Doncaster Mayor recaps council’s achievements two years into term

During last week’s meeting of full council, Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones reviewed the city’s progress as she celebrated two years of the current term.

At the same time, she celebrated 10 years in office as the city’s mayor.

She will soon release a new Mayoral Plan to the public which will both reflect on past achievements and look ahead to aims for the next two years.

The council will focus on goals to create a “Safer, Stronger, Cleaner and Green Doncaster for all”.

Key achievements that Mayor Ros Jones celebrated in her speech include:

• Refreshment of the Equalities, Diversity and Inclusion framework to ensure it is integrated in decision-making
• Development of locality-specific plans and budgets based on resident priorities
• Support of residents through the cost-of-living crisis through advice and the Household Support Fund
• Welcoming of over 225 Ukrainian refugees
• Creation of Fairness and Wellbeing commission which will create a report later this year
• New Community Prevention Service
• Investments in home care and supported living
• £14 million total investment in leisure facilities
• £3 million investment planned for Parks Improvement Programmes
• 100,000 trees planted and 1.6 million square metres of land allowed to naturalise
• 150 new electric vehicle charging points installed (in last year)
• 850 homes fitted with various energy efficiency measures
• 118 SMEs and micro businesses assisted with low carbon grants (in last year)
• Over 400 homes fitted with flood resilience measures following 2019 floods
• 15,000 new jobs, 10,000 houses built and unemployment rates fell from 11 percent to less than 3 percent (in the last decade).

The mayor went on to list some of the priorities that will be included in her upcoming Mayoral Plan.

These included adding 250 new council homes to stock as part of the Council House Build and Acquisitions programmes.

Efforts will also be focused on bringing supported housing up to standard and the continued effort to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.

A focus will also be on city and town centre regeneration programmes which are planned at the Waterfront, St James’ baths, the city gateway and Stainforth.

The mayor concluded by thanking Doncaster’s elected members for their support.