Westminster council chiefs accused of holding crucial meetings in secret

Secret meetings at which the public are banned are being held by a council despite a pledge to be more open.

Westminster's policy-making cabinet has met in public only once in the past eight months but has convened informally — with residents and the press barred — every month. No public record exists of these meetings and no minutes or agendas are released.

Tory-run Westminster sought to play down the significance of the meetings between the borough's most powerful elected councillors and high-ranking officers. Leader Colin Barrow said: "Cabinet members and senior officers are bound to meet and discuss policy matter informally. No decisions on council policy are taken, or can be taken, at these meetings. Decisions are only ever made in private if they are commercially sensitive."

Freedom of Information campaigners said Westminster could be breaking its constitution, which promises that cabinet meetings will be held in public. Katherine Gundersen added: "People aren't going to have confidence in decisions made by the council unless it's open about how and why these decisions are being made.

"This is particularly significant when all local authorities are discussing big spending cuts."

Last month, Westminster promised to be "more transparent and accountable than it is today", but its cabinet last met on June 28 to agree the borough's budget.

Paul Dimoldenberg, leader of the opposition Labour group, said: "The council is in the grip of a major financial crisis and yet the reasons for this crisis are not being debated in public, nor do the Conservative councillors responsible have to defend their actions in public to residents, the press or to the rest of the council.

"Secret meetings are no way to run a council in the 21st century. We are calling on Communities Secretary Eric Pickles to mount an inquiry."