The question of closed meetings at Forest of Dean District Council was raised in a motion brought by Cllr Pugh at the Full Council meeting of October 11 and should be of concern to all. It was succinct and to the point:

'The Scrutiny function is intended to be transparent and open. The practice of holding a chairman's briefing meeting before a scrutiny meeting gives the impression that scrutiny is conducting secret meetings. This council will cease this practice immediately.'

Unfortunately, it was so hacked about and expanded in an amendment that it lost its force. The amended motion was passed, but it is unlikely that the secret meetings will cease. Indeed, I understand that there is to be a chairman's briefing before the projected scrutiny of the possible future of the Five Acres site, a very contentious matter, at which Cllr Molyneux will be present (it is to be hoped only for a necessary explanation of the Council's position).

This briefing will not be open to the public and it is not at all clear why this should be. If it is necessary beforehand to decide on a line of questioning for a Scrutiny meeting, which is reasonable practice, why does this have to be carried out in secret? No other matters should be discussed before the meeting itself. The briefing could very well be held at 5.30pm, followed by the actual meeting at 6pm with the public present throughout.

The Government has recommended that the presumption in scrutiny committees should be that meetings are held in public. Where this is occasionally not possible for logistical reasons, for example, if an enquiry requires a visit to a site by committee members, meetings should still be structured and agendas and minutes should be available to the public.

Scrutiny will only be effective if committee members are sufficiently competent to drill down into the factors affecting the matter in hand and if Cabinet is open to criticism and prepared to learn. Cabinet members should only attend to clarify a matter and then leave but the presence of members of the public at all meetings should concentrate minds wonderfully. If they have nothing to hide, the chairman and committee members have nothing to fear from transparency.

– Daphne Pearson (Dr), Tinman's Green, Redbrook.