SECRECY shrouding a decision taken on the future of two former York schools has sparked outrage among opposition Labour councillors.

City of York Council's resources and advisory panel chose to consider a key agenda item on the future of council land at the Lidget Grove and Northfield School sites in private.

The sites became redundant following a reorganisation of special education, and plans are afoot to sell them for housing.

The panel moved to exclude members of the public from the debate - a move Labour members of the panel have heavily criticised.

But the Liberal Democrat executive member for resources, Coun Quentin Macdonald, has described their comments as "mischief-making".

Labour's Coun Sandy Fraser said: "While this paper did contain some sensitive commercial information, the great majority of it was looking at what should be done with this council-owned land. I think the public have every right to know what these decisions involve.

"I asked for the report to be made available to the press and public - only restricting information when we absolutely have to - but the Liberal Democrats voted en bloc to keep the entire paper secret."

He said this was "a betrayal" of the principles of open government.

He added that it was particularly shocking because Coun Macdonald was also the council's nominated information management champion.

"It is supposed to be his job to guarantee open government," he said.

Coun Macdonald told the Evening Press that the outcome of the debate was to continue with the sale of both schools, but explained that the contents of the report had contained commercially sensitive information such as the value of the sites.

He conceded the report should not have been in private but said "that was only discovered at the last minute" and it was too late to adapt the report by removing the sensitive details.

Members agreed to put decisions about the future of the site on ice until early next year when an update report on possible options will be presented.

The site will house the city's Pupil Referral Unit (PRU) for the next two years at least, but York Council is investigating future options as a precaution in case the site proves unsuitable for the educational use.

Updated: 10:20 Wednesday, September 15, 2004