New mayor names Tory as his deputy
DONCASTER Council will have a Conservative in a position of power for the first time since it was established in 1974.
Tory group leader Coun Patricia Schofield has revealed she has accepted the post of deputy mayor under the borough's newly-elected mayor Peter Davies.
Mr Davies, who was voted in for the English Democrats, is a former Doncaster North Conservative Party official and the father of Tory MP for Shipley, Philip Davies.
He has held talks with leading figures from the borough's political parties this week over cabinet posts and Coun Schofield confirmed she had been offered the post of deputy mayor. She discussed the party's position before the meeting with its group on Doncaster Council.
Mr Davies has yet to confirm the other members of his cabinet.
She has also urged the mayor to include others from her group including candidate for mayor Jonathan Wood and Couns Alan Jones and Cynthia Ransome.
Coun Schofield said: "We said as a group that we would support the mayor but would prefer to support the mayor on a cross-party basis, with not just Conservatives on the new cabinet.
"I think it is about time people were prepared to move forward. This council has been paralysed for a long time by people not prepared to co-operate and we have the opportunity to give this man a chance and work with him. He has won the election and that is democracy.
"I will bide my time and push for Conservative values."
It is understood some councillors are reluctant to support Mr Davies until more is known about his plans, including proposals to scrap translation services.
Community Group leader Coun Martin Williams said it was important to give the new mayor a chance and see how he performed.
Coun Garth Oxby, leader of the Alliance of Independent members, said his group would meet at the weekend to discuss what they would be doing and said he wanted to know what the English Democrats stood for as a party.
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Friday 25 May 2012
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