Mayor rejects calls to step down

Mayor Martin Winter has faced questions during his term of office

The mayor of Doncaster has refused to step down despite a vote calling on him to resign amid an inquiry into the deaths of seven children in the town.

A government inquiry has been ordered and serious case reviews set up into the deaths involving neglect and abuse.

Doncaster council voted in favour of a motion that Mayor Martin Winter should quit and accept responsibility for "the failure of the children's service".

It was passed by 46 votes to 6, but Mr Winter dismissed calls for him to go.

Despite the vote, Mr Winter cannot be compelled to resign.

Last July, the mayor remained in office despite losing a vote of no confidence which said his style of leadership conflicted with the best interests of the council.

We request he does the only honourable thing and resigns with immediate effect

Wording of the council motion

During Monday's council meeting, members of the public jeered Mr Winter, some calling him a "disgrace" to the town.

But Mr Winter told the chamber that, instead of targeting him, councillors should focus on "how and why this council was not made aware of the developing crisis in our children's services".

He said: "This council is in danger of putting politics first and the people of our borough second."

Councillor Joe Blackham, the leader of the council's Labour group, has proposed the latest attempt to oust Mr Winter.

His motion, seconded by Labour councillor Mick Jameson, says: "This council calls upon Martin Winter to accept full responsibility regarding the failure of the Children and Young People's Service that has occurred within his period of office.

"We request he does the only honourable thing and resigns with immediate effect."

Minister's concern

Liberal Democrat councillor Eric Tatton-Kelly said: "In this council, everything is about the mayor.

"He's made it so - always, always, always wanting to take the personal approach and never, never, never wanting to take personal responsibility.

"I believe children's services are in safe hands now, but we can't just wipe away the past without any comment."

But Mr Winter said he had done all he could to address the situation.

He said: "The simple fact is that, as soon as these issues were brought to my attention, I took action. And I took decisive action. "

Last month, an Ofsted report called children's services in the area "inadequate".

It said of the 317 children on the local protection register, one in four had not been allocated a social worker.

It also said that most of the town's children's homes failed to meet minimum national standards.

Children's minister Beverley Hughes wrote to the council earlier this month to express concern about the situation.

Her letter said: "It is crucial that the root causes of these failings are fully explored and that the capacity and capability of the council and its key partners to drive improvement in these areas is fully assessed."

Of the seven deaths being examined in serious case reviews, two of the children were murdered by their fathers and four were under the age of one at the time of their deaths.