City of Doncaster Council

History

The town of Doncaster was an ancient borough, with its first known charter dating from 1194. The borough was reformed to become a municipal borough in 1836 under the Municipal Corporations Act 1835, which standardised how most boroughs operated across the country. By 1927 the borough was considered large enough to run its own county-level services, and so it was made a county borough, independent from West Riding County Council.

The county borough was abolished in 1974 and replaced by the larger Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster, which also took in the abolished urban districts of Adwick le Street, Bentley with Arksey, Conisbrough, Mexborough, and Tickhill, the rural districts of Doncaster and Thorne, and (from Nottinghamshire) the parish of Finningley and part of the parish of Harworth (the latter being added to the parish of Bawtry). From 1974 until 1986 the council provided district-level services, with county-level services provided by South Yorkshire County Council. Following the abolition of the county council in 1986, Doncaster also took on county-level services, with some functions provided in joint arrangements with the other South Yorkshire boroughs.

Since 2014 the council has been a constituent member of the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (called the Sheffield City Region until 2021), which has been led by the directly elected Mayor of South Yorkshire since 2018.

The borough was awarded city status in 2022, after which the council changed its named to City of Doncaster Council.

Governance

The council provides both district-level and county-level services. Some functions are provided through joint committees with the other South Yorkshire authorities. Much of the borough is covered by civil parishes, which form an additional tier of local government for their areas.

Political control

At the 2025 elections, Reform UK won a majority of the seats on the council, while Labour's Ros Jones retained the position of elected mayor. Positions on the council's ruling cabinet are chosen by the mayor, and all cabinet positions were given to Labour councillors. Jones was also reported to be putting arrangements in place for certain Reform UK and Conservative councillors to be able to discuss policy in private before decisions are formally made by the cabinet.

Political control of the council since the 1974 reforms has been as follows:

Leadership

Main article: Mayor of Doncaster

Prior to 2002, political leadership was provided by the leader of the council. Since 2002, political leadership has been provided instead by a directly elected Mayor of Doncaster. The council separately appoints a civic mayor each year, who is largely ceremonial.

The leaders from 1974 to 2002 were:

The directly elected mayors since 2002 have been:

Composition

Following the 2025 election, and a subsequent change of allegiance later in May 2025 from Reform UK to independent, the composition of the council (excluding the elected mayor's seat) was:

The next election is due in 2029.

Premises

The council is based at the Civic Office on Waterdale in Doncaster. It was purpose-built for the council and opened in January 2013.

From 1992 until 2013 the council was based at the Council House on College Road, formerly called Coal House, which had been built in 1966 as the headquarters of the National Coal Board. The Council House was subsequently demolished.

The council's annual meeting where new civic mayors are appointed is held at the city's Mansion House.

Elections

Since the last boundary changes in 2015 the council has comprised 55 councillors representing 21 wards, with each ward electing two or three councillors. Elections are held every four years.

From 1973 to 2014, the council was elected by thirds every year except the year in which county council elections took place in other parts of England. In 2015, the whole council was elected due to boundary changes to the wards and it was decided that the whole council would be elected every four years from 2017, so that the council elections would coincide with the election of the Mayor of Doncaster.

References

References

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2. (6 March 2020). "Former teacher formally appointed as Doncaster Council's chief executive with annual salary of £164,000". Doncaster Free Press.
3. "Doncaster Borough Charter of King Richard I, 2 May 1194".
4. (1835). "Report of the Commissioners Appointed to Inquire into the Municipal Corporations in England and Wales: Appendix 3".
5. "Doncaster Municipal Borough / County Borough". GB Historical GIS / University of Portsmouth.
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7. {{cite legislation UK. (1973)
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12. (9 May 2025). "Just four Labour councillors appointed to top team". BBC News.
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16. (22 February 1980). "Rates up a third". South Yorkshire Times.
17. (28 November 2005). "Obituary: George Brumwell". The Guardian.
18. (21 May 1982). "Power change at Doncaster". South Yorkshire Times.
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20. (8 November 1985). "Shock death of council leader". South Yorkshire Times.
21. (31 January 1986). "Concern over rates problem". South Yorkshire Times.
22. (11 January 1994). "Channel freight link boost to South Bank". Scunthorpe Evening Telegraph.
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24. (21 July 1994). "Heart torn from community". Retford Times.
25. (20 April 2001). "'Donnygate' claims third leader". The Guardian.
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27. (2 May 2002). "Ex-CID chief, and a monkey, go for top job". The Guardian.
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29. (22 February 2010). "Doncaster's political history: from Donnygate to mayor". BBC Sheffield and South Yorkshire.
30. (29 May 2008). "Mayor expelled from Labour Party". BBC News.
31. (7 June 2009). "English Democrat flies the red and white flag in Doncaster". The Guardian.
32. (5 February 2013). "Doncaster mayor quits English Democrats 'because of BNP'". BBC News.
33. (3 May 2013). "Labour's Ros Jones wins Doncaster mayoral elections". BBC News.
34. (2 May 2025). "Doncaster council results". BBC News.
35. "Doncaster". Thorncliffe.
36. (2025-05-29). "Reform UK expels Doncaster councillor over 'inappropriate' posts".
37. (8 October 2012). "Multi-million pound council office development complete". Yorkshire Post.
38. (20 July 2014). "Explosive end for Doncaster Council's former headquarters". BBC News.
39. "Council agenda, 23 May 2025".
40. {{cite legislation UK. (2015)
41. (31 August 2021). "Find Councillor".
42. "The Borough of Doncaster (Scheme of Elections) Order 2013". legislation.gov.uk.