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Council - Thursday, 10th July, 2025 6.00 pm

July 10, 2025 View on council website
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Summary

The Doncaster Council was scheduled to meet on 10 July 2025. The agenda included questions from the public to Mayor Ros Jones, a motion regarding the flying of the Union Flag on council property, and the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2024/2025. Councillors were also expected to receive minutes from various joint authorities, including the South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA).

Motion on Flying the Union Flag

Councillor Jason Charity, seconded by Councillor Karl Hughes, proposed a motion to revise the corporate flag protocol. The motion stated that the council should only fly the Union Flag on council property, with exceptions only for the Royal Standard when the King is present and the national flag of a visiting head of state. The motion argued that displaying other flags undermines the council's impartiality and risks politicising civic spaces.

Council property belongs to all residents and should reflect our shared national identity, not particular causes, campaigns, or interest groups.

The motion requested that Mayor Ros Jones consider adopting the revised protocol and that the Chief Executive provide a report on the implementation progress at the September 2025 council meeting.

Questions from the Public

Members of the public were scheduled to ask questions of Mayor Ros Jones.

  • Mr Daniel Pye asked about installing a zebra crossing on Jossey Lane near Castle Hills Primary School, arguing that a child's life is priceless and that the council should make this a priority. He noted that he and Ed Miliband MP had previously requested the crossing but were told it was not cost-effective based on accident statistics.
  • Mr Paul Bissett raised concerns about two large developments in Edenthorpe where most houses are being bought by private investment, disadvantaging locals and inflating rental prices. He asked why St Leger Homes could not buy these properties to rent at social housing prices.
  • Mr Steve Merriman questioned whether the council had identified further unused earmarked reserves beyond the £2.7 million used to cover a budget overspend in 2024/25, from within the £87.5 million of earmarked reserves declared in the 2024/25 council accounts.
  • Mr Isaiah-John Reasbeck asked what measures would be implemented to prevent incidents like the one he witnessed in Dunsville, where an elderly man was knocked over by thugs on a motorbike.
  • Mr Christopher Nowak asked why five retail units in Doncaster's Corn Exchange were still empty after a two-year refurbishment, despite incentives being offered to attract traders by MAM Ltd and Business Doncaster.
  • Mrs Sarah Barnes asked about plans to restore staff pay, noting that Doncaster Council staff are paid less than their equivalents in Sheffield, Barnsley and Rotherham, which affects recruitment, retention, and morale. She mentioned that the GMB union is campaigning for pay restoration in Doncaster Council.

Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2024/2025

The council was scheduled to receive and note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2024/2025. The report highlights the work of the council's Overview and Scrutiny function from 1 May 2024 to 31 March 2025.

The report summarises the activities of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (OSMC) and its four standing panels:

  • Regeneration and Housing Panel
  • Community and Environment Panel
  • Health and Adult Social Care Panel
  • Children and Young People Panel

The report also identifies priorities for Overview and Scrutiny for 2025/26. According to the report, Overview and Scrutiny provides an important role for non-executive councillors to provide checks and balances within the decision-making process. It enables them to:

  • Monitor the quality of service delivery
  • Review policy and contribute to its development
  • Consider issues of wider public concern
  • Provide a critical friend and challenge role

The report includes examples of how scrutiny has added value to decision-making and supported good governance. It also lists the public and partners who have taken part in scrutiny meetings. The report details how Overview and Scrutiny has engaged with the public through site visits and scrutiny meetings held in the council chamber.

The report concludes by outlining the Overview and Scrutiny priorities for 2025/26.

Joint Authorities' Minutes

The council was scheduled to receive the minutes of the following joint authorities:

