The Cabinet of Doncaster Council met on Wednesday 17 June 2026, approving the submission of a full application to UNESCO for the Doncaster Humberhead Biosphere designation and accepting significant grant funding for improvements to the Trans Pennine Trail. The meeting also reviewed the council's financial and performance position for the 2025-26 financial year and received an update on St. Leger Homes of Doncaster's key performance indicators.

Doncaster Humberhead UNESCO Biosphere Nomination Decision

Cabinet approved the progression of the submission to UNESCO for the designation of the Doncaster Humberhead Biosphere. This ambition, set out in the Doncaster Delivering Together Strategy and the Economic Strategy 2030, aims to make the Doncaster Humberhead Biosphere the first UNESCO Biosphere Reserve in the North of England. The proposal is centred on the nationally significant peatlands of the Doncaster Humberhead Levels, which are ecologically rich and serve as vital carbon sinks. The designation is intended to balance biodiversity conservation with sustainable economic and community activity, leading to improved health and wellbeing through cleaner environments and high-quality green spaces, a stronger local economy, increased investment, and greater resilience to climate change. Crucially, the designation will not introduce new restrictions or regulations on land use. Cabinet also acknowledged the need for funding and resources for the management of the Biosphere and approved the pursuit of financial and in-kind contributions, and grant funding with key stakeholders through the development of partnership governance.

Trans Pennine Trail Improvements

The Cabinet agreed to accept grant funding of £1,222,093 from the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) via the City Region Sustainable Transport Settlement to deliver walking, wheeling, and cycling improvements along a 3km section of the Trans Pennine Trail between Melton Road and the Boat Inn. The scheme aims to improve surface conditions, protect the route from erosion with planned embankment repairs, and introduce accessibility enhancements, new wayfinding, and seating. This funding is part of a larger £570 million government award to SYMCA, with Doncaster receiving £72 million for transport infrastructure investment, levelling up services, and decarbonising transport. The improvements are seen as a practical investment on a heavily used route that is currently limited by poor surfacing, erosion, and accessibility issues, directly benefiting residents and supporting wider priorities for active travel, health, and sustainable transport.

2025-26 Quarter 4 Finance and Performance Improvement Report

The Cabinet reviewed the council's performance and financial outlook for the fourth quarter of the 2025-26 financial year. The outturn position for the year was balanced, with a net overspend of £1.2 million, which was funded by the planned release of earmarked reserves. This represented a £4 million improvement since the third quarter, reflecting actions taken across various council services to maximise grant funding, receive unexpected one-off income, and effectively manage vacancies. However, the report highlighted ongoing overspends in areas such as adult social care, driven by increasing demand, and projected shortfalls against income targets.

Significant pressures were noted in adult social care, with an overspend of £7.5 million, primarily due to increased care provided through direct payments, supported living, and homecare. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) High Needs Block also showed an in-year deficit of £13.3 million, though this was an improvement of £4.7 million compared to the third quarter forecast. The government's commitment to fund 90% of this deficit was welcomed, easing financial risk exposure. The report also detailed progress against approved savings, with £6.3 million delivered against a £7.3 million target, and provided an update on the council's reserve strategy. Cabinet members commended the work of officers in managing expenditure and noted positive progress in areas such as children's services, with improvements in Education, Health and Care Plan timeliness and strong outcomes for children in care.

St. Leger Homes of Doncaster Limited (SLHD) Key Performance Indicators and Tenant Satisfaction Measures Update

The Cabinet noted the performance report for St. Leger Homes of Doncaster (SLHD) for the fourth quarter and year-end of the 2025-26 financial year. The report detailed key performance indicators (KPIs) and tenant satisfaction measures (TSMs), highlighting strong operational performance across many areas. Of the 31 KPIs measured at year-end, 22 met or were within agreed tolerances of their targets. Key successes were noted in rent arrears, homelessness prevention, tenant satisfaction, safety compliance, and employment support.

Areas identified for improvement included void rent loss, non-emergency repairs, local expenditure, and property decency. The report indicated that 2.85% of current rent arrears were recorded at year-end, which was better than the target of 2.95%. Void rent loss was 1.00%, exceeding the target of 0.80%, partly due to a high number of void properties requiring major repairs. The average days to re-let a property was 25.7 days, slightly above the 25-day target but an improvement from the previous year. Homelessness prevention performance was strong, with 53% of accommodation cases at the prevention stage settled, exceeding the 50% target. SLHD also exceeded its target for assisting tenants into training, education, or employment, helping 117 individuals against a target of 100. Tenant satisfaction levels remained stable, with some slight variations compared to previous years. Cabinet members expressed their pleasure at the continuous improvements and progression being made, particularly in relation to financial pressures, and conveyed thanks to the staff of St. Leger Homes for their efforts.