Hatfield: Crisis looms for town council in Doncaster as staff look to leave

Sources within Hatfield Town Council have suggested a good number of the six members of staff employed by the authority are looking for new jobs after councillor Michael Glynn, known as Mick, was appointed town mayor.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) on the condition of anonymity, a member of staff said without them “there’s no way to process payments or conduct the business of the council”, adding it would not be able to run.

In March 2025, Glynn was sanctioned by the City of Doncaster Council for multiple breaches of the councillors’ code of conduct.

One incident included failure to treat the Hatfield Town Council clerk “with respect”, with the town clerk leaving the role soon after the incident.

Glynn was ordered to make written apologies to staff and other councillors and undertake training on the code of conduct – the LDRS understands he has not done either at the time of writing.

Glynn’s mayorship reportedly got off to a rocky start at the annual meeting when officers reportedly left the meeting after being “attacked” by members.

The LDRS was told: “At the annual meeting of the town, it’s the job of the mayor to say what had happened over the last year and what he hopes to do over the next year.

“He lives in a dream world. He’s been a councillor at these full council meetings. He started saying he didn’t recall the council doing anything last year.

“He just attacked the staff. They walked out… [the councillors] continued to slander the admin team and he didn’t protect the rights of the staff. He has a duty to protect his staff as the leader of the council.”

Minutes from the meeting shared to the council website said Mayor Glynn opened the meeting at 6.35pm, after being reminded by the clerk the start time was 6.30pm, not 7pm.

It reads: “The mayor stated that he was unable to give a list as he wasn’t aware the council had achieved anything in the last year. He stated the clerks had refused to help.

“The clerk said to the mayor that was unfair as he had been present at every meeting in the last 12 months, the clerks had not and his request for information came through on Sunday when the clerks don’t work.

“Due to the verbal attack received, the Locum clerk and deputy clerk left the meeting.”

Glynn’s alleged treatment of authority staff has reportedly led some to begin seeking alternative employment – putting Hatfield Town Council on the verge of crisis.

Should the council stop fulfilling its responsibilities without its staff, the City of Doncaster Council may eventually be required to step in, the LDRS has been told.

“I don’t think he understands what the [town council] does,” the LDRS was told, “He doesn’t understand the processes and functions of the council.

“He’s not fit to be the mayor. He will watch the council go into dysfunction and just stand by. People don’t realise what they voted for.

“The councillors need to remember that they are not volunteers. They are elected members of the council and have a legal responsibility to do the job.”

Glynn was made mayor with long-time colleague Mark Broadhurst, who is also an independent councillor on the City of Doncaster Council, becoming deputy mayor.

Broadhurst was elected a Reform UK councillor, but lost the whip in May 2025 over “unacceptable” social media posts.

Cllr Glynn, Hatfield Town Council and the City of Doncaster Council have not responded to requests for comment.