Mayor Ros Jones backtracks after appearing to call Reform UK leader ‘a disgrace’
Mayor Ros Jones has backtracked after appearing to call the Reform UK group leader a “disgrace” during a council meeting.
During the debate on Councillor Craig Ward’s amendment to her budget proposals, the Mayor of Doncaster said residents in Doncaster pay one of the lowest council tax rates in the country.
Looking away from her notes, the Mayor then said: “We are a financially well-managed process… to say it is not well-financially managed is a laugh.
“I think that you are actually a disgrace to come up with such as that when we’ve continued to maintain the best possible services, efficiently and effectively run. You may put out a few potholes, you forget to say about the 14-years of austerity.”
It lead to the Mayor being challenged later in the meeting by Councillor Isaiah-John Reasbeck, who pressed Jones on whether her comment was in line with the council’s ‘Choose Kindness’ campaign – a question the Mayor avoided.
However, when asked by the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) if she stood-by the comment, the Mayor suggested that “disgrace” was instead aimed at the possibility of a Section 114 notice being issued at the council.
These notices are issued when a council becomes insolvent or bankrupt, with Faye Tyas, chief financial officer at the City of Doncaster Council, warning it could be a possibility in Doncaster if the savings in Reform UK’s amendment are not achieved.
Mayor Jones did not mention the Section 114 warning when she made the “disgrace” comment in the chamber.
The warning of the possibility of a Section 114 was issued by Ms Tyas in relation to Reform UK’s amendment – which reduced the incoming council tax hike from 4.99 per cent to just two per cent.
In a statement to the LDRS, Mayor Jones said: “For the first time ever, due to the Reform budget, City of Doncaster Council has been warned that a Section 114 notice may become necessary in the next couple of years, effectively declaring the council bankrupt. This is a disgrace and will ultimately lead to cuts in services over the coming years.”
The Mayor went on to attack the Reform UK amendment further, adding: “It is completely disingenuous of Reform to say that their budget will protect frontline services, their budget doesn’t even balance over the three-year period, meaning further cuts will be needed in the years to come.”
In response, Coun Ward said in a statement that the Mayor’s claims about Reform UK’s budget were “simply not credible” and accused her of “scaremongering”.
He added: “The law requires the council’s chief financial officer to confirm whether the budget can legally be set. That assurance was given and the budget was approved by Council.
“The comments now being repeated by Labour relate to hypothetical risks in future years — something that appears in every council’s medium-term financial planning.”
The council approved the vast majority of Mayor Jones’ proposals, including a £248m capital spending plan for 2026/27. All non-Labour councillors abstained on the Mayor’s proposals, meaning each, except the revenue budget which includes council tax, was passed with 13 votes in favour.
Reform UK’s amendment to the council tax rise was passed with 39 votes in favour and 13 abstentions.