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No freedom of info at MBC

Vic Barlow
9/ 2/2005

WHAT a great coup for Wilmslow to be chosen as the Government centre for the new Freedom of Information Act bringing over 200 jobs to the town.

Obviously, the choice of location was not based on the openness of Macclesfield Borough Council who appear to have no minutes of meetings or any knowledge of how individual councillors vote.

When dentists at the Westgate Dental Practice had their application for a surgery in Tytherington turned down MBC Planning Committee claimed they kept no minutes of their meetings or had any knowledge of who voted for what. A tad out of line wouldn't you say in this age of transparency? Unless of course councillors don't remember where they've been or what they've done which, in some cases, is a distinct possibility.

This is the first time in 40 years Tytherington has been without a dental practice and residents have a right to read the minutes of such an important planning meeting and certainly to know how their councillors voted. Considering the lengths to which MBC have gone in the past to be seen as a modern progressive council this smacks of concealment. Members of Parliament have their every word on permanent record for all to read so why not councillors? Of what are they afraid?

Perhaps, if we had more openness and knew exactly how our councillors voted we would see far more democracy in a council notorious for dismissing the views of its residents?

• THE views expressed on this page are those of Vic Barlow and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Express.