Editing South Yorkshire

{{Short description|County of England}}
{{For|similarly named units|Yorkshire South (disambiguation)}}
{{Use British English|date=December 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2023}}
{{infobox English county
| official_name           = South Yorkshire
<!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_main= {{multiple image
 | border                   = infobox
 | perrow            = 2/2
 | total_width       = 300
 | image1 = Sheffield Town Hall (27475677653).jpg
 | image2 = Doncaster, Minster church of St George (geograph 6371851).jpg
 | image3 = Rotherham, England, 2 May 2010 (17), the New County pub and Rotherham town centre.jpg
 | image4 = A Distant View of Barnsley.JPG
 | footer = Top to bottom, left to right: [[Sheffield Town Hall]], [[Doncaster Minster]], [[Rotherham]] and [[Barnsley]]
}}
| locator_map             = [[File:South Yorkshire UK locator map 2010.svg|200px|South Yorkshire within England]]
| coordinates             = {{Coord|53|30|N|1|20|W|region:GB_type:adm1st|display=title, inline}}
| region                  = [[Yorkshire and the Humber]]
| established_date        = 1 April 1974
| established_by          = [[Local Government Act 1972]]
| lord_lieutenant_office  = Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire
| lord_lieutenant_name    = Andrew Coombe
| high_sheriff_office     = High Sheriff of South Yorkshire
| high_sheriff_name       = Mrs Carole O'Neill<ref>{{London Gazette|issue=62943|page=5161|date=13 March 2020}}</ref> (2020–21)
| ethnicity               = 90.7% White<br />3.4% S.Asian<br />2.0% Black<br />1.5% Mixed<br />2.5% Other
| government              = [[South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority]]
| mayor_office            = Mayor of South Yorkshire
| mayor_name              = [[Oliver Coppard]] ([[Labour Party (UK)|L]])
| admin_hq                = [[Sheffield]]
| gss_code                =
{{Unbulleted list
 |E11000003 (county)
 |E47000002 (city region)
 }}
| nuts_code               = TLE3
| districts_map           = [[File:South Yorkshire numbered districts.svg|200px]]
| districts_key           = {{Colorsample|#FEC1E9}} [[Metropolitan borough|Metropolitan districts]]
| districts_list          = # [[City of Sheffield|Sheffield]]
# [[Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham|Rotherham]]
# [[City of Doncaster|Doncaster]]
# [[Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley|Barnsley]]
| MPs                     = [[List of Parliamentary constituencies in South Yorkshire|List of MPs]]
| police                  = [[South Yorkshire Police]]
| website                 = {{URL|southyorkshire-ca.gov.uk/}}
|arms_image=
}}

'''South Yorkshire''' is a [[Ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial county]] in the [[Yorkshire and the Humber]] region of [[England]]. It borders [[North Yorkshire]] and [[West Yorkshire]] to the north, the [[East Riding of Yorkshire]] to the north-east, [[Lincolnshire]] to the east, [[Nottinghamshire]] to the south-east, and [[Derbyshire]] to the south and west. The largest settlement is the city of [[Sheffield]].

The county is largely urban, with an area of {{convert|1552|km2|sqmi|abbr=on}} and a population of 1,402,918. The largest settlements after Sheffield (556,500) are the city of [[Doncaster]] (113,566), [[Rotherham]] (109,697), and [[Barnsley]] (96,888). The east and west of the county are more rural. The county is governed by four [[metropolitan borough]]s: [[Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley|Barnsley]], [[City of Doncaster]], [[Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham|Rotherham]], and [[City of Sheffield]]. They collaborate through [[South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority]].

South Yorkshire lies on the edge of the [[Pennines]], and the west of the county contains part of the [[Peak District]] [[National parks of the United Kingdom|National Park]]. The [[River Don, Yorkshire|River Don]] rises in these hills, and flows through Sheffield, Rotherham, and Doncaster before reaching the flat [[Humberhead Levels]] in the east of the county.

