The district has large amounts of countryside; at 219 square miles (570 km2), it is the largest metropolitan borough in England by area.

Verified population statistics per Ward from the 2001 census are shown as A referendum was held in 2001, to decide if a directly elected mayor should be appointed.

The Commission felt that this, along with evidence that the council had not been well run for 15 years, was leading to a loss of public confidence.

It found that Doncaster was a dysfunctional authority and that there were three factors preventing the council from providing good governance:[10] On the recommendations of the commission, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, John Denham, used powers to appoint an acting chief executive and an advisory board to oversee the council.

[9] A Doncaster Recovery Board, comprising four appointed commissioners and seven other members including the mayor and chief executive held its first quarterly meeting on 10 September 2010.