Go DSA

04/06/2026

Statement from Ros Jones :

Massive success” for disability flights from Doncaster
Last week more than 50 individuals with disabilities took to the skies from Doncaster Sheffield Airport, when specially adapted flights were organised to open-up access to aviation.
Aerobility Charity is a national charity which transforms lives by enabling people with disabilities to experience the magic of flight, was in attendance with two aircraft based at Doncaster Sheffield Airport between Tuesday 26 May and Thursday 28 May, supported by fellow aviation charity, The Mark Long Trust.
Over the three days, multiple flights took off at regular intervals with individuals from a range of backgrounds, disabilities and ages taking part. The series of flights proved very popular amongst a range of people, both from South Yorkshire and further afield.
Chief Executive of Aerobility, Mike Miller-Smith, said: “It has been a great few days at Doncaster Sheffield Airport, with the weather playing its part. Providing access to aviation and a memorable experience for people who might not otherwise get that opportunity, whatever their disability, is what the charity exists to do.
“Having delivered thousands of accessible flights over the years, it has been fantastic to visit Yorkshire, and we hope that this is the start of a long and successful partnership. Our thanks go to the entire airport team, the incredible people at The Mark Long Trust, as well as 2Excel Aviation for their support, ADHD 360 and the Vulcan to the Sky Trust, without whom, none of this would have been possible.”
Christian Foster, Director at FlyDoncaster Ltd, said: “It has been a pleasure to work with Aerobility and The Mark Long Trust teams, not just this week but in the months of detailed planning that have made the visit a massive success. We have an ambition to be a leader when it comes to accessibility when the airport reopens. That’s not just about the experience inside the terminal building but also listening to the views of individuals and experts as we build something that is welcoming of people from all walks of life and ensures that nobody misses out.”
Simon Hinchley, Executive Director of Airport operations, added: “The success of the past week has been down to a true team effort, between staff here at the airport, three charities and collaboration with our existing tenants. It has been great to see the runway busy with flight movements as we build towards reopening to freight, passenger and general aviation traffic. It has been another very active week at the airport and we look forward to building on this partnership in the future.”
The introductory flights were carried out in the charity’s specially adapted light aircraft as part of a joint ambition for both the airport and Aerobility, to empower disabled individuals to challenges their limits, conquer fears and learn more about aviation.

31/05/2026

Reform UK could call a referendum on the Mayor of Doncaster system, leader says

Article by Harry Harrison, DFP

Reform UK would be in charge of Doncaster Council under any other local government system.

Reform UK Doncaster could look to call a referendum to rid the city of the directly elected mayor system, the party’s new leader has said.

Councillor Howard Rimmer said his party may seek to have a public vote on the subject during this term of office, so the change can come into effect for the 2029 local elections, during an interview with the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The directly elected mayor (DEM) system is a little-used local government structure in the UK, with only 13 of the country’s 382 councils using it – including the City of Doncaster Council.

Howard Rimmer is the new leader of Reform UK Doncaster. | LDRS
Under the DEM system, the vast majority of power and decision-making is reserved for the Mayor of Doncaster, who is elected by the entire borough, rather than the council chamber.

It means Labour makes around 95 per cent of key decisions in Doncaster with little-to-no input from councillors in the chamber, where Reform UK holds a majority.

Under the current political make-up of the council, Reform UK acts as the opposition to the Labour administration led by Mayor Ros Jones.

Ros Jones will be Mayor until 2029, even if the DEM system is scrapped at a referendum before then. | Iconic
Cllr Rimmer said: “It doesn’t work. You can’t have a group of 34, often with help, voting against a group of 13 and losing.”

Whilst Reform UK doesn’t literally “lose” votes in the council chamber, it’s power to influence decisions and policy is limited by the DEM system.

The party regularly cites a July 2025 motion as an example of the system’s unusuality.

Reform UK put forward a motion which proposed a new “flag policy” for the council, which would restrict the flags allowed to be flown on Doncaster Council properties to a strict few.

This included the Union Flag and the national flags of visiting dignitaries or the Royal Standard.