==History==
{{See also|History of Sheffield|History of Yorkshire}}

While the county of South Yorkshire was created in 1974, the history of its constituent settlements and parts goes back centuries. [[Prehistoric]] remains include a [[Mesolithic]] "house" (a circle of stones in the shape of a hut-base) dating to around 8000 BC, found at [[Deepcar]], in the northern part of Sheffield.<ref>{{cite journal | last1 = Radley | first1 = J. | last2 = Mellars | first2 = P. | year = 1964 | title = A Mesolithic structure at Deepcar, Yorkshire, England and the affinities of its associated flint industry | journal = Proceedings of the Prehistoric Society | volume = 30 | pages =1–24 | doi = 10.1017/S0079497X00015024 | s2cid = 162212654 | url = http://www.ucl.ac.uk/prehistoric/pps/contents/contentsbyvolume.html }}</ref> Evidence of even earlier inhabitation in the wider region exists about {{convert|3|mi|km|round=0.5}} over the county boundary at [[Creswell Crags]] in [[Derbyshire]], where artefacts and rock art found in caves have been dated by archaeologists to the late [[Upper Palaeolithic]] period, at least 12,800 years ago.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Pike |first1=Alistair W.&nbsp;G. |last2=Gilmour|first2= Mabs|last3= Pettitt|first3= Paul|last4= Jacobid|first4= Roger|last5= Ripoll|first5= Sergio|last6= Bahn|first6= Paul|last7= Muñoz|first7= Francisco |year=2005 |title=Verification of the age of the Palaeolithic cave art at Creswell Crags, UK |journal=Journal of Archaeological Science |volume=32 |issue=11 |pages=1649–1655 |doi=10.1016/j.jas.2005.05.002 |bibcode=2005JArSc..32.1649P }}</ref> The region was on the frontier of the Roman Empire during the Roman period.<ref>{{cite web |title= A History of Roman South Yorkshire |author= Rob Cooke/University of Sheffield |url= http://www.romansouthyorkshire.group.shef.ac.uk/ |access-date= 18 July 2012 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20130419102142/http://www.romansouthyorkshire.group.shef.ac.uk/ |archive-date= 19 April 2013 |url-status= live }}</ref>

The main settlements of South Yorkshire grew up around the industries of [[mining]] and [[steel]] manufacturing. The main mining industry was coal which was concentrated to the north and east of the county. There were also iron deposits which were mined in the area. The rivers running off the [[Pennines]] to the west of the county supported the steel industry that is concentrated in Sheffield, Stocksbridge and Rotherham. The proximity of the iron and coal also made this an ideal place for steel manufacture.

Although Christian [[Nonconformist (Protestantism)|nonconformism]] was never as strong in South Yorkshire as in the [[mill town]]s of West Yorkshire, there are still many [[Methodist]] and [[Baptist]] churches in the area. Also, South Yorkshire has a relatively high number of followers of [[Spiritualism (movement)|spiritualism]]. It is the only county that counts as a full region in the [[Spiritualists' National Union]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Churches and Centres Affiliated to the SNU South Yorkshire District |url=http://www.snu.org.uk/churches/csy.htm |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080922075134/http://www.snu.org.uk/churches/csy.htm |archive-date=22 September 2008 |access-date=6 October 2008}}</ref>

===Redcliffe-Maud Report===
{{Further|Redcliffe-Maud Report}}

The [[Local Government Commission for England (1958–1967)|Local Government Commission for England]] presented draft recommendations, in December 1965, proposing a new county—York and North Midlands—roughly centred on the southern part of the West Riding of Yorkshire and northern parts of Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire. The review was abolished in favour of the [[Redcliffe-Maud Report|Royal Commission on Local Government]] before it was able to issue a final report.

The Royal Commission's 1969 report, known as the Redcliffe-Maud Report, proposed the removal of much of the then existing system of local government. The commission described the system of administering [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|urban]] and [[rural district]]s separately as outdated, noting that urban areas provided employment and services for rural dwellers, and open countryside was used by town dwellers for recreation.<ref name="Redcliffe">Redcliffe-Maud ''et al.'' (June 1969), pp.&nbsp;219–235.</ref>

