PLANS by Durham County Council to hold cabinet meetings in public have been welcomed.

Consultation on plans for the management of the Labour-run authority revealed 95.5 per cent of people asked felt there should be public access to meetings.

Cabinet meetings are held in private, but at the moment it has no legal power to make decisions, only recommendations to the executive committee which meets in public.

Several other councils hold cabinet meetings in public, including Durham City Council.

But next week councillors will be recommended to adopt the leader and cabinet system, and open meetings.

John Shuttleworth, independent councillor for Weardale, welcomed the proposals.

"I don't think any meeting should be closed to the public. There is too much secrecy in local government and it is totally unnecessary," he said.

"People always think there is something to hide. They think things are corrupt and not running correctly, which, of course, isn't the case.

"Under this new system we don't get the same amount of information that we used to.

"If cabinet meetings are in public it will be good for democracy. Having said that, the old system worked for 150 years and it kept people informed."

The council's consultation attracted a large number of responses, including 4,016 from a random sample of electors across the county, according to reports going to the executive committee and full council.

Almost 72 per cent of electors voted for the cabinet and leader system.

The mayor and cabinet model attracted 25.6 per cent support, and the mayor and manager option was backed by 10.6 per cent.

Businesses, voluntary organisations, and county council staff also supported the cabinet and leader model, which is being supported by the council's cabinet