Reform UK passed the motion with a significant majority, meaning they won the vote, but the DEM system dictated that the motion could only ask the Mayor of Doncaster to “consider” implementing their policy.

The final decision rested with Mayor Jones and, nearly a year later, Reform UK’s flag policy has not been implemented.

Doncaster Council has used the DEM system since 2002, after a public referendum democratically chose to adopt the model.

A second referendum on the system was held in the early 2010s, with Doncaster voters choosing to keep the system.

Reform UK have a majority on Doncaster Council, but hold little-to-no power. | LDRS
However, because the DEM system was adopted after a public referendum, it can only be removed by referendum as well.

The LDRS asked Doncaster Council if councillors could call for a referendum without requiring sign-off from the Mayor of Doncaster, but received no response.

However, former Mayor of Doncaster, Peter Davies, informed the LDRS that the 2012 referendum on the DEM system did not need his approval at the time.

If a referendum was called and voters chose to remove the DEM system, Doncaster Council would revert to the leader and cabinet-style of local government, where the party with the most councillors would take control and lead the council.

Reform UK would control the council and Cllr Rimmer would be leader of the council if this system was used in Doncaster today.

Since the 2025 local elections, Mayor Ros Jones has repeatedly invited opposition councillors to attend an unofficial “executive group”, which she claimed would allow them to have input on decisions before they were rubber-stamped by her cabinet.

This offer has repeatedly been refused by the Conservatives and Reform UK leaders over the past year and Cllr Rimmer said he has no intention of changing course.

29/05/2026

Grant Thornton once again raises very serious concerns over potential conflicts of interest due to the proposed make up of the FlyDoncaster board of Directors .
Members will know this is a concern I have raised on many occasions previously and I am shocked at the apparent lack of progress by CDC in resolving this matter ! It is not a concern that is going to go away and can simply be swept under the carpet by CDC or anyone else !
I also found Debbie Hogg’s comment about her eligibility based on 41 yrs service in the public sector both arrogant and naive in the extreme ! I would ask what her experience of relevant management at a senior level in the Private Sector is that she can bring to the table at FlyDoncaster , along with Damian Allen , because I can find absolutely none from my searches on both individuals !
Re her 41 years experience ! I would say such time served and so often automatic progression in the Public Sector does not tend to wash or occur to the same level in the Private Sector! Within the Private Sector the question often asked is ‘ does this person have 10 years experience, or 1 year repeated 10 times’ ! There is a world of difference when it comes to strategically managing complex organizations effectively in ever increasing hostile environments such as the aviation sector ! I therefore worry greatly that the CDC appointed FlyDoncaster directors do not appear to be cognisant of this fact and so ‘fit for purpose’ when they can not even sort out the controls legally required to manage and prevent obvious conflicts of interest going forward ! Despite repeated requests from their external auditors to do so as a matter of priority!

Article by Harry Harrison , DFP:

Directors for Doncaster Council airport operator yet to be finalised despite conflict of interest concerns
Harry Harrison
Grant Thornton, Doncaster Council’s external auditors, have raised concerns about the proposed make-up of FlyDoncaster Ltd’s board of directors.

Governance arrangements for the City of Doncaster Council’s arms-length airport operator are “yet to be finalised”, amid conflict of interest concerns raised by external auditors.

Two of the council’s most senior staff members, chief executive Damian Allen and executive director of corporate resources Debbie Hogg, are set to sit on the board of directors for FlyDoncaster Ltd (FDL), the company established by the local authority to run Doncaster Sheffield Airport (DSA).

This arrangement was cause for concern for the council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, who warned in a November 2025 report that “this raises questions around the management of potential conflicts of interest”.

Debbie Hogg and Damian Allen in an overview and scrutiny management committee meeting in November 2025. | Doncaster Council
The auditors wrote that public sector guidance suggests the chief executive should be “overseeing and scrutinising company performance from a council perspective”, rather than from the side of FDL.

Issues were also raised with the management hierarchies within the council, particularly that the Section 151 officer, Faye Tyas, and the monitoring officer, Scott Fawcus, who are currently planned to be overseeing the DSA project from the council side, both report directly to Ms Hogg.

