SIR,
Your readers may have missed the admission by Monmouth Town Council in your 29th September edition, that it had been behaving in a secretive manner.
Faced with a humiliating ruling by the Ombudsman the council has backed down and resolved to change the way it operates.
The admission was tucked away at the end of the council's press release published under the headline, 'Open policy for council co-option'.
It was preceded by councillor Bob Hayward repeating the justificatory bluster he used to convince the council that the ordinary people, the voters, you and me, should be prevented from hearing two candidates explain why they should be co-opted as the new councillor for Wyesham ward.
When the vote to go into secret session was taken, only one councillor – Sue Chivers – took the people's side and voted against secrecy and for true democracy.
I was present as a member of the press and advised the council it was acting illegally.
My reward was the heaviest thwack of the gavel from the mayor I have ever heard and an order to leave the room.
So far no apology has been forthcoming.
Charles Boase
(Monmouth)