Current Labour group leader Coun Joe Blackham will be up against Coun Sandra Holland and Coun Glyn Jones for the final nomination which is expected to be announced at the end of the month.

A Yorkshire and Humber Labour Party spokesperson said: "This shortlist will now be considered on a one member one vote basis by all Labour Party members in Doncaster."

Non-councillors Colin Jeynes, Mark Houlbrook and Michael Felse have fallen out of the race following interviews over the weekend. The winner will replace current mayor Martin Winter as Labour's candidate.

Mr Winter, who was expelled from the Labour Party earlier this year, became Doncaster's first elected mayor in 2002 and is expected to stand again as an independent.

Coun Blackham was elected to represent Stainforth and Moorends in 2004 and now chairs the authority's audit committee and chief officers appointments and conditions of service committee.

Sandra Holland, who represents the Conisbrough and Denaby ward, chairs the cross-party overview and scrutiny management committee following her election to the council two years ago.

Glyn Jones was re-elected to represent Central ward in May this year and is a former cabinet member.

An announcement on the result of a ballot of Labour Party members on their preferred candidate is scheduled for October 26, with hustings events planned for members in each of parliamentary constituency area.

Next year's mayoral election is pencilled in for the first week in May but could be moved to coincide with the European elections in June.

The Conservative Party has already named its candidate as Coun Jonathan Wood. The Liberal Democrats has yet to confirm whether it is fielding a candidate.

The Alliance of Independent Members is expected to put a name forward.

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