an extreme pornographic image involving a horse appeared at Derby Crown Court this afternoon where he was sentenced to four months in prison He had last week pleaded guilty to two counts relating to indecent images all made between July 28 and October 30 2015 Count one related to the making of 21 category C indecent images of young people aged under 16 Hill was also charged with possessing an extreme pornographic image involving a person performing a sex act on a horse He entered a guilty plea to both counts but the court adjourned until today's sentencing hearing His Honour Judge Jonathan Bennett also ordered Hill to complete 20 rehabilitation days and 120 hours of unpaid work He was subjected to a notification period for seven years and must report to police yearly and for any change of address or any lengthy period away from home Judge Bennett also made a sexual harm prevention order tailored to 'particular offending' for the same period of seven years had a significant effect on your children and saw an emotional letter by one of your children "But the court is also extremely concerned about images such as these who are abused in order to satisfy the perverted desires of people such as yourself and indulge fantasies had been a controversial head during his time at Darton Today Darton College is a high-performing school in a modern £28m advanced learning centre opened in 2011 But in 2010 under Hill the old Darton High fell into special measures - Ofsted's most serious category of failing schools He went off sick immediately following the Ofsted inspection and he did not return to the school leaving by mutual consent some weeks after Former teachers said they had seen the school deteriorate dramatically under Hill and that his reign had seen the school 'haemorrhage staff' For full coverage see next week's Barnsley Chronicle RESIDENTS living on a busy Mapplewell street which is quickly becoming a ‘race track’ have called on the council for more to be done to slow motorists down following a number of serious collisions Over the last six months there has been a number of crashes on Darton Lane - two of which have required support from Yorkshire Air Ambulance a car collided with a telegraph pole on the road leaving residents fearful the next collision could become fatal told the Chronicle something needs to be done sooner rather than later “In the last six months there’s been at least three crashes two of which required an air ambulance to land on the green behind our bungalow,” he added “It’s shocking to see something like that happen “It doesn’t seem like anything is really happening to stop this from happening again “What’s really concerning is that even after the collision (last Monday) happened people were still seemingly driving well over the 30mph limit “It’s scary that people are still deciding to drive like lunatics “It’s not just boy racers either - it’s people who are doing their day-to-day business.” Tom has called on the council to act and implement new road safety measures and local councillors in his ward have backed him A joint statement from Darton East Couns Dickie Denton and Steve Hunt said: “We are calling for road safety measures to be brought in on Darton Lane “Last week there was an accident on Darton Lane where a vehicle brought down two telegraph poles by the Ibberson Memorial Gardens “There have been other serious incidents on Darton Lane over the last few months “Last November we got Darton Lane added to the programme for sites where Speed Indicator Devices (SIDs) would be rolled out (along with Spark Lane “At the recent PACT meeting we asked the neighbourhood policing team to carry out a speed operation on Darton Lane “We have also contacted the council’s highways team to request the prioritisation of Darton Lane in the roll out of the SIDs and in addition to ask for a road safety assessment to be carried out in light of the increasing number of serious incidents which are happening on the road.” “I don’t feel like SIDs are enough “There needs to be tougher measures put in place whether that be more police or something else “But something definitely needs to be done.” cabinet spokesperson for environment and highways has confirmed the site is not deemed as ‘high risk’ He told the Chronicle: “We will always investigate any road safety concerns raised by residents and as a member of the South Yorkshire Safer Roads Partnership we work with agencies such as the local police and fire service to make our roads safer “Each year we invest more than £11m on highway maintenance and improvement activities which contribute to improved road safety across the borough “We have to consider the impact these investments will have on the reduction of serious incidents we prioritise areas that pose the highest risk to residents on our roads “Darton Lane between Towngate and Sackup Lane is currently not identified as a high risk site and therefore would not meet the criteria for action to be taken we continue to monitor our roads and if the situation changes in this area our teams will reassess.” A LOCAL musician is hoping the weather won’t dampen the mood as she returns to Darton for another concert Elizabeth Charlesworth will be working alongside piano player Jonathan Bickley when she arrives at All Saints’ Church in Darton on February 11 It’s the second time in the last few months the duo have impressed local residents after performing in October but Elizabeth admits she’s hoping the weather will be better this time She told the Chronicle: “The River Dearne came very close to flowing down Darton High Street that night in October the evening of our planned concert in the church “It was not a night to be venturing out so no surprise that there were only a few to hear our ‘Songs of Home’ “We did the concert anyway but promised to repeat it in better weather “Let’s hope for a drier afternoon on the Sunday at 4pm.” It’s set to be an amazing afternoon of entertainment and Elizabeth is encouraging locals to get involved “We have songs by Puccini and Ernesto de Curtis best known for ‘Come Back to Sorrento’,” she added “I can promise that you will go away humming catchy tunes.” The duo will also be performing at the De Morgan Museum in Cawthorne on the first weekend of March THE mum of a 15-year-old girl who took her life during lockdown has been overwhelmed by the support of locals who have helped organise a mental health awareness festival in her honour Honey Cook was achieving top grades at Darton Academy and was due to start fashion at Barnsley College this month - but on February 14 this year her family’s life changed forever told the Chronicle there were no alarming signs before she died and despite being ‘extremely close’ with her daughter she had no idea of her mental health struggles and was due to start fashion at college this month “We were extremely close but she didn’t tell me she was struggling - she ate her dinner on February 13 it was normal for her and her sister to stay in bed past dinner time and found she had taken her own life during the night or morning “My brain couldn’t understand what I was looking at even though I knew it was too late to save her “The next couple of months were a blur - I now suffer from PTSD The idea of the ‘Bee Kind’ festival and charity event in Honey’s memory was subsequently formed which will take place on August 7 next year “It is in memory of Honey and will raise much-needed funds to help other children and families,” Gemma added “I didn’t anticipate the kindness of local business A report was recently issued to Barnsley Council by health bosses in the town outlining a more collaborative approach to tackling cases of mental health issues in schools It said: “The past year was marked by unprecedented challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic and the series of national lockdowns “There were increased concerns about ‘hidden harm’ for vulnerable children and young people with reduced schools’ attendance and contact with professionals as well as frequent disruption to children’s education with the concern about how this might impact upon their outcomes.” Gemma hopes next year’s event - and by speaking out about her daughter - will encourage others who are struggling to seek help “We have TADS and Samaritans coming to talk to people,” she said “There were no signs of suicide - it completely knocked me off my feet I don’t feel like I’ve come to terms with what happened “I wish she knew how amazing she was - nothing will be the same without her.”