Community Group

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Community Group was a British political party in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, founded in 2001. [1] The Community Group had four councillors serving on Doncaster Metropolitan Borough council in 2009. The party deregistered in 2018.

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The party was founded in the wake of a political scandal dubbed "Donnygate" that saw 21 Doncaster councillors convicted of expenses fraud from 1997. [2] The party had 6 borough councillors in Doncaster in 2001. [3] Party leader Martin Williams contested Doncaster North at the 2005 general election against Ed Miliband, receiving 2,365 votes (7.5%, in fourth place). [4] Jessie Credland stood for election as Mayor of Doncaster for the party in 2005, coming fourth with 10,263 votes (9.4%). [5] Garth Oxby defected to become an independent in May 2005 following a deal made with the Labour group for Community Group councillors to be given positions chairing council committees, [6] a deal repeated the following year. [7] Richard Walker and Jessie Credland also later left to sit as independent members. The party lost John Cooke's seat to Labour in 2007. [8] In 2007, the party also had 10 town councillors. [9]

Former Doncaster English Democrats Mayor Peter Davies was associated with the group. [10] The Community Group's own candidate, Stuart Exelby, formerly a Labour councillor and deputy mayor from 2008–9, [11] received 2152 votes. [12] Martin Williams said of his election, "I am happy about this," [12] but in February 2010 said that "I think the mayoral system is in tatters... It has been tried and failed." [13]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Community Group, The". Register of political parties. Electoral Commission. Archived from the original on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  2. ↑ Parker, Simon (29 April 2002). "Leaving the legacy of Donnygate". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  3. ↑ Parker, Simon (21 September 2001). "Shakeup to clean up Doncaster". The Guardian. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  4. ↑ "Result: Doncaster North". BBC News. Election 2005. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  5. ↑ Dunlop, Emma (7 May 2005). "Town's Mayor clings on after contest goes to second count". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  6. ↑ "Council cabinet 'stitch up' claim". Doncaster Free Press. 26 May 2005. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  7. ↑ "Lib dem and Indie councillors furious at being frozen out". Doncaster Free Press. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  8. ↑ Smith, Anna (5 May 2007). "Local Elections: Small groups hold balance in hung city". Yorkshire Post. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  9. ↑ "Community Group Statement of Accounts 2007" (PDF). Electoral Commission. Retrieved 8 February 2010.[ dead link ]
  10. ↑ Wainwright, Martin (7 June 2009). "English Democrat flies the red and white flag in Doncaster". The Observer. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  11. ↑ "PROFILE: Stuart Exelby". Doncaster Free Press. 28 May 2009. Archived from the original on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  12. 1 2 Jones, David (4 June 2009). "Peter Davies is Doncaster's new elected mayor". Doncaster Free Press. Retrieved 8 February 2010.
  13. ↑ "Doncaster's mayoral system 'in tatters'". Doncaster Star. South Yorkshire. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.


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