The report said: “The arrangements as set out expose the council to a risk or both real and perceived conflicts of interest.

“This is a key issue and would be a significant cause for concern for us, as the council’s auditor, if not addressed in a timely manner.”

Doncaster Council is reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport with public funds | LDRS
Doncaster Council is currently working to reopen DSA with a public funding package worth hundreds of millions of pounds.

In a meeting of the council’s Audit Committee on May 21, 2026, Ms Hogg suggested that legal advice the authority had commissioned after Grant Thornton’s concerns were raised had been returned.

During that discussion, it was suggested by Ms Hogg that she would remain as a director on the FDL board, with Ms Tyas overseeing it from the council’s side – seemingly no change to the initial arrangement which prompted Grant Thornton’s concerns.

However, a spokesperson for the council said: “FlyDoncaster is not yet trading, as such the constitutional requirements and governance arrangements are yet to be finalised. This will be resolved in the coming months as works progress to fully reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.”

The council did not respond directly to questions about what position Mr Allen would hold in the arrangements, as it was not mentioned during the Audit Committee meeting.

Additionally, Grant Thornton recommended to the council in November 2025 that the governance arrangements be prepared “in advance of FDL becoming active, to enable effective scrutiny”.

At the time, Georgia Jones, from Grant Thornton, told the Audit Committee: “It’s a big project for the council and there will be risk around that project, whether that’s financial or reputational.

“Often what you need when you have a company linked to the council, you need that separation of governance between the two and the separation of key officers.

“Even if you try to stay objective, if you’re an officer of the council does the council’s interests prevail, or if you’re also sitting on the board of the company, does the company interest prevail?”

She warned that, in some cases, authorities undertaking significant projects are too slow to cut their losses when things do not work out.

She said in November: “Sometimes with these big projects, a lot of money goes into it and then if it does start to go wrong at what point do you draw a line and say ‘right, we’re pulling out’.

“The temptation always is ‘we’ve put all this money in, we can’t let it go, we need to put more in’, so you need that idea of where do you draw the line. Where is your off-ramp?”

Council papers have previously expressed that careful consideration had concluded that Mr Allen and Ms Hogg should maintain “tight control” and “be as close to the decision making as possible”, which is why they are listed as FDL directors.

The project to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport still awaits the renegotiation of the lease between the council and The Peel Group, the site landowners.

The South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority (SYMCA) have stipulated that £160million worth of funding for the reopening will not be released to the council until a new lease agreement is reached.

It is understood those negotiations were put on hold during the period of uncertainty when a £57m loan, also supporting the reopening, was up for rescission. However, when the loan was re-approved on May 11, 2026, negotiations resumed soon after.

26/05/2026

Oliver Coppard has a chat with Chinese investors. Due to the exceptionally warm weather it is also believed he had a brief chat with the boys next door over the weekend ! 😂

Oliver Coppard has been talking to Chinese investors about potential backing for the project to reopen Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
The Mayor of South Yorkshire was in China earlier this month where he participated in a conference involving global mayors in Chengdu, which is a twin city with Sheffield. Discussions with Chinese investors are understood to be at an early stage.

23/05/2026

Oliver Coppard spouting pie in the sky nonsense again in his desperate attempt to remain relevant to the residents of Doncaster !!
According to Sheffield the trams are neither use nor ornament given they don’t go where residents need or want to go ! Yet another planning failure evidently but that’s OK because OC can still tick the box for trams!
Bit like Ros Jones and her retirement DSA legacy that everyone knows ,apart from her , him next door, and Damian Allen , will push us into bankruptcy without regional funding or private investment ! Neither of which appear to be on the horizon !