Redcliffe-Maud's recommendations were accepted by the Labour government in February 1970.<ref name="Redcliffe2">Redcliffe-Maud and Wood (1975), pp.&nbsp;46–7, 56, 157.</ref> Although the Redcliffe-Maud Report was rejected by the Conservative government after the [[1970 United Kingdom general election|1970 general election]], there was a commitment to local government reform, and the idea of a metropolitan county of South Yorkshire.
{{clear}}
{| class="wikitable" style=" border:0; text-align:left;"
! colspan="2" | [[Local Government Act 1972|post-1974]]
! colspan="4" | [[Local Government Act 1888|pre-1974]]
|-
! Metropolitan county
! Metropolitan borough
! [[County borough]]s
! [[Municipal borough|Non-county borough]]s
! [[Urban district (Great Britain and Ireland)|Urban districts]]
! [[Rural district]]s
|-
|rowspan=4| [[File:South Yorkshire County.png|300px]]<br />{{center|<small>South Yorkshire is an amalgamation of 32 former local government districts, including four county boroughs.</small>}}
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley|Barnsley]]
| [[County Borough of Barnsley|Barnsley]]
| –
| [[Cudworth Urban District|Cudworth]]&nbsp;• [[Darfield Urban District|Darfield]]&nbsp;• [[Darton Urban District|Darton]]&nbsp;• [[Dearne Urban District|Dearne]]&nbsp;• [[Dodworth Urban District|Dodworth]]&nbsp;• [[Hoyland Nether Urban District|Hoyland Nether]]&nbsp;• [[Penistone Urban District|Penistone]]&nbsp;• [[Royston, South Yorkshire|Royston]]&nbsp;• [[Wombwell Urban District|Wombwell]]&nbsp;• [[Worsbrough Urban District|Worsbrough]]
| [[Hemsworth Rural District|Hemsworth]]&nbsp;• [[Penistone Rural District|Penistone]]&nbsp;• [[Wortley Rural District|Wortley]] (part)
|-
| [[City of Doncaster|Doncaster]]
| [[County Borough of Doncaster|Doncaster]]
| –
| [[Adwick le Street Urban District|Adwick le Street]]&nbsp;• [[Bentley with Arksey]]&nbsp;• [[Conisbrough Urban District|Conisbrough]]&nbsp;• [[Mexborough Urban District|Mexborough]]&nbsp;• [[Tickhill Urban District|Tickhill]]
| [[Doncaster Rural District|Doncaster]]&nbsp;• [[East Retford Rural District|East Retford]] (part)&nbsp;• [[Thorne Rural District|Thorne]]&nbsp;• [[Worksop Rural District|Worksop]] (part)
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham|Rotherham]]
| [[County Borough of Rotherham|Rotherham]]
| –
| [[Maltby Urban District|Maltby]]&nbsp;• [[Swinton Urban District|Swinton]]&nbsp;• [[Rawmarsh Urban District|Rawmarsh]]&nbsp;• [[Wath upon Dearne Urban District|Wath upon Dearne]]
| [[Kiveton Park Rural District|Kiveton Park]]&nbsp;• [[Rotherham Rural District|Rotherham]]
|-
| [[City of Sheffield|Sheffield]]
| [[County Borough of Sheffield|Sheffield]]
| –
| [[Stocksbridge Urban District|Stocksbridge]]
| [[Wortley Rural District|Wortley]] (part)
|}

===After 1974===
The [[Local Government Act 1972]] reformed [[local government in England]] by creating a system of two-tier [[metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties]] and [[Districts of England|district]]s throughout the country.<ref name=lga1972>HMSO. [[Local Government Act 1972]]. 1972 c.70</ref> The act formally established South Yorkshire on 1 April 1974, although [[South Yorkshire County Council]] (SYCC) had been running since [[1973 United Kingdom local elections|elections in 1973]].<ref name="1973 Elections">{{cite web|url=http://ahds.ac.uk/catalogue/collection.htm?uri=hist-5319-1|title=British Local Election Database, 1889–2003|publisher=AHDS&nbsp;– Arts and Humanities data service|date=28 June 2006|access-date=5 March 2008}}</ref> The leading article in ''[[The Times]]'' on the day the Local Government Act came into effect noted that the "new arrangement is a compromise which seeks to reconcile familiar geography which commands a certain amount of affection and loyalty, with the scale of operations on which modern planning methods can work effectively".<ref>{{cite news|title=All change in local affairs|work=[[The Times]]|date=1 April 1974}}</ref>

South Yorkshire initially had a two tier structure of local government with a strategic-level county council and four districts providing most services.<ref>Redcliffe-Maud & Wood, B., '' English Local Government Reformed'', (1974)</ref>

