"We must have our own town council - and soon"

Cllr Sean Gibbons said part of the reason Stainforth had secured the cash under the Government’s Town Fund scheme was because its town council had been able to take a lead in shaping the plans, with Mexborough’s own masterplan proposals still yet to be finalised.

But he said he was hopeful a referendum would be held soon for a town council for Mexborough.

“We’ve talked about it for long enough, now’s the time to get that out there,” Cllr Gibbons said.

“We need to get so many of the electorate to actually sign up and get out there with a referendum, asking people what they want.

“It’s a prerequisite for what we need - to do all the major investment.

“But it is going to happen next year.”

A Doncaster Council spokesperson said: “There is a process involved in forming a town council including a referendum - this is something that is being looked into.”

On the Stainforth plans, they added: “Stainforth was recently awarded £21.6 million as part of the Towns Fund.

“The Government invited bids from Doncaster town centre and Stainforth and these bids were developed with a Towns Board made up of representatives from the public, private and the voluntary and community sectors.”