Meeting called by Reform UK on Doncaster-Sheffield Airport descends into chaos
Councillors were set to debate the future of the travel hub - but the meeting took a turn after errors were discovered in paperwork
Last updated 10th Mar 2026
An extraordinary meeting of the City of Doncaster Council descended into chaos as Reform UK wrongly claimed senior staff had changed a motion relating to Doncaster Sheffield Airport and its agreed lease, without the permission of the motion proposer.
Councillor Jason Charity argued that the proposer of the motion, Reform UK group leader Cllr Craig Ward, who was unable to attend the March 6 meeting, had not approved the version displayed on the agenda – saying his party did not “recognise” it.
However, following a chaotic fallout in the council chamber, the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) has seen and verified communications from Cllr Ward approving the changes.
Sources who supported the Reform UK motion informed the LDRS that Cllr Ward has been “adamant” that he had not approved the changes, which led them to side with Reform during the meeting.
Following an internal investigation over the weekend, Reform UK Doncaster said Cllr Ward now acknowledged he did not read the email in sufficient detail before responding. Referred to as an “error in judgement he accepts”.
The chaos meant the extraordinary meeting, called by Reform UK to discuss the airport lease, lasted just one hour before being adjourned to a future date, with the motion linked to the Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA) lease abandoned without a vote.
A spokesperson for the City of Doncaster Council said: “Motions put forward for debate in the council chamber are submitted by a requisitioner and go through a due process ahead of them being publicised, ordinarily a week in advance of the meeting.
“Motions’ wording has been agreed before they are discussed in the council chamber – this was the case here. The motion was agreed as a proper and legal motion with the approval of the leader of the Reform Group. It was circulated to all requisitioners ahead of the council agenda being issued.
“If there were any issues with the agreed motions, then they need to be raised with the proper officer at the council before the meeting takes place. The extraordinary full council has been adjourned to a future date to be determined.”
Alterations had been made to the motion proposed by Reform UK by the proper officer as normal and were agreed ahead of the publication of the agenda.
The motion was published and available publicly for a week before the meeting took place and the LDRS understands no members of the council raised any objections to the wording in that time.
A proper officer appointed by a local authority to carry out certain legally required administrative functions.
In a statement to the LDRS, Reform UK said Cllr Ward’s approval of the motions came in a WhatsApp conversation with the chief executive, Damian Allen, who is the council’s proper officer.
Cllr Charity, who serves as the chair of audit committee, said he would be flagging the approval as a “potential governance concern” for his committee to consider.
He said the use of WhatsApp was not “adequate process”.