LIBERAL Democrats in Gateshead are claiming victory in their battle to force open the borough council's cabinet meetings.

Labour-run Gateshead Metropolitan Borough Council scrapped its committee system last year and replaced them with a closed cabinet made up of its own members.

But now the Government is to ban secret cabinets following pressure from objectors, highlighted by The Northern Echo's Council Watch campaign.

Changes to the Government's plans for local government were proposed by ministers last week, when Labour realised they would not be able to get their changes through Parliament.

Leading North-East Liberal Democrat and anti-secrecy campaigner Dr Jonathan Wallace, who represents Whickham South on Gateshead council, helped advise senior Liberal Democrat MPs on the approach to be taken in Parliament.

He said last night: "This is a major u-turn by the Government. It means that the top-secret cabinet meetings in the borough will now be outlawed.

"Decision-making will have to be done in public. Liberal Democrats now call on Gateshead council to open up its cabinet meetings to the public immediately."