In 1974, as part of the ''South Yorkshire Structure Plan'' of the environment, conservation and land use, South Yorkshire County Council commissioned a public attitudes survey covering job opportunities, educational facilities, leisure opportunities, health and medical services, shopping centres and transport in the county.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Courtenay|first1= G. |last2= Field|first2= J.|title= South Yorkshire structure plan: public attitude survey|year= 1975}}</ref>

In 1986, throughout England the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The functions of the county council were devolved to the boroughs; joint-boards covering fire, police and public transport; and to other special joint arrangements.<ref>Kingdom, J., ''Local Government and Politics in Britain'', (1991)</ref> The joint boards continue to function and include the [[South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sypte.co.uk/ |title=South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive |access-date=21 October 2006 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061007071259/http://www.sypte.co.uk/ |archive-date=7 October 2006 |url-status=live }}</ref> The [[South Yorkshire Police and Crime Commissioner]] also oversees [[South Yorkshire Police]].

Although the county council was abolished, South Yorkshire remains a [[metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|metropolitan]] and [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial]] county with a [[Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire]] and a [[High Sheriff of South Yorkshire|High Sheriff]].

South Yorkshire lies within the [[Sheffield City Region]] with Barnsley also being within the [[Leeds City Region]], reflecting its geographical position midway between Yorkshire's two largest cities.

==Geography==
The metropolitan county borders [[Derbyshire]], [[West Yorkshire]], [[North Yorkshire]], the [[East Riding of Yorkshire]], [[Lincolnshire]] and [[Nottinghamshire]]. The terrain of the county is mostly distinguished by the Pennines and its foothills which rise in the west of the county and gradually descend into the [[Humberhead Levels]] in the east of the county. Geologically, the county lies largely on the carboniferous rocks of the [[South Yorkshire Coalfield|Yorkshire coalfield]] in the outer Pennine fringes, producing a rolling landscape with hills, escarpments and broad valleys. In this landscape, there is widespread evidence of both current and former industrial activity. There are numerous mine buildings, former spoil heaps and iron and steel plants. The scenery is a mixture of built up areas, industrial land with some dereliction, and farmed open country. Ribbon developments along transport routes including canal, road and rail are prominent features of the area although some remnants of the pre industrial landscape and semi-natural vegetation still survive.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4743624|title = NCA Profile: 38. Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire and Yorkshire Coalfield (NE402)|publisher = publications.naturalengland.org.uk|access-date  = 21 June 2016|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20160513063536/http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/4743624|archive-date = 13 May 2016|url-status = live
}}</ref>

The Pennines in the west of the county are mostly inside the [[Peak District|Peak District National Park]] and also contain carboniferous rocks, with the underlying geology primarily being millstone grit sandstones of the [[Dark Peak]] rising from the Yorkshire coalfield and the terrain is mostly moorland plateaus and gritstone edges.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.snh.org.uk/wwo/sharinggoodpractice/cci/cci/northwest/051a.htm|title = Dark Peak|publisher = Scottish Natural Heritage|access-date = 21 June 2016|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20160807063451/http://www.snh.org.uk/wwo/sharinggoodpractice/cci/cci/northwest/051a.htm|archive-date = 7 August 2016|url-status = live}}</ref> The inner Pennine fringes between the Dark Peak and Yorkshire coalfield are distinguished by many steep valleys, and a transition from uplands and rural landscape to lowlands and urban landscape towards the east of the county.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5459581769613312|title = NCA Profile: 37 Yorkshire Southern Pennine Fringe (NE490)|publisher    = publications.naturalengland.org.uk|access-date = 21 June 2016|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160803022905/http://publications.naturalengland.org.uk/publication/5459581769613312|archive-date = 3 August 2016|url-status = live }}</ref> Major rivers which cross the area are the [[River Dearne|Dearne]], [[River Rother, South Yorkshire|Rother]] and [[River Don, South Yorkshire|Don]]. To the east, in the Doncaster area the landscape becomes flatter as the eastward dipping carboniferous rocks of the coalfield are overlain by the lacustrine deposits of the Humberhead Levels.<ref>{{cite web|url = http://www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/Landscape/CC/yorkshire_and_the_humber/humberhead_levels.asp|title = Humberhead Levels|publisher = www.countryside.gov.uk|access-date = 6 October 2008|archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20081013060239/http://www.countryside.gov.uk/LAR/Landscape/CC/yorkshire_and_the_humber/humberhead_levels.asp|archive-date = 13 October 2008|url-status = dead}}</ref>

===Green belt===
{{Further|South and West Yorkshire Green Belt}}

South Yorkshire contains [[Green belt (United Kingdom)|green belt]] throughout the county, surrounding its four districts to large extents. It was first drawn up from the 1950s. The western edge of the Sheffield and Barnsley districts directly form with the boundary of the Peak District National Park.

