Bid to sweep aside 'veil of secrecy'

OPEN UP: Masterton District Council will consider a motion calling for more openness in their meetings.

A special meeting of Masterton District Council has been called for tomorrow, with one of the three items on the agenda relating to ways the council could be more transparent in its dealings.

Councillor Brent Goodwin, who late last month spoke out over what he saw as a veil of secrecy, with too much business being transacted at meetings to which the press and public had no access, has filed a notice of motion to be considered at tomorrow's meeting.

It calls on the council to form a small committee charged with exploring ways for council business to be more open.

Mr Goodwin has nominated himself, and councillors David Holmes and Gary Caffell, as being members of the committee who would be expected to bring "options and recommendations" on transparency back to full council.

The issue of the council going behind closed doors for many debates was raised by Mr Goodwin at an audit and risk committee meeting.

At that meeting he spoke of unnecessary secrecy, with debates on major issues being out of public hearing.

In the aftermath of the committee meeting, Mr Goodwin elaborated on his concerns over secrecy, apportioning some of the blame on workshops and task group meetings which are closed and transact a fair percentage of council business.

He claimed open debate and even arguments were the backbone of democracy, without which ratepayers could not be expected to make an "intelligent assessment" of the worth of individual councillors at election times.

Tomorrow's meeting, which is open to both the press and public, will be held in the Frank Cody Lounge at 1pm.

The other two items on the agenda relate to a proposed online voting trial for next year's local body elections and the Wellington region's waste management and minimisation plan.