A COUNCIL is tonight expected to agree to open previously-secret cabinet meetings to the press and public.
A full meeting of Darlington Borough Council is being recommended to open up the meetings to public scrutiny.
It follows criticism which was heaped on the Labour-controlled authority when it introduced secret cabinet meetings earlier this year.
Under the present system, the cabinet agendas are made available before the meetings, but neither the press or public are allowed to see what decisions are made until afterwards. But from tomorrow, if the councillors approve the recommendation, the meetings will be open and the first one will take place on October 31.
Darlington council is one of only three authorities in the region which have decided to scrap secret cabinets.
Newcastle and Durham city councils have already opened up their cabinet meetings to the public, while Sedgefield Borough Council announced last week that it was also following suit.
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