Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster

According to the 2011 census, the estimated population of the Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster is 302,400.

Verified population statistics per Ward from the 2001 census are shown as

A referendum was held in 2001 to decide if a directly elected mayor should be appointed. The first mayor, Martin Winter, representing the Labour Party, was elected in 2002 and successfully defended his post in 2005.

In 2009 the English Democrat candidate, Peter Davies, won the election for mayor.[2][3] In January 2013 Davies left the English Democrats citing "a big influx of new members (of the English Democrats) joining from the British National Party".[4] In the May 2013 mayoral election he was defeated by Labour's Ros Jones.

The council as a whole has been dominated by the Labour Party traditionally, but in the 2004 local elections, they lost overall control of the council (though they retained more councillors than any other single party). Labour regained overall control at the 2010 local elections.[5]

In January 2010 the Audit Commission initiated a corporate governance inspection of Doncaster Council. This followed the sudden resignation of the Chief executive leading to a conflict between the mayor and council over the appointment of a successor. The Commission felt that this, along with evidence that the council had not been well run for 15 years, was leading to a loss of public confidence.[6]

The Commission's report was issued in April 2010. It found that Doncaster was a dysfunctional authority and that there were three factors preventing the council from providing good governance:[7]

• The councillors' attempts to undermine the authority of the mayor and cabinet. There was evidence that councillors had never accepted the mayoral system and tried to use their overview and scrutiny powers to frustrate the mayor's policy objectives. In February 2010 the council had rejected the mayor's budget and voted in favour of their own proposals.
• The lack of effective leadership shown by the mayor and cabinet. The mayor was described as "not averse to provocative and inflammatory statements" and it was felt that he "does not always act in a way which demonstrates the need for an elected mayor to lead his authority and represent all the people in Doncaster".
• The failure of chief officers to deliver effectively services. Some senior officers were found to acquiesce in the councillors' misuse of scrutiny powers. There was also a lack of trust and impartiality.

On the recommendations of the commission, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, used powers to appoint an acting chief executive and an advisory board to oversee the council.[6] A Doncaster Recovery Board, comprising four appointed commissioners and seven other members including the mayor and chief executive held its first quarterly meeting on 10 September 2010.[8]

Settlements in the Borough of Doncaster include:

Doncaster

Bentley

Adwick le Street

Conisbrough

Mexborough

Armthorpe

Dunscroft/Hatfield

Rossington

Thorne

The nine largest settlements of the Borough of Doncaster

View from Cusworth Hall towards Doncaster

• Adwick-le-Street, Arksey, Armthorpe, Askern, Auckley, Austerfield
• Balby, Barnburgh, Barnby Dun, Bawtry, Belle Vue, Bentley, Bessacarr, Blaxton, Braithwaite, Braithwell, Branton, Brodsworth, Burghwallis
• Cadeby, Campsall, Cantley, Carcroft, Clayton, Clifton, Conisbrough, Cusworth
• Denaby, Doncaster, Dunscroft, Dunsville
• Edenthorpe, Edlington
• Fenwick, Finningley, Fishlake
• Hampole, Harlington, Hatfield, Hatfield Woodhouse, Hayfield, Haywood, Hexthorpe, Highfields, Hickleton, High Levels, High Melton, Hooton Pagnell, Hyde Park
• Intake
• Kirk Sandall, Kirk Bramwith
• Lakeside, Lindholme, Loversall
• Marr, Mexborough, Micklebring, Moorends, Moss
• New Rossington, Norton
• Owston
• Rossington
• Scawsby, Scawthorpe, Skelbrooke, Skellow, Sprotbrough, Stainforth, Stainton, South Yorkshire, Sykehouse
• Thorne, Thorpe in Balne, Tickhill, Tilts, Toll Bar, Town Moor
• Wadworth, Warmsworth, West Bessacarr, Wheatley, Wheatley Hills, Woodlands

Radio stations that can be received in Doncaster are Sine FM 102.6 (serving central districts of around 100,000 households in FM stereo), TMCR 95.3 (which serves Northeast Doncaster and other areas in FM stereo), Trax FM, Capital Yorkshire, Hallam FM and BBC Radio Sheffield, although both Viking FM and BBC Radio Humberside overlap into this area. Although the above stations can be received within various areas of Doncaster, the only stations actually owned by Doncaster-based companies are Sine FM 102.6 and TMCR 95.3.

The borough is also the base of Nova Productions who produce the syndicated TV series Walks Around Britain.

The following people and military units have received the Freedom of the Borough of Doncaster.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Metropolitan Borough of Doncaster.

• Doncaster College
• Doncaster Belles L.F.C. homepage
• Doncaster Rovers F.C. homepage
• StadiumWatch homepage
• Doncaster Sheffield Airport
• Doncaster Lakeside