MEMBERS of the public will be barred from private briefings held before meetings that rule on planning applications.
Conservative councillors voted to keep private briefings despite a call from the Planning Committee System Task Group to end the closed door procedures.
Private pre-briefings are currently held before all northern area planning committee meetings, where councillors ask planning officers questions about complex cases.
In West Wiltshire private briefings do not take place and any questions are asked during the public meeting.
The vote to end private meetings was rejected, as Conservative councillors refuted calls that the private meetings threaten public confidence in the openness of the council.
Leader of the opposition on Wiltshire Council and Lib Dem Group leader Cllr Ian Thorn said: “I am amazed by this vote by Conservative councillors. Wiltshire Council claims to be open and transparent.
“Wiltshire residents have the right to know and see what their council is doing. These meetings should stop.”
The vote to stop private pre-briefings was rejected by eight votes to three with one abstention during a overview and scrutiny management committee meeting in Trowbridge on June 4.
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