Defibrillator bought in Finningley resident’s memory remains uninstalled 8 months on due to council delays

The death of Peter Baines sparked his former work colleagues to purchase a defibrillator for his home village of Finningley eight months ago, but Doncaster Council is yet to make provisions for the device to be installed.

After Mr Baines passed away in April 2023, his family resolved to raise money for a defibrillator near his home in the Wroot Road and Gatesbridge Park area of the village.

Management at Mr Baines’ former company Harsco then purchased a full defibrilator and cabinet and donated it to his family.

Around £1000 had already been raised by family and friends, which was donated to Yorkshire Air Ambulance.

Mr Baines’ son Chris contacted Finningley ward councillor Steve Cox to find an appropriate place for the defibrillator.

Coun Cox is registered to maintain two other defibrillators in the village, one of which was used three times in less than a year.

In May 2023, he requested for the council to support installation of the device on a lamppost, due to the area having no public buildings.

Council representatives stated that they would be unable to fit the device without structural testing and means to measure its energy usage.

They suggested that councillors fit a pole to hold the defibrillator themselves, at the cost of the parish council.

Noting that speed cameras and speed limit signage are installed in the area from council budgets without parish consultation, Coun Cox requested that the council support the device’s installation.

After four months of back and forth communication, council representatives shared that the issue was being discussed at “a higher level”, and advised Coun Cox to explore other options.

In November, the council shared that a policy was being drafted to set out a framework for dealing with defibrilator installation, with a Christmas deadline.

By a meeting of full council in January 2024, the council had not shared any further updates.

Fellow ward councillor Jane Cox asked Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones: “There is an old saying that where there is a will there is a way. Unfortunately, we have the way, but will is sadly lacking from the council. Since May, we have tried to find a solution to this problem, but every turn we are thwarted by council bureaucracy.

“We are now nearly a year in, and I can’t imagine how his family are feeling. We have suggested many solutions to this problem but none will be agreed upon. We are now at the stage where council have decided they need a policy. We all know how long that’s going to take.

“We can put Christmas decorations on lampposts, but will not allow life-saving defibrillators. We understand there are others across the borough in similar situations. Will the mayor commit to solving the situation immediately, before another life is unnecessarily lost?”

While a formal response was not received, the council stated that Mayor Jones is looking into the concerns.