==Settlements==
{{See also|List of settlements in South Yorkshire by population}}
{{Multiple image
| perrow            = 1/2
| total_width       = 300px
| image1            = South Yorkshire population density map, 2011 census.png
| image2            = View over Sheffield city centre (geograph 6403312).jpg
| image3            = High Street, Doncaster (geograph 6160718).jpg
| image4            = Looking northeast in the High Street (geograph 5966381).jpg
| image5            = Barnsley café society. - geograph.org.uk - 548038.jpg
| footer            = Population density map, [[Sheffield]], [[Doncaster]], [[Rotherham]] and [[Barnsley]]
}}

The table below outlines many of the county's settlements, and is formatted according to their metropolitan borough.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Metropolitan county || colspan="2" | Metropolitan borough || Centre of administration || Other places
|-
|rowspan=4| '''South Yorkshire'''
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley|Barnsley (borough)]] || [[File:SYorks-Barnsley.png|50px]]
| [[Barnsley|Barnsley (town)]]
| [[Billingley]], [[Birdwell, South Yorkshire|Birdwell]], [[Bolton-upon-Dearne]], [[Cudworth, South Yorkshire|Cudworth]], [[Darfield, South Yorkshire|Darfield]], [[Darton]], [[Dodworth]], [[Goldthorpe, South Yorkshire|Goldthorpe]], [[Great Houghton, South Yorkshire|Great Houghton]], [[Grimethorpe]], [[Hoyland|Hoyland Nether]], [[Royston, South Yorkshire|Royston]], [[Penistone]], [[Thurnscoe]], [[Wombwell]], [[Worsbrough]]
|-
| [[City of Doncaster]] || [[File:SYorks-Doncaster.png|50px]]
| [[Doncaster|Doncaster (city)]]
| [[Adwick le Street]], [[Armthorpe]], [[Askern]], [[Auckley]], [[Balby]], [[Barnby Dun]], [[Bawtry]], [[Bentley, South Yorkshire|Bentley]], [[Bessacarr]], [[Braithwell]], [[Branton, South Yorkshire|Branton]], [[Cantley, South Yorkshire|Cantley]], [[Carcroft]], [[Conisbrough]], [[Cusworth]] [[Denaby]], [[Dunscroft]], [[Dunsville]], [[Edenthorpe]], [[Edlington]], [[Finningley]], [[Fishlake]], [[Hatfield, South Yorkshire|Hatfield]], [[Hyde Park, South Yorkshire|Hyde Park]], [[Intake, Doncaster|Intake]], [[Kirk Sandall]], [[Loversall]], [[Marr, South Yorkshire|Marr]], [[Mexborough]], [[Micklebring]], [[Moorends]], [[Scawsby]], [[Scawthorpe]], [[Skellow]], [[Stainforth, South Yorkshire|Stainforth]], [[Rossington]], [[Sykehouse]], [[Norton, Doncaster|Norton]], [[Thorne, South Yorkshire|Thorne]], [[Tickhill]], [[Wadworth]], [[Warmsworth]], [[Wheatley Hills|Wheatley]], [[Wheatley Hills]]
|-
| [[Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham|Rotherham (borough)]] || [[File:SYorks-Rotherham.png|50px]]
| [[Rotherham|Rotherham (town)]]
| [[Anston]], [[Aughton, South Yorkshire|Aughton]], [[Brinsworth]], [[Dinnington, South Yorkshire|Dinnington]], [[Harthill, South Yorkshire|Harthill]], [[Kiveton Park]], [[Maltby, South Yorkshire|Maltby]], [[Rawmarsh]], [[Scholes, South Yorkshire|Scholes]], [[Swinton, South Yorkshire|Swinton]], [[Thorpe Hesley]], [[Todwick]], [[Treeton]], [[Thurcroft]], [[Wales, South Yorkshire|Wales]], [[Wath-upon-Dearne]], [[Woodsetts]], [[Whiston, South Yorkshire|Whiston]]
|-
| [[City of Sheffield]] || [[File:SYorks-Sheffield.png|50px]]
| [[Sheffield City Centre]]
| [[Beighton, Sheffield|Beighton]], [[Chapeltown, South Yorkshire|Chapeltown]], [[City ward, Sheffield|Highlane]], [[Mosborough]], [[Oughtibridge]], [[Stocksbridge]], [[Wharncliffe Side]]
|}

