What we learned from Doncaster mayoral candidates
BBCSome of Doncaster's mayoral candidates outlined their key priorities for the city at a live debate.
A total of 12 candidates are standing to be elected to the role - which has the same powers as a council leader - in the vote on 1 May.
Reopening Doncaster Sheffield Airport, tackling crime and boosting the city centre were all top issues during the BBC Radio Sheffield event.
Candidates with some evidence of past or current electoral support in Doncaster were invited to take part but only Frank Calladine of the British Democratic Party, Nick Fletcher of the Conservative Party and Ros Jones of the Labour Party accepted the invitation and were able to attend.
Mr Fletcher was the Conservative MP for Don Valley from 2019 to 2024.
Speaking at the debate about the reopening of Doncaster Sheffield Airport, he questioned the role of the current mayor and Labour candidate, Ros Jones, in the closure of the site.
"The airport had been struggling and had not had any support from the local authority or mayor," he said.
"Now it's going to cost £145m to get it reopened."
Speaking about law and order, he said he would "enforce the law and walk the streets myself".
"We need bobbies on the beat. There are some genuinely homeless people that really need help but some are professional beggars making £400 a day on our streets.
"We need to find out the real people in trouble and help them, then enforce the law.
"When we clear the streets we'll get people back into the city centre."
Addressing the issue of economic growth, Mr Fletcher said the business community was important because it "employs people, pays taxes and takes on apprentices".
"I have been to as many businesses as I can get to, so the business community knows me," he added.
The mayor serves for four years and earns just over £33,000, which is made up of a basic £13,000 councillor allowance plus another £19,824 special responsibility allowance.
Labour's Ms Jones was first elected mayor in 2013 and was re-elected in 2017 and again in 2021.
She said the most important issue for the airport was "getting funding together and ensuring we know we have the right scheme and that it will be viable".
"Any investment made now will come back to us over the medium to long-term," she said.
"The airport is the most important thing to deliver jobs and growth for Doncaster and I am the one who will get it over the line."
She said the government was investing £40m to enhance the city centre.
"I have already put money into the police to get them walking around the city centre. People's shopping habits have changed so we have to alter our town centre and deliver more homes, more things for people to do and I've put funding there to do that."
Speaking about economic growth, Ms Jones highlighted the city's business development service, Business Doncaster, and said the University Technical College was oversubscribed.
"We will continue to grow with 3,000 more businesses, 9,000 more jobs and the council has more than 200 apprentices," she said.
"We had millions each year taken off our budget during 15 years of austerity but we have £400m coming to the waterfront to bring thousands of new jobs."
Mr Calladine, of the British Democratic Party, also highlighted the importance of the airport reopening.
"There will be catering and hotel jobs and the taxis will be booming, it will be a fantastic opportunity," he said.
However, he said the issue involved too much "party politics" and added: "Labour has a habit of just working with their own party."
Speaking about crime, Mr Calladine said he found the city centre "very scary".
"We have to get the police back walking the streets and they need to be visible, not in their cars," he said.
"The main police station is in the city centre but you hardly see any police on the streets. It's a city of grime and crime and that must end."
Reform candidate Alexander Jones did not attend the hustings but said he had a "fresh vision" which would make the streets safer, provide social housing and cut unnecessary bureaucracy.
Social Democratic Party candidate David Bettney was unable to attend but said he wanted to work with school pupils to push back on anti-social behaviour, with zero tolerance for drugs and knife crime.
Yorkshire Party candidate Andrew Walmsley was unable to attend the debate at the last minute.
Other candidates were invited to record a 'minute manifesto' setting out their policies.
Andy Hiles (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) said he wanted better transport links for all and to improve living standards.
Richie Vallance (Independent) said he backed the airport and wanted investment in housing and transport.
There are a total of 12 candidates standing for election on 1 May.
They are:
David Bettney – Social Democratic Party
Frank Calladine - British Democratic Party
Nick Fletcher – Conservative Party
Andy Hiles - Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Ahsan Jamil – Workers Party of Britain
Alexander Jones – Reform UK
Ros Jones – Labour Party
Mihai Melenciuc – Liberal Democrats
Richie Vallance – Independent
Andrew Walmsley – Yorkshire Party
Doug Wright – Independent
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