Just four Labour councillors appointed to top team

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones was voted in for a fourth consecutive term last week

Doncaster Mayor Ros Jones has appointed just four Labour councillors to her leadership team.

Jones was voted in as Mayor of Doncaster for a fourth consecutive term on 1 May, beating Reform UK's Alexander Jones.

Despite losing the mayoral race, Reform UK took 37 of the 55 seats on City of Doncaster Council.

Jones, who has exactly the same powers as a council leader, said she would also invite Reform UK and Conservative councillors to be part of an "executive group".

Jones confirmed that councillors Glyn Jones, Sue Farmer, James Church and David Nevett would become cabinet members.

Meanwhile, three Reform UK councillors – the leader, deputy leader and whip – and one or two Conservative councillors would also be invited to take part in private, behind-the-scenes discussions on decisions before they were rubber-stamped by Jones' cabinet, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

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Jones said: "I am pragmatic, I get things done for Doncaster and that means working with all councillors who share that passion to deliver for Doncaster and I look to positively engage with all groups and councillors.

"It is for this reason that I have reached out to both the Reform and Conservative groups, offering them places on a newly-formed, informal and non-constituted executive group."

However, the invitation provides no guarantees that Reform UK or Conservative councillors will have a final say in decision making.

The change dramatically reduces the number of elected representatives in the council who would have an official say on the majority of Doncaster Council's decisions.

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