Council cash discussed in secret (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Council cash discussed in secret

2:17pm Thursday 18th September 2008

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Town councillors in Chippenham decided at a meeting last night to ban press and members of the public from their discussions about an increase in their allowances.

During the hour long Strategy and Resources Committee meeting councillors voted to put the discussion about their allowances into confidential minutes.

Town and district councillor Andy Phillips tried to have the decision overturned but to no avail.

He said: "We have nothing to hide and the public should be made aware of what we are doing at these meetings.

"It should be an open and honest discussion."

Coun Phillip's motion gained no support from anyone else at the meeting and the discussion was held in private.

The discussion related to a report compiled by the Independent Remuneration Panel in August which recommended that Chippenham town councillors' allowance could increase from £500 per annum to £1,342.

If the town council accepted this recommendation the overall cost would be a maximum of £29,524.

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