# Community Group

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This article is about the political party in Doncaster. For the general concept, see [Community organizing](/source/Community_organizing). For the party in Hounslow, see [The Community Group (London Borough of Hounslow)](/source/The_Community_Group_(London_Borough_of_Hounslow)). For the Jonathan Jones album, see [Community Group (album)](/source/Community_Group_(album)).

**Community Group** was a British [political party](/source/Political_party) in [Doncaster](/source/Doncaster), [South Yorkshire](/source/South_Yorkshire), founded in 2001.[1] The Community Group had four councillors serving on [Doncaster Metropolitan Borough council](/source/Metropolitan_Borough_of_Doncaster) in 2009. The party deregistered in 2018.

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](/source/Doncaster_North_(UK_Parliament_constituency)) at the [2005 general election](/source/2005_United_Kingdom_general_election) against [Ed Miliband](/source/Ed_Miliband), receiving 2,365 votes (7.5%, in fourth place).[4] Jessie Credland stood for election as [Mayor](/source/Elected_mayors_in_the_United_Kingdom) 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](/source/English_Democrats_Party) Mayor [Peter Davies](/source/Peter_Davies_(politician)) 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

- [Doncaster local elections](/source/Doncaster_local_elections)

## References

1. ["Community Group, The"](https://archive.today/20120713190543/http://registers.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm?frmGB=1&frmPartyID=231&frmType=partydetail). *Register of political parties*. Electoral Commission. Archived from [the original](http://registers.electoralcommission.org.uk/regulatory-issues/regpoliticalparties.cfm?frmGB=1&frmPartyID=231&frmType=partydetail) on 13 July 2012. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. Parker, Simon (29 April 2002). ["Leaving the legacy of Donnygate"](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/localgovernment/comment/0,,707292,00.html). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. Parker, Simon (21 September 2001). ["Shakeup to clean up Doncaster"](https://www.theguardian.com/society/2001/sep/21/politics.localgovernment1). *The Guardian*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. ["Result: Doncaster North"](https://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/vote2005/html/195.stm). *BBC News*. Election 2005. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. Dunlop, Emma (7 May 2005). ["Town's Mayor clings on after contest goes to second count"](http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/news/Town39s-Mayor-clings-on-after.1020733.jp). *Yorkshire Post*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. ["Council cabinet 'stitch up' claim"](http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-news/COUNCIL-CABINET-STITCH-UP39-CLAIM.1036966.jp). *Doncaster Free Press*. 26 May 2005. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. ["Lib dem and Indie councillors furious at being frozen out"](http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/free-press-news/LIB-DEM-AND-INDIE-COUNCILLORS.1524695.jp). *Doncaster Free Press*. 25 May 2006. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. Smith, Anna (5 May 2007). ["Local Elections: Small groups hold balance in hung city"](http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/election/Local-Elections-Small-groups-hold.2857118.jp). *Yorkshire Post*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. ["Community Group Statement of Accounts 2007"](http://www.electoralcommission.org.uk/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/49405/Community-Group-The-Statement-of-Accounts-2007_29163-21634__E__N__S__W__.pdf). *Electoral Commission*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.[dead link]

1. Wainwright, Martin (7 June 2009). ["English Democrat flies the red and white flag in Doncaster"](https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/jun/07/english-democrats-doncaster-union-flag). *The Observer*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. ["PROFILE: Stuart Exelby"](https://web.archive.org/web/20090612212509/http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/15745/PROFILE-Stuart-Exelby.5312633.jp). *Doncaster Free Press*. 28 May 2009. Archived from [the original](http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/15745/PROFILE-Stuart-Exelby.5312633.jp) on 12 June 2009. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. Jones, David (4 June 2009). ["Peter Davies is Doncaster's new elected mayor"](http://www.doncasterfreepress.co.uk/15745/Peter-Davies-is-Doncaster39s-new.5334454.jp). *Doncaster Free Press*. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

1. ["Doncaster's mayoral system 'in tatters'"](http://www.thestar.co.uk/doncaster/Doncaster39s-mayoral-system-39in-tatters39.6042929.jp). *Doncaster Star*. 4 February 2010. Retrieved 8 February 2010.

## External links

- [Community Group on Doncaster Metropolitan Borough council](https://web.archive.org/web/20110104060241/http://www.doncaster.gov.uk/about/chamber/default.asp?Nav=Party&PartyID=6)
- [Martin William's profile](https://web.archive.org/web/20090903164818/http://www.thorne-moorends.gov.uk/council/mwilliams.html) on [Thorne](/source/Thorne,_South_Yorkshire) and [Moorends](/source/Moorends) Town Council.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Community Group](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Group) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Community_Group?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.