Article :
Doncaster Sheffield Airport: Oliver Coppard 'would love' trams to serve reopened airport

Oliver Coppard says he wants trams to eventually serve the reopened Doncaster Sheffield Airport.
The Mayor of South Yorkshire said the idea is a “long-term ambition” for DSA as he appeared at the UKREiiF event in Leeds this week to discuss investment opportunities around DSA.
It is planned that the airport will be at the heart of broader development work on 1,700 acres of land called Gateway East. The plans with landowner Peel include 1,400 new homes, a ‘Central Plaza’ town centre including new offices, shops and restaurants, an ‘Innovation Quarter’ home to advanced manufacturing and sustainable aviation businesses and space for logistics, aviation and aerospace company facilities.
The South Yorkshire Supertram already serves much of Sheffield and has been expanded into Rotherham.
Mr Coppard said he hoped there could be a Doncaster element in future as part of broader efforts to improve transport links to the reopened airport.
"People will know we’ve already taken the tram back into public control and public ownership with huge plans to expand that network. From September 2027, our buses will come back under public control, first in Doncaster and in Sheffield and then in Rotherham and Barnsley.
"That’s the big opportunity to connect up the airport to a wider surface access strategy.
"For anybody interested in that transport question and knowing if you invest in Gateway East, can you get your staff, your residents, in and out of that area? We’ve already looked at that.
"We’ve got massive plans when it comes to the bus network. When the buses are under public control, it makes it much easier for us to use that lever and say we’re going to put whatever buses we need into the airport in order to connect up the airport to the rest of the network.
"I would love to see over time the tram network extended out to Doncaster and particularly to the airport. It has got to be a long-term ambition because people understand about the cost of tram networks. I say that sat in Leeds, where people understand that challenge.
"But we absolutely should be as ambitious as that.
"Imagine an airport in South Yorkshire connected up via the tram to the Midland Mainline, to Doncaster railway station, which is a brilliant asset to the whole of the region.
"Imagine the buses running in and out of there. We’ve already got great access by car, so it is a massive opportunity to make that airport thrive.” Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones added: “Doncaster is renowned for its connectivity now but we want that going further to the airport itself. That will grow the potential of the airport unbelievably. You can get to London in an hour and 25 minutes now. We’ve got high-speed rail now, all we need is that connectivity right to the airport itself.
"It is about thinking bigger and wider but you’ve got to plan it so it is a medium-to-long-term aspiration. But it is not really an aspiration, it is something we can bring about together.”
A South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority board paper published in September about transport connections to the airport said the idea of tram-train connections from Doncaster railway station with interim stops along the way has previously been considered.
But it said such work was not an immediate priority, with upgrades to the M18 a short-term aim and expansion of bus routes a medium-term priority. It listed full rail access to DSA as a long-term ambition.
The report noted that a regional rail plan has mentioned “the potential opportunity for improved regional connections to the airport, including the provision and upgrading of park and ride facilities, and supporting the integration with extended tram-train services for a ‘turn up and go’ link between the DSA and Gateway East, Doncaster City Centre and the wider tram-train network”.
The report stated: “The future rail station serving Doncaster Sheffield Airport and Gateway East is not a standalone transport intervention, it is a catalyst for inclusive, sustainable, and long term economic regeneration.
"While not essential on day one, its role will grow in importance as the area develops critical mass. By supporting higher value employment, improving access for all communities, and reducing carbon emissions, it will help to create a connected, competitive, and future ready gateway for South Yorkshire and beyond.”
Airport ‘can be catalyst’
The reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport can be a ‘catalyst’ for regeneration work around the site, says Mayor of Doncaster Ros Jones.
She told the UKREiiF event: “It is the best economic stimulus we can have. Gateway East will grow from it because the airport is the catalyst and everything else will go around it.
"Six thousand jobs is no small number and you’ll get additional jobs coming in. It is also an exciting opportunity that is not only sustainable but will give our kids the chance to have the well-paid jobs that we want. It is about putting place before politics and uniting behind something because we know it can be the economic stimulus we all want to see, not only for Doncaster, South Yorkshire and the North but UK Plc.”
A £160m funding package of devolution money has been agreed in principle for the DSA reopening project but is dependent changes to the airport lease with Peel being agreed.

22/05/2026

Update today from FlyDoncaster Ltd

Doncaster Sheffield Airport builds next-generation ATC team

22/05/2026

Is anyone surprised when you look round, and that’s before we even start on the airport !

