HEREFORDSHIRE Council has missed a golden opportunity to present itself as an open and transparent organisation after banning the press from another public meeting.

The council’s standards panel convened on Tuesday to sample some of the 64 complaints about councillor behaviour dealt with by monitoring officer Claire Ward since April 30, 2017.

The nature of these complaints ranges from those which have been upheld to those dismissed.

It also includes those objecting to the behaviour of parish councillors, county representatives and even members of the council’s cabinet.

But the panel decided to exclude the press and public because, in their view, the public interest in maintaining the identity of the councillors concerned secret outweighed that of disclosing it.

This is the second standards panel meeting within a month to discuss its matters behind closed doors and away from the public eye.

The press and public were also barred from the standards panel appeal hearing concerning councillor Jim Kenyon held on October 16.

Herefordshire Council says its PEOPLE values are designed as a set of principles to shape the future culture, guide the way it acts, what is said, how employees think and to help them when making choices and decisions.

The council says the O in PEOPLE stands for Openness i.e. being open, transparent and accountable.

How can the council claim to follow such a value if they continue to deal with matters of public interest behind a veil of secrecy?