Attendees

Profile image for Councillor Tim Needham
Councillor Tim Needham  Civic Mayor •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Armthorpe
Profile image for Councillor Jackie Dudley
Councillor Jackie Dudley  Deputy Civic Mayor •  Reform UK •  Tickhill and Wadworth
Profile image for CouncillorGlyn Jones
CouncillorGlyn Jones  Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Environment, Housing and Safer Communities •  Labour •  Hexthorpe and Balby North
Profile image for Councillor Nick Allen
Councillor Nick Allen  Conservative •  Bessacarr
Profile image for CouncillorGuy Aston
CouncillorGuy Aston  Reform Group Leader •  Reform UK •  Wheatley Hills and Intake
Profile image for Councillor Bob Anderson
Councillor Bob Anderson  Labour •  Rossington and Bawtry
Profile image for Councillor Stephen Barnett
Councillor Stephen Barnett  Reform UK •  Edlington and Warmsworth
Profile image for CouncillorOliver Bloor
CouncillorOliver Bloor  Reform UK •  Sprotbrough
Profile image for Councillor Rebecca Booth
Councillor Rebecca Booth  Reform UK •  Bentley
Profile image for Councillor Gemma Cobby
Councillor Gemma Cobby  Labour •  Town
Profile image for Councillor Joan Briggs
Councillor Joan Briggs  Reform UK •  Edlington and Warmsworth
Profile image for CouncillorMark Broadhurst
CouncillorMark Broadhurst  Independent •  Hatfield
Profile image for Councillor Nicola Brown
Councillor Nicola Brown  Reform UK •  Adwick and Carcroft
Profile image for CouncillorDavid Carroll
CouncillorDavid Carroll  Reform UK •  Bessacarr
Profile image for Councillor Jason Charity
Councillor Jason Charity  Reform UK •  Conisbrough
Profile image for Councillor Jane Cox
Councillor Jane Cox  Conservative •  Finningley
Profile image for Councillor Steve Cox
Councillor Steve Cox  Conservative Group Leader •  Conservative •  Finningley
Profile image for Councillor Ioan-Emanuel Craciun
Councillor Ioan-Emanuel Craciun  Reform UK •  Balby South
Profile image for Councillor Paul Cutts
Councillor Paul Cutts  Reform UK •  Wheatley Hills and Intake
Profile image for Councillor Dan Dawson
Councillor Dan Dawson  Reform UK •  Hatfield
Profile image for Councillor Rob Dennis
Councillor Rob Dennis  Labour •  Town
Profile image for Councillor Antony Dodds
Councillor Antony Dodds  Reform UK •  Mexborough
Profile image for CouncillorSue Farmer
CouncillorSue Farmer  Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families. •  Labour •  Balby South
Profile image for Councillor Martin Greenhalgh
Councillor Martin Greenhalgh  Conservative •  Tickhill and Wadworth
Profile image for CouncillorKen Guest
CouncillorKen Guest  Labour •  Rossington and Bawtry
Profile image for CouncillorMaria Hollingworth
CouncillorMaria Hollingworth  Reform UK •  Adwick and Carcroft
Profile image for Councillor Karl Hughes
Councillor Karl Hughes  Reform UK •  Stainforth and Barnby Dun
Profile image for Councillor Frank Jackson
Councillor Frank Jackson  Reform UK •  Norton and Askern
Profile image for Councillor Alexander Jones
Councillor Alexander Jones  Reform UK •  Edenthorpe and Kirk Sandall
Profile image for Councillor Majid Khan
Councillor Majid Khan  Labour •  Town
Profile image for Councillor Chris Kidger
Councillor Chris Kidger  Reform UK •  Bessacarr
Profile image for Councillor Jane Kidd
Councillor Jane Kidd  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Wheatley Hills and Intake
Profile image for Councillor Dave Knight
Councillor Dave Knight  Reform UK •  Thorne and Moorends
Profile image for Councillor Vicky Lawson
Councillor Vicky Lawson  Reform UK •  Norton and Askern
Profile image for Councillor Kieran Lay
Councillor Kieran Lay  Reform UK •  Thorne and Moorends
Profile image for Councillor Russ Linley
Councillor Russ Linley  Reform UK •  Hexthorpe and Balby North
Profile image for CouncillorChristopher Marriott
CouncillorChristopher Marriott  Reform UK •  Armthorpe
Profile image for CouncillorBrendan Megaw
CouncillorBrendan Megaw  Reform UK •  Mexborough
Profile image for CouncillorDavid Nevett
CouncillorDavid Nevett  Cabinet Member for Adults, Wellbeing and Culture •  Labour •  Edenthorpe and Kirk Sandall
Profile image for Councillor Steven Plater
Councillor Steven Plater  Reform UK •  Adwick and Carcroft
Profile image for Councillor Nick Pritchard
Councillor Nick Pritchard  Reform UK •  Armthorpe
Profile image for CouncillorCynthia Ransome
CouncillorCynthia Ransome  Conservative •  Sprotbrough
Profile image for Councillor John Reed
Councillor John Reed  Reform UK •  Mexborough
Profile image for Councillor Rachel Reed
Councillor Rachel Reed  Reform UK •  Conisbrough
Profile image for Councillor Howard Rimmer
Councillor Howard Rimmer  Reform UK •  Roman Ridge
Profile image for Councillor Lee Sammut
Councillor Lee Sammut  Labour •  Rossington and Bawtry
Profile image for Councillor William Shaw
Councillor William Shaw  Reform UK •  Conisbrough
Profile image for CouncillorNick Smith
CouncillorNick Smith  Reform UK •  Hatfield
Profile image for CouncillorGerald Squire
CouncillorGerald Squire  Reform UK •  Norton and Askern
Profile image for Councillor Symeon Waller
Councillor Symeon Waller  Conservative •  Finningley
Profile image for Councillor Craig Ward
Councillor Craig Ward  Reform UK •  Roman Ridge
Profile image for Councillor Glyn Whiting
Councillor Glyn Whiting  Reform UK •  Thorne and Moorends
Profile image for Councillor Neil Wood
Councillor Neil Wood  Reform UK •  Stainforth and Barnby Dun

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

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