Reform UK have secured an extraordinary meeting of the City of Doncaster Council in attempts to regain control of the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee (OSMC).

The Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) understands the meeting, scheduled for October 23, 2025, will see the party nominate new chairs and vice-chairs of various council committees.

A group spokesperson declined to comment on their exact plans for the meeting, including on who they would be nominating to chair key committees.

In May 2025, Reform UK agreed to allow Labour to chair the quasi-judicial planning committee and to vice-chair a number of scrutiny panels, including the main OSMC.

Councillors will gather in the chamber for an extraordinary meeting of council on October 23, 2025. | LDRS

placeholder image — Councillors will gather in the chamber for an extraordinary meeting of council on October 23, 2025. | LDRS

Labour, who control the council through Mayor Ros Jones, said calling the meeting “puts the judgement of many Reform councillors into question”.

A party spokesperson said: “Reform has requested this additional meeting of Full Council in order to sort out the mess they created when two of their councillors set up a business in an attempt to bid for council contracts in relation to the airport.

“This has seen one councillor kicked out of Reform and removed from committees and the other councillor has resigned as deputy leader of Reform and resigned as chair of a committee.”

The comment is in reference to Fly Doncaster (Auxiliary Services) Ltd – a company established in September by Cllr David Knight and Cllr Reed.

Knight, whom the Reform pinned as the ringleader, was stripped of the party whip over the saga but remains registered as a company director.

Reed resigned as OSMC chair and deputy Reform UK group leader, but retained the whip, and quickly removed herself as company director, cutting all ties with the business.

Coun David Knight previously represented Reform UK on Doncaster Council

The business created controversy as both councillors sat on OSMC and were expected to fairly scrutinise and review the plans to reopen DSA. However, opponents said the creation of the business was evidence the pair intended to profit from the airport’s opening.

Knight was also made chair of the Health and Adults Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Panel in May 2025 and will now likely lose the position.

OSMC is the key committee target for Reform as it is currently being run by Labour on an interim basis.

Councillor Jane Kidd chaired the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee on September 25, 2025 | Doncaster Council

Councillor Jane Kidd was named vice-chair of OSMC after the local elections and, following Cllr Rachel Reed’s resignation as OSMC chair in September, she assumed the role temporarily.

By calling the meeting, Reform UK can use its council majority to install a new chair of its own party before Mayor Ros Jones’ plans for Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) reach the scrutiny stage.

The Reform UK group leader, Cllr Guy Aston, has previously told the LDRS the council has agreed that both OSMC and the Audit Committee will be able to vet “what has been spent and the plans to spend”, before it goes to full council for approval.

It is understood DSA plans will go before the full council in the scheduled meeting for November 27, 2025.