New Doncaster councillors tell peer review they were 'paper candidates' and did not expect to be elected
“Some councillors have been exemplary in their attendance and participation. Others, much less so.”
A number of new councillors elected to the City of Doncaster Council have said they were ‘paper candidates’ and hadn’t expected to be elected, according to the recent Local Government Association (LGA) peer review.
At the May 2025 local elections, 39 of the 56 councillors elected to the council were brand new, with Reform UK sweeping to a majority in the chamber and becoming a large opposition to the minority administration led by Labour’s Mayor Ros Jones.
A recent report from an LGA peer review team determined there needs to be more training for elected councillors to assist them in their roles.
But it also questioned the commitment from some councillors to partake in relevant training.
The report said: “Some councillors have been exemplary in their attendance and participation. Others, much less so.
“We heard that a number of new councillors were ‘paper candidates’ and not expecting to be elected. This is relevant context in understanding their initial experience and training needs. It cannot, however, provide an indefinite explanation for any shortcomings in the discharge of elected member responsibilities.”
Every party on Doncaster Council had at least one brand new councillor elected.
The peer review report added: “Once elected, members have accepted the significant responsibilities of public office and there needs to be a move away from explaining why they may initially have been unprepared to ensuring that they are properly supported and held to the standards expected of elected members.”
In a joint statement with the council’s chief executive Damian Allen, the leaders of all the political groups said they welcomed the findings of the peer review and said it had been a ‘challenging period’ for the authority since the May 2025 local elections.
They said: “Those elections brought a big change to the council’s political make-up, and that has tested how all of us, councillors and officers, work together. The review highlights strengths to build on and recommendations that will help us improve.
“We also welcome the honest feedback provided by the peer team and recognise that improvement is an ongoing process. Together we are committed to delivering the changes identified, with transparency and accountability central to our approach.”