ANOTHER North-East council is set to announce a U-turn over secrecy as the campaign for more open local government gathers momentum.

Sedgefield Borough Council is preparing to follow the examples set by neighbouring authorities in opening the doors of its cabinet meetings to members of the Press and public.

Cabinet members have put forward the proposals themselves in the light of the experience gained during the first few months of its operation.

And if a full meeting of the council agrees to the recommendation on November 24, it will bring the total number of authorities in the region which have changed policy on secret meetings to four.

Newcastle and Durham City Councils have already opened up their cabinet meetings to the public, while Darlington Borough Council is now just one step away from following suit.

The change of heart follows The Northern Echo's Council Watch campaign, which was launched earlier this year against local government secrecy.

Under present arrangements at Sedgefield council, the cabinet does not have any decision making powers and can only make recommendations to an executive committee which meets in public.

If this latest proposal is agreed by the authority most of the cabinet's business will be conducted in public with only a small number of sensitive issues still being heard in private, as they were under the former committee system.

Council leader Brian Stephens said: "All important decisions made by members of this council have been made in full view of the Press and public.

"The misapprehension that the members of the cabinet wish to operate in a secretive way is completely flawed, particularly in the light of the stringent scrutiny arrangements that have been put in place by the council.

"Informal meetings of the cabinet have been held in private in order to encourage full and frank debate by both members and officers.

"I am confident, however, that the quality of the debate and the recommendations made will not diminish if cabinet meetings are open to the public."

Other local authorities currently still hold secret meetings, including Durham County Council, Hartlepool Borough Council and Easington District Council