Family, friends and former colleagues gathered at the heart of Goldthorpe to pay tribute to a long-serving Barnsley councillor described as an outstanding servant to his community.

Cllr Alan Gardiner, who died in 2022 aged 72, had represented the Dearne for more than 30 years following his election in 1988.

A commemorative stone engraved with the late councillor’s name has now been installed at the Horse and Groom Square in Goldthorpe.

His widow, Mrs Janet Gardiner, was joined by Barnsley Council leader, Cllr Sir Steve Houghton CBE, and fellow Labour councillors to pay tribute.

The dedication stone is on the former site of the Horse and Groom pub, where Cllr Gardiner first met his wife, and the couple had often enjoyed dancing together.

Ms Gardiner said: “Alan was my hero and an amazing man.

“I wanted a special place in Goldthorpe, where we met and happily courted inside the Horse and Groom, sitting in the bar together for many nights happily watching the world go by.

“Alan was a councillor for Barnsley for almost 35 years, serving the Dearne so passionately, and a Barnsley lad through and through.”

Cllr Gardiner was also heavily involved in the Dearne community, and Mrs Gardiner donated the proceeds of a funeral collection to Goldthorpe Development Group and the Rainbow Community Centre in Thurnscoe.

As well as serving his Dearne constituents, Cllr Gardiner held a number of positions in Cabinet, most recently as Cabinet Spokesperson for Core Services.

Cllr Houghton said: “Alan was an outstanding servant for the people of the Dearne and an outstanding Member of Barnsley Council’s Cabinet.

“He served with great passion, commitment, and honesty; and was in no small way responsible for Barnsley being the successful organisation that it is.

“His passing was huge loss to his family, friends, Barnsley Council and the Dearne.

“It is only fitting that he will be permanently remembered with this tribute at the heart of the community he served so passionately for more than 30 years.”

The dedication stone was funded by the Goldthorpe Town Board under the Towns Fund investment from the UK Government.

Caption: Janet Gardiner with sons Chris Gardiner (left) and Darren Gardiner.