CITY councillors will next week get a full copy of a previously blocked report into one of their own meetings.
On April 11 City of York’s audit and governance committee saw a redacted copy of a report into their own meeting in February 2017. The document hid some details of the meeting - which took place in public and was webcast - and some recommendations about transparency at the authority. At the April meeting, councillors told officials they wanted to see a full copy and debate it in private.
Now a meeting has been arranged for next week, but councillors will only be given the report once they have confirmed their attendance
Cllr Fiona Derbyshire, chairman of the committee, called that move an “extreme protective stance” - adding that it was difficulty to know whether this was necessary without seeing the full document.
She added: “Where possible I would like us to follow the spirit of the recommendations the redacted report gave of pursuing greater transparency.
“I am hopeful that the committee will reach cross party agreement on how we go forward with a more open and transparent approach to matters clearly of public interest. I think this is essential to move past the ‘heritage trust’ issues this report was commissioned to resolve.”
A city council spokesman said the document contains details about individuals and so would only be released to councillors on a “need to know basis”, in accordance with legal requirements.
“Every precaution is taken to maintain individuals’ confidentiality – this includes who the papers are released to, and when,” they added.
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