SIR Steve Houghton has called for a review into the doomed Digital Region broadband project.
The publicly-funded high-speed broadband scheme is being shut down after failing to attract enough customers.
Sir Steve, Barnsley Council's leader, has asked for a review into the project to find out where it went wrong - particularly with its financial management.
"I have asked for an independent review into Digital Region Ltd. as to what happened and why it didn't go as planned.
"I'm going to insist that's carried out and know why this has got to this point."
The project was launched to give high-speed access to homes, schools and businesses across South Yorkshire.
But the government said it had been 'deeply flawed' and revealed only 2.7 per cent of Digital Region's required 108,000 customers had signed up.
The government invested about £48million in the project, while Barnsley, Doncaster and Rotherham councils committed £7million each and Sheffield City Council £14million.
"We had no other option but to bring the project to a close," said Cllr Houghton. "To keep it going would have cost around £83million. To close it down will be less than that."
All four local councils agreed to close the project to save taxpayers £12.5million.
Cllr Houghton said there are hopes to claw back some of the public money spent on the project by selling the DRL network to a private provider.
