The Newark Advertiser has been praised by the chief executive of a health trust after prompting an end to secret decision-making by health chiefs.

The paper wrote to Newark and Sherwood Primary Care Trust, after demanding in print that it should comply with the law by opening all appropriate meetings to the press and public.

The issue came to a head when the trust met in secret and rejected plans for a pharmacy in the area without consulting local people.

With the support of the Newspaper Society’s legal department, the Advertiser told the trust that it was acting unlawfully, and ignoring best practice guidelines issued by the Government.

At the trust’s next public meeting, it announced that it would be mending its ways and to the surprise of journalists present, the chief executive, David Sharp, praised the Advertiser.

He said: “All credit to the Advertiser. It does a fantastic job for its readers.

“I have a lot of time for the Advertiser for helping us in these sort of issues.”

Mr Sharp praised the amount of time and effort the Advertiser invested encouraging the trust to ensure its actions were transparent.

Advertiser editor Harry Whitehouse said: “We have, at times, expressed ourselves in a very forthright manner in our dealings with the trust over this issue.

“I am pleased that Mr Sharp has reacted to that pressure in such a constructive manner and I trust that no further prodding will be necessary.

“Unfortunately, many people involved with local government and assorted quangos are far more reluctant to acknowledge that the Press has a constructive role to play in monitoring their activities.”

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