A council is to announce a U-turn over secrecy following a campaign by The Northern Echo for more open local government.

Darlington Borough Council was accused of diluting democracy last May when it launched an experimental cabinet-style system, with members meeting behind closed doors.

But after The Northern Echo’s Council Watch campaign generated strong public concern, the council’s controlling Labour group has decided to scrap the idea of secret cabinets.

Council leader John Williams has revealed that the group has made a policy decision to open up the controversial cabinets to the public, Press and other council members.

The change of heart will be discussed on Friday at the next meeting of the cabinet, which comprises solely of nine Labour councillors.

Councillor Williams acknowledged that The Northern Echo’s campaign – supported by its sister papers the Darlington & Stockton Times and the Advertiser – had been a significant factor in the policy change.

He said: “When we set up the new system in May for an experimental period, we went along with the steer from the Government which was to hold the cabinet meetings in private.

“Since then we have had revised advice which has coincided with considerable public disquiet about the route we were taking. It is for those reasons that we have made this change.

“I don’t think there is any shame in getting an experiment wrong as long as you are brave enough to change it when it’s needed. We have listened to public opinion, particularly The Northern Echo’s campaign, and changed tack.”

The Labour group had argued that the closed cabinet system would improve the quality of decision-making because council officers would be in a better position to offer frank advice in private.

It was also argued that the old system was flawed because decisions were ‘sewn up’ by the controlling group before meetings of the full council.

Under the revised system, Councillor Williams has pledged that there will be no Labour group pre-meetings.

Although most of the cabinet’s business will be conducted in public, some sensitive issues will still be heard in private – as they had been under the old system before this year’s local government reforms.

“We are genuinely committed to more open local government. We may get other things wrong but it will be reviewed again in another three months,” said Coun Williams.

The first open cabinet meeting in Darlington is due to be on October 31. Other North-East councils to scrap secret cabinets following public concern have included Newcastle City Council and Durham City Council. Other local authorities, however, are pursuing the system of closed cabinets.

Peter Barron, Editor of The Northern Echo, said: “This is an important victory not only for The Northern Echo but for the people of Darlington who made the council listen about the importance of open local government.”

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