Doncaster ranks among the UK cities most affected by stress and burnout

21/05/2026

Sun Travel interviews Christian Foster .

Airport is set to reopen to passengers in two years’ time at the cost of £193million.
So what’s in store for passengers when the beloved airport returns?
Sun Travel spoke to Christian Foster, Director of FlyDoncaster – the company in charge of the reopening of the airport.
He shared his thoughts on new routes for holidaymakers, rail links and what visitors can expect from the shops and restaurants inside the airport.
The regional airport in the north of England provided a gateway to Europe for those living in and around Doncaster up until four years ago, after it was deemed ‘not financially viable’, and closed.
However, in an extremely rare case, the airport is scheduled to reopen as soon as next year – with passenger planes set to start in 2028.
The countdown is officially on and work is underway to complete the mammoth task of updating and reopening the hub.
Christian Foster, Director of FlyDoncaster – the company set up to manage the airport – told us: “It would be nice if we could immediately open with the flick of a switch, but it’s not that simple.
“There were around 2,700 people working around the site when it was last open, and we need to recruit again.
Right now, we’ve been appointing key roles in the leadership team, and we’re also in a number of commercial negotiations with different airlines.”
Previously, Doncaster Sheffield Airport was home to airlines like TUI and Wizz Air – but none have been confirmed to the hub yet.
When it comes to opening up to passengers, Christian says there’s high-ambition for the airport.
He said: “It does feel like the world has changed post-Covid, whereas people were focused two weeks in Spain or Greece, nowadays we’re seeing a lot of people keen to take city breaks.”
He continued: “We’d love to fly to places like Croatia other destinations that are a bit more quirky like Azerbaijan.”
The airport has one of the longest runways in Europe at 2,893 meters meaning it could also potentially take bigger jets for long-haul routes.
Christian said: “We’re keen to look at emerging places to visit as well, like India.
“And Pakistan is one of our largest ethnic populations in the UK, so could we ensure greater connections there?
“But of course, we won’t forget about the bucket and spade holidays either.”
There aren’t just big plans for the planes either – plenty of thought is being put into the experience between check in and boarding gate.
Christian revealed that they are keen to give the airport a sense of the region by having independent vendors on-site.
He told us: “When people go through a terminal, they tend to look for Costa Coffee, Starbucks or World Duty Free.
“What we’ve created is a corridor for the local supply chain – whether that’s actually fixed base or pop-up market stores is yet to be decided.
“But the idea is that individuals will get a sense of some of the great produce to show off the region, for example, rhubarb from Wakefield, then butterscotch from Doncaster.
“We want to have food and beverage outlets, where you can have, not only the national or international feel, but a local one too.”
With the airport being closed to travellers, it gives a chance for it to be redesigned and Christian confirms that there will be a change in its layout.
One alteration is to the layout of security lanes and system which were “not located in the best place”.
These will be moved to make the passenger experience “slicker” and “swifter”.
There are special arrangements being made for those with disabilities too and Christian said that the team is determined to make the airport one of the “UK’s most-friendly” for everyone.
Since its closure four years ago, airports have had a change in rules as well as technology, for example, the scrapping of 100ml liquids.
So will Doncaster Sheffield Airport be keeping up with the others?
Christian said: “The easy answer to that one, is yes.
“We recognise that the world has moved on since 2022, and we are investing in brand-new technology.”
Previously, the best way to get to the airport was by car as the parking was right outside and families could walk straight through.
This layout is set to be retained for ease – but there could also be new rail links giving travellers from further afield the chance to hop on a train to the airport.
Christian said: “There’s a railway that runs to the north of the site, but we’re also keen to look at connections on the East Coast Mainline.
“It comes through Doncaster already and is in close proximity to the site, so for the airport, it would be a game-changer.”
Around the airport, developments are happening too – in one case a five-star hotel is being built on the outskirts.
Christian described the Bawtry Park Hotel in nearby Austerfield as a “Dubai-style” resort with a golf course and spa.
The reopening of the airport has been met with positivity by many in the local area who, since its closure, have had to travel to the likes of Manchester and Leeds Bradford.