After 42 councillors rebelled against Mr Winter and declared they had "no confidence in the elected mayor's style of leadership and conduct" at Monday's heated meeting of the full council, there were demands for intervention of Government troubleshooters - a move council bosses are keen to fight off.

Coun David Hughes (Ind), who brought the motion against the mayor, declaring Mr Winter was running a "mayoral dictatorship", said to councillors: "Get the Government in now. There is a case for it now."

The authority has been threatened with Government intervention after a damning report by district auditors which particularly slammed the council's handling of children's and older people's services.

The authority was said to be the only council in the country that was not improving adequately enough.

The inspection report also criticised the behaviour of councillors and the auditors urged members to "work together" to fight off an otherwise "bleak future" for the borough.

Speaking after the meeting, Leader of the Alliance of Independent Members, Coun Garth Oxby backed Coun Hughes' plea.

He said: "There is a feeling among some councillors it is better to call them in now rather then let things get worse for nine months and wait until next year.

"This is not just my group. It is right across the council chamber," he said.

Yesterday however, council managing director Paul Hart - the man charged with fighting off Government intervention - dismissed Coun Hughes' request for action.

He said the authority was "miles and miles away" from a Government takeover and insisted the scenario of the council being placed in special measures - which has happened at several failing local authorities including Hull - was highly unlikely.

He said the council had even been praised by a Government office for the recent progress made in turning around performances.

Said Mr Hart: "Councillors have stated the council is in chaos. From our point of view we are not in chaos. We are improving at a rate well above the average council."

He added he would undertake the next progress review in September.
But the vote, which included seven abstentions and only eight votes in support of Mr Winter, has knocked hopes that councillors will work more closely with the mayor.

After being branded a "bully" and "a despot in a desperate situation" by Coun Mick Maye (Ind) during the meeting, the mayor, who refused to speak in the chamber, hit back at a hastily-called press conference, branding the chamber a "kangaroo court" and labelling the vote as "an orchestrated campaign" aimed at "victimising and harassing an innocent man."

He told the press: "This will damage an awful lot of political careers but it won't have damaged mine.

"I will complete a second term. That is what 46,000 people elected me to do," he added.

In response, Coun Oxby added later: "We are not going to black-ball everything he proposes. We will look at each matter on its merits.

"However, The Alliance of Independents will look at anything and everything and we will be in the role of damage limitation for Doncaster. We are not going to let him leave us in a worse position then we are in."

* What do you think? Should the mayor resign? Click here to e-mail us at editorial@doncastertoday.co.uk or click here to comment on this story at www.doncasterfree press.co.uk