Of these settlements above, South Yorkshire has three main urban areas: the [[Dearne Valley]] which covers Barnsley and surrounding area; the [[Sheffield urban area]] which covers Sheffield, Rotherham and surrounding area; and the Doncaster urban area which covers Doncaster and surrounding area.

==Governance==
{{see also|List of civil parishes in South Yorkshire}}
[[File:Arms of South Yorkshire Metropolitan County Council.svg|thumb|right|The coat of arms of the former [[South Yorkshire County Council]].]]
{| class = "wikitable"
!Body !! Headquarters !! Notes
|-
|[[South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority]]||[[Castlegate Quarter]], [[Sheffield City Centre]]||Formerly Sheffield City Region Combined Authority, includes [[South Yorkshire Passenger Transport Executive]]
|-
|[[South Yorkshire County Council]]||[[Central Offices, Barnsley]]||Abolished in 1986
|-
|[[South Yorkshire Joint Secretariat]]||Barnsley||The only metropolitan county in the UK that has established a formal joint secretariat.<ref>[http://www.southyorks.gov.uk/index.asp?id=637 Southyorks.gov.uk] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111002120117/http://www.southyorks.gov.uk/index.asp?id=637 |date=2 October 2011 }}</ref>
|-
|[[South Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service]]||[[Cultural Industries Quarter]], Sheffield City Centre||
|-
|[[South Yorkshire Police]]||[[Carbrook, Sheffield]]||
|-
|[[Barnsley Metropolitan Borough Council]]||[[Barnsley Town Hall]]||Covers [[Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley]]
|-
|[[Doncaster Council]]|| [[Doncaster Civic Office]]||Covers [[City of Doncaster]] district
|-
|[[Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council]]||[[Rotherham Town Hall]]||Covers [[Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham]]
|-
|[[Sheffield City Council]]||[[Sheffield Town Hall]]|| Covers [[City of Sheffield]] district
|}

The [[South Yorkshire County Council]] was abolished and its districts effectively became unitary authorities; they are the [[City of Sheffield]], the [[City of Doncaster]], the [[Metropolitan Borough of Barnsley]] and the [[Metropolitan Borough of Rotherham]].<ref>[http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10092784 Vision of Britain] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061109141325/http://www.visionofbritain.org.uk/relationships.jsp?u_id=10092784 |date=9 November 2006 }} – Components of South Yorkshire</ref>

In 1986, throughout England the metropolitan county councils were abolished. The [[ceremonial counties of England|ceremonial]] county with a [[Lord Lieutenant of South Yorkshire]] and a [[High Sheriff of South Yorkshire|High Sheriff]] was retained. The county remains defined as [[metropolitan and non-metropolitan counties of England|metropolitan]], functions of the county council devolved to the boroughs with many functions administered by joint authorities (such a [[passenger transport executive]]) containing representatives of the four councils.

The [[South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority]] was established in 2014 to bring the leaders of the four councils to give the county a main statutory body. It is led by the directly elected [[Mayor of South Yorkshire]].

In the [[2016 United Kingdom European Union membership referendum|2016 referendum on the United Kingdom's membership of the European Union]], South Yorkshire voted 62% leave and 38% remain, making it one of the most heavily Leave areas in the country.

