Council tax in Doncaster will only rise by 2%, rather than 4.99%, after Reform UK amend budget
Reform - who have a majority on the council but don't run it - managed to make changes to Labour mayor Ros Jones' proposed budget
Residents in Doncaster will face a two per cent rise in council tax in 2026/27, after councillors approved budget proposals worth just under £1billion.
Councillors approved multiple parts of Mayor Ros Jones’ budget proposals, including a £248million capital spending plan, but a Reform UK amendment dropped the proposed council tax hike from 4.99 per cent to just two per cent.
Reform are hailing amendment as the first in Doncaster’s history not to be dictated by Labour, as the majority party joined forces with the Conservatives, Advance UK and an Independent to force the change to the council tax proposals.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) after the meeting, Councillor Craig Ward, Reform UK group leader, said: “It’s the best thing to do for Doncaster residents. We’re trying to save them money. I believe it was the right thing to do.”
During the debate on Reform UK’s amendment, Labour councillors spoke en masse about concerns raised by the council’s chief financial officer (CFO), Faye Tyas, about the long-term risks Reform’s changes posed to the authority’s finances.
They referred to Ms Tyas’ warning that a section 114 may need to be issued if Reform UK’s “challenging” proposed savings are not delivered. Section 114s are issued when councils are facing insolvency, or do not have the funds to cover costs.
Additionally, the CFO suggested the council tax base for the City of Doncaster Council could be £14.6m worse off by the end of 2028/29. Cllr Ward declined to respond to the numerous Labour questions, which his Reform UK colleague, Cllr Karl Hughes, described as an “ambush”.
Speaking to media afterwards, Cllr Ward said he did not “believe” Ms Tyas’ Section 25 statement, in which she laid out the authority’s long-term concerns, was “fair”.
Cllr Ward did say in a statement: “Tonight we proved that there was an alternative. Residents were told 5% was unavoidable. It wasn’t.
“We have delivered a lawful, balanced 2% budget that protects services, supports our town centre with free parking, and respects taxpayers’ money.
“This is a historic moment for Doncaster. Reform promised to fight for residents – and tonight we delivered.”
Mayor Ros Jones said she was “very disappointed” at the outcome of the meeting, despite the fact her proposals for capital spending, housing and corporate plan were approved.
She said to the LDRS in an interview: “They haven’t realised the enormity of what they could have created, or have created, with the possibility of a section 114.”
The Mayor accused Reform of being short-sighted, saying they acted “without knowing what it’s going to do in further years”.
However, when the LDRS told the Mayor that Reform’s amendment was helping people currently struggling with the cost of living crisis, the Mayor said: “I honestly believe if we can’t deliver the basic services people require, it’s going to hit everyone. People suffering, many of us are suffering with the cost of living coming forward.
“I believe we’ve got to put a budget that allows the services for our residents and the businesses of Doncaster.”
The Mayor avoided questions on whether the Reform amendment materially changes her plans for the rest of her term, considering her capital spending plans were approved.
Councillor Nicola Brown, leader of the Advance UK group on the council, was pleased with the collaboration between the council’s right-wing parties.
She said: “It’s the first non-Labour budget in a long time. We’re all feeling the pinch of the cost of living and tonight councillors put residents first.”
Conservative councillors supported the amendment after striking a deal with Reform to include a trial period offering an hour of free parking in city centre car parks – something the party’s leadership, and the former MP Nick Fletcher, had been calling for for a long time.
The Reform UK amendment was imposed with 39 votes in favour and 13 abstentions. There were 13 Labour members in attendance.
Most other aspects of Mayor Jones’ proposals, which Reform UK did not offer any amendments to, were passed with 13 votes in favour and 39 abstentions.
The Mayor’s budget includes a £248m capital spending plan for investment in Doncaster infrastructure, including £15m for road maintenance and around £70m for building and buying properties for council housing.