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Councillor Stephen Houghton CBE,
Leader of Barnsley MBC
by Brian Elliott
 Stephen Houghton is an important contributor and advocate of the ongoing regeneration of Barnsley and its neighbourhood. The town itself, as a developing twenty-first century market centre, serving its own residents and a large catchment area, is more ‘on the map’ now - in a very positive sense - both regionally and nationally, than at any other time that I can remember.
As if to confirm my impressions, Stephen told me that Barnsley MBC was a winner in the 2008 Leadership to Place Shaping Awards, tremendous national recognition for its recent achievements in local government. Interestingly, when I asked him, towards the end the interview, what he felt was his most satisfying achievement he sited a comment from a person from Milton Keynes who complimented him and his colleagues for changing public opinion about Barnsley. ‘If we have done that, it is a fantastic achievement for all of us,’ said Councillor Houghton.
Stephen told me that the last 20 years has been a long period of searching for an identity and purpose for Barnsley, which had not been easy ‘when we had to exercise the ghost of the mining industry’. But Councillor Houghton was quick to add how crucial it was for us to be aware of our history, which was why the Experience Barnsley project, the establishment of an interactive centre of local heritage, research and learning within Barnsley’s fine town hall, will be such an important innovation, benefitting residents, students of all ages and an increasing number of visitors.
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 Although I have known the Councillor for several years through a variety of local and official events, it was great to be given the opportunity to chat with him in his Town Hall office about the place that we both feel so proud to be associated. I also wanted to try to find out a little more information about his background and interests, as well as learn about the challenges facing the Leader and his colleagues in very changing times.
Essentially, Stephen Houghton is a politician who leads the Labour Group of councillors as well as the council as a whole. It is a very responsible and challenging job. Like a prime minister, he chairs Cabinet meetings, leading on all major political issues. He also represents the Council and town on a variety of outside organisations. Some are of regional and national importance, and include the Special Interest Group of Municipal Authorities (SIGOMA), the Local Government Association (LGA) Regional and General Assemblies, the LGA Urban Commission, LGA Strategy and Finance Policy and Review Group, Leeds Regional Forum, Sheffield Regional Forum, South Yorkshire Partnership Board and the Yorkshire and Humberside Regional Assembly. Geographically, Barnsley is one of the most extensive metropolitan areas in the country, stretching over twenty miles, from beyond Penistone in the west to Goldthorpe. Demographically speaking it is also of considerable size, containing 225,000 people, about one third of which encompasses the urban centre. Then there is the important job of representing and dealing with issues relating to the Cudworth Ward whose residents he has served since his election as a councillor twenty years ago.
 I asked Stephen about the Council’s decision making process and he stressed the importance of public consultation as well as getting feedback from council colleagues, professionals and consultants. Ongoing improvements to council services and facilities are helped via Ward initiatives such as Think Local and the work of Area Forums, Barnsley being one of the pioneering authorities to introduce them; also important is Barnsley Voice, a citizen panel contacted every year.
The aim is for informed thinking on issues, rather than political motivation. Stephen Houghton has been Leader for about twelve years, therefore gaining considerable experience. It is important, he said, for him and his colleagues to have a long term vision for Barnsley and to drive forward to make it happen. Commitment was vital in the face of criticism and during times when moving forward is beset with difficulties. ‘It is doing what we think is right, based on sound evidence, which is important, rather than going with the flow and being populist.’
As far as personal style of leadership is concerned, he feels that it is paramount to get the message across, to be able to speak and represent in a variety of contexts - with knowledge, ability, certainly passion. Public relationships are an inevitable part of the job too - dealing with the media at a variety of levels. Not easy these days. Dealing with people, Stephen sensibly adopts a number of strategies. Getting to know individuals and what makes them tick was cited as really important, alongside a good understanding of a subject.
 For sometime we discussed some of the larger ongoing developments in Barnsley. Tall cranes have an obvious presence by Townened, on the old canister factory site. When completed, the Gateway Plaza will be an impressive mixed-use complex consisting of apartments, offices, hotel and restaurant/bar. New apartments are also being built off Westway. When finished, ‘The Core’ will be an architecturally interesting and innovatory structure, managed by Voluntary Action Barnsley, to provide affordable facilities for local people, sited off County Way, across from the Digital Media Centre. ‘Public realm’ improvements around Regents Street, Back Regent Street, Royal Street and Eastgate are taking place. This includes one of the largest and most challenging Council projects of recent years: the restoration, refurbishment and extension of the Civic Hall and the new Mandela Square/Gardens, due for completion by December. The Old Civic has a wonderful late Victorian facade but the engineering skills used by its original builders were discovered to be far from perfect, in fact downright unsafe. Despite the credit crunch, Stephen emphasised that the new market complex will go ahead, a key part of the evolution of Barnsley as a modern market town. Educational building was also at the forefront to Barnsley’s future. Stephen praised the new University Centre Barnsley, a ‘fabulous asset’ enabling higher education degrees. The Barnsley College, one of the largest FE establishments in the country, is also scheduled to be rebuilt, and Advanced Learning Centres, will replace the present secondary schools, in a massive investment. The new Centres will incorporate state of the art facilities, including IT, as well as full sports facilities.
 A lifelong Barnsley FC supporter, Stephen talked about how much the profile of the town was raised during last season’s remarkable FA Cup run and appearance at the new Wembley stadium. Like everything else aspired to, it was making a statement to the nation and the world that Barnsley was alive and kicking and not to be forgotten. Sport engages people and our great tradition in that area should always be appreciated and developed.
Born in Shafton, to parents Bill (a lorry driver) and Ivy, Stephen Houghton attended Shafton Primary, Milefield Middle and Willowgarth schools, leaving at the age of sixteen. He found work at the NCB Shafton Workshops, as an apprentice electrician, a process that seemed as natural as could be in those days. After all, Dad was a union man and it was also an expected process to join the National Union of Mineworkers. Completing his apprenticeship and obtaining qualifications at Barnsley Technical College, it wasn’t long before Stephen’s interest in electrical welfare extended to people welfare and his election as an NUM Branch Official. Of course this meant links with the local Labour Party during the Thatcher era when so many young people in mining areas were politicised. When Councillor Ron Rigby died in 1988 Stephen was encouraged by experienced politicians such as Inky Thompson and Hedley Salt to stand for the Cudworth Ward vacancy which resulted in his first successful election. Stephen and his wife, Karen and their two teenage children continue to live in Cudworth.
Stephen Houghton’s busy life in politics is, by his own admission, ‘all consuming’ but when not watching Barnsley and spending precious time with his family, he enjoys walking with colleagues, has recently undertaken a couple of long distance charity fund raising events, occasions that he has thoroughly enjoyed. The first was the 42-mile Lyke Wake walk and this was followed more recently by a coast to coast trek along Hadrian’s Wall, 84 miles covered in four days. The Great Wall of China next? But that would take weeks.
Anyway, though Stephen Houghton did not achieve his boyhood ambition to open the batting for Yorkshire he is certainly helping to improve and raise the profile of this great Yorkshire town and its neighbourhood. Many people who know him will say: long may that vision continue.
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