== Demography ==
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! rowspan="3" |Ethnic Group
! colspan="8" |Years
|-
! colspan="2" |1981 estimations<ref name=":03">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |1991 census<ref name=":02">{{Cite book |url=http://archive.org/details/ethnicityin1991c0000unse |title=Ethnicity in the 1991 census: Vol 3 - Social geography and ethnicity in Britain, geographical spread, spatial concentration and internal migration |date=1996 |publisher=London : HMSO |others=Internet Archive |isbn=978-0-11-691655-6}}</ref><ref name=":412">Data is taken from United Kingdom [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/index.htm Casweb Data services] of the United Kingdom [http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm 1991 Census on Ethnic Data for England, Scotland and Wales] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220405213012/http://casweb.ukdataservice.ac.uk/step1.cfm|date=2022-04-05}} (Table 6)</ref>
! colspan="2" |2001 census<ref>{{cite web |title=Office of National Statistics; 2001 Census Key Statistics |url=https://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/ukgwa/20160105160709/http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/census/census-2001-key-statistics/local-authorities-in-england-and-wales/local-authorities-ks06--ethnic-group.xls |access-date=2021-09-07 |website=webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk}}</ref>
! colspan="2" |2021 census<ref>{{Cite web |title=Ethnic group - Office for National Statistics |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/datasets/TS021/editions/2021/versions/1/filter-outputs/d2f0a39a-75b6-4995-b4bd-a5b68ff79027#get-data |access-date=2022-11-29 |website=www.ons.gov.uk}}</ref>
|-
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
!Number
!%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
![[White people in the United Kingdom|White]]: Total
!1,291,660
!98.1%
!1,263,799
!97.1%
!1,204,988
!95.1%
!1,206,059
!87.7%
|-
|White: [[White British|British]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,186,605
|93.7%
|1,142,678
|83.1%
|-
|White: [[White Irish|Irish]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|6,655
|0.5%
|4,930
|0.4%
|-
|White: [[White Gypsy or Irish Traveller|Gypsy or Irish Traveller]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,653
|0.1%
|-
|White: Roma
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|4,156
|0.3%
|-
|White: [[Other White|Other]]
|–
|–
|–
|–
|11,728
|0.9%
|52,642
|3.8%
|-
![[British Asian|Asian or Asian British]]: Total
!14,423
!1.1%
!22,559
!1.7%
!35,933
!3%
!79,119
!5.7%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Indians|Indian]]
|2,444
|
|3,645
|
|5,186
|0.4%
|10,893
|0.8%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Pakistanis|Pakistani]]
|9,174
|
|14,017
|1.1%
|22,187
|1.8%
|41,190
|3.0%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Bangladeshis|Bangladeshi]]
|675
|
|1249
|
|2,025
|0.2%
|4,610
|0.3%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: [[British Chinese|Chinese]]
|1376
|
|2241
|
|3,273
|0.3%
|9,722
|0.7%
|-
|Asian or Asian British: Other Asian
|754
|
|1407
|
|3,262
|0.3%
|12,704
|0.9%
|-
![[Black British people|Black or Black British]]: Total
!7,772
!
!10,517
!
!10,755
!0.9%
!33,985
!2.5%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Black British people|African]]
|968
|
|1,414
|
|3,770
|0.3%
|24,335
|1.8%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[British African-Caribbean people|Caribbean]]
|4,851
|
|6,365
|
|6,156
|0.5%
|5,818
|0.4%
|-
|Black or Black British: [[Classification of ethnicity in the United Kingdom|Other Black]]
|1,953
|
|2,738
|
|829
|0.1%
|3,832
|0.3%
|-
![[Mixed (United Kingdom ethnicity category)|Mixed]]: Total
!–
!–
!–
!–
!11,953
!1%
!30,454
!2.2%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black Caribbean
|–
|–
|–
|–
|5,162
|0.4%
|11,266
|0.8%
|-
|Mixed: White and Black African
|–
|–
|–
|–
|1,102
|0.1%
|4,124
|0.3%
|-
|Mixed: White and Asian
|–
|–
|–
|–
|3,253
|0.3%
|8,316
|0.6%
|-
|Mixed: Other Mixed
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,436
|0.2%
|6,748
|0.5%
|-
!Other: Total
!3,345
!
!5,026
!
!2,709
!0.2%
!25,388
!1.9%
|-
|Other: Arab
|–
|–
|–
|–
|2,709
|0.2%
|10,373
|0.8%
|-
|Other: Any other ethnic group
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|–
|15,015
|1.1%
|-
!Non-White: Total
!25,541
!1.9%
!38,101
!2.9%
!61,350
!4.9%
!168,946
!12.3%
|-
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
!Total
!1,317,201
!100%
!1,301,900
!100%
!1,266,338
!100%
!1,375,005
!100%
|}

