Councillor calls Mexborough’s £500 events budget from Doncaster Council ‘absolutely disgusting’

A councillor has said the amount of money offered by Doncaster Council to fund events in Mexborough is ‘absolutely disgusting’.
Mexborough First Coun Sean GibbonsMexborough First Coun Sean Gibbons
Mexborough First Coun Sean Gibbons

Mexborough First Coun Sean Gibbons described the £500 sum given by the local authority as ‘crumbs’ and said the funding formula ‘wasn’t a level playing field’.

He said the town is getting three pence per head for events despite being described as the fifth largest settlement in South Yorkshire.

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Coun Gibbons said he was told £380 of the £500 was earmarked for an Easter event and had to push for more cash.

The council has offered a further £400 through Business Doncaster but Coun Gibbons said this ‘still isn’t enough'.

The independent member said ‘at a rough count’ Doncaster received £200,000 in taxpayers money for a series of high profile events.

It is understood both Coun Gibbons and fellow Mexborough First councillor Bev Chapman met with senior council officials recently to ask for more information about events expenditure across Doncaster and the formula, if any, used to calculate distribution of funds.

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They also want to know how much is being spent on the upcoming Tour de Yorkshire and Delicious Doncaster Food Festival, which is also next month.

Coun Gibbons said: “This is ludicrous, it’s absolutely disgusting quite frankly we’re being offered this much.

“The £500 which was offered last year was only done to bat off a guy who has badgered the council – it wasn’t done as an equal offer.

“This wasn’t done as a joined up approach as part of any plan it was just a few crumbs they could spare.

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“We are appalled and we will not tolerated anymore. The council need to equally spend money to increase footfall into Mexborough.

“A formula per head situation would be the fairest but it all depends upon what the Labour executive decide what to spend it on.

“This goes wider as well because it’s not just Mexborough that’s losing out – other outlying communities I’m sure are being shortchanged here."

Doncaster Council did not respond when asked for a comment.