The Colchester Evening Gazette has won praise in the House of Commons after it revealed the history of a property transaction between the borough council and a property developer.

Chief reporter Tom Weatherill used the Freedom of Information Act to access a number of Colchester Borough Council documents which were previously classed as private and confidential.

Overwhelming public interest in the deal prompted Tom to investigate.

The Gazette ran a front page exclusive and background feature, and its work has been praised in the House of Commons where the town’s MP has lodged an Early Day Motion.

The documents released to the Gazette show the decisions taken by the council during meetings deemed to be private and confidential.

Colchester Council exchanged properties and handed over £2.7m, allowing its plans for regenerating part of Colchester to go ahead.

Colchester MP Bob Russell has now lodged an early day motion with the House of Commons which reads: “This House congratulates the Colchester Evening Gazette, and its chief reporter Tom Weatherill, for using the Freedom of Information Act to obtain papers from Colchester Borough Council relating to the background of land transactions and development proposals in the town’s St Botolph’s Quarter. ”

The motion notes “with concern” that such information was “seemingly not known to the majority of councillors”.

The motion itself adds that subsequently millions of pounds of public money was been paid, or pledged, by various public bodies in addition to the council, namely the East of England Development Agency, Arts Council East, Essex County Council and the University of Essex without this background information being made known.

The motion concludes that the House of Commons: “…urges other regional and local newspapers to follow the excellent example of the Colchester Evening Gazette to use the Freedom of Information Act to glean from local authorities information which otherwise will be kept from residents.”