==Economy==
As one of the least prosperous areas in Western Europe, South Yorkshire has been targeted for funding from the [[European Regional Development Fund]]. This is a chart of trend of regional gross value added of South Yorkshire at current basic prices with figures in millions of British Pounds Sterling.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf |title=Regional Gross Value Added |access-date=6 October 2008 |date=21 December 2005 |publisher=Office for National Statistics |pages=240–253 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070702185534/http://www.statistics.gov.uk/downloads/theme_economy/RegionalGVA.pdf |archive-date=2 July 2007 |url-status=live }}</ref>

However, the county has experienced a recent growth in the services sector. In the [[fDi Magazine|FDI European Cities and Regions of the Future 2022/23 Awards]], Doncaster was ranked the best small city in Europe for investment.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Year || Regional Gross Value Added<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossvalueaddedgva/timeseries/aem3/ragv |title=GVA UKE3 South Yorkshire Raw total £m |access-date=15 August 2017 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170815185305/https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/grossvalueaddedgva/timeseries/aem3/ragv |archive-date=15 August 2017 |url-status=live }}</ref> 
|-
| 1998 || '''£12,820''' 
|-
| 2001 || '''£13,921''' 
|-
|2004
|'''£17,718'''
|-
|2007
|'''£21,192'''
|-
|2010|| '''£21,512''' 
|-
|2013
|'''£22,560'''
|}

==Places of interest==
{{See also|Culture of Sheffield}}
[[File:East of the lake at Rother Valley Country Park (geograph 7049522).jpg|thumb|[[Rother Valley Country Park]]]]
{{EngPlacesKey|align=right}}

* [[Abbeydale Industrial Hamlet]], Sheffield [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[Brodsworth Hall]] and Gardens [[File:EH icon.svg]]
* [[Cannon Hall]] Museum, Park & Gardens, Barnsley [[File:HH icon.png]]
* [[Chapel of Our Lady of Rotherham Bridge]] ("Chapel on the Bridge"), Rotherham
* [[Clifton Park Museum]], Rotherham [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Conisbrough Castle]] [[File:EH icon.svg]]
* [[Cusworth Hall]] [[File:HH icon.png]]
* [[Doncaster Minster]] 
* [[Mansion House, Doncaster|Doncaster Mansion House]]
* [[Elsecar Steam Railway]] [[File:HR icon.svg]]
* [[Howden Edge|Howden Moors]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Kelham Island Museum]], [[Sheffield]] [[File:Museum icon (red).png]]
* [[Magna Science Adventure Centre]]
* [[Meadowhall Centre]], Sheffield
* [[Monk Bretton Priory]] [[File:EH icon.svg]]
* [[Pot House Hamlet]]
* [[Sheffield Winter Gardens]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[Roche Abbey]] [[File:EH icon.svg]] 
* [[Rotherham Minster]]
* [[Rother Valley Country Park]] [[File:UKAL icon.svg]]
* [[RSPB Old Moor Wetland Centre]]
* [[Sheffield Cathedral]]
* [[Ulley Reservoir]] & Country park [[File:CP icon.png]]
* [[Wentworth Castle]] & Gardens, Barnsley [[File:HH icon.png]]
* [[Wentworth Woodhouse]] [[File:HH icon.png]]
* [[Weston Park Museum]] & Mappin Art Gallery, Sheffield [[File:Museum icon.png]]
* [[Woodlands, South Yorkshire|Woodlands model village]]
* [[Worsbrough Mill|Worsborough Mill and Country Park]] [[File:CP icon.png]]
* [[Wortley Top Forge]]
* [[Yorkshire Wildlife Park]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Wikivoyage}}
{{Commons category|South Yorkshire}}
* {{official website|http://www.southyorks.gov.uk}}
* [http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0&mainQuery=&searchType=all&form=basic&theme=&county=SOUTH%20YORKSHIRE&district=&placeName= Images of South Yorkshire] ({{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150210171819/http://viewfinder.english-heritage.org.uk/search/results.aspx?index=0 |date=10 February 2015 }}) at the [[English Heritage Archive]]
* [https://www.southyorks.police.uk/ South Yorkshire Police]

{{South Yorkshire}}
{{Yorkshire}}
{{Yorkshire and the Humber}}
{{England counties}}
{{Metropolitan counties}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:South Yorkshire}}
[[Category:South Yorkshire| ]]
[[Category:Counties of England established in 1974]]
[[Category:Metropolitan areas of England]]
[[Category:Metropolitan counties]]