It is noted in The Echo editorial (30 November) that ‘Another debated item was held in secret – the Mayoral Fund 2022/23 – Allocation of Funding. Why all the secrecy councillors?’
This action defies the recent Charter of Deliberative Democracy ratified and distributed to the Byron public as a charter of principles upheld and practised by Byron Council. Nowhere in this document are there ratified articulations of ‘secret meetings’. This action, and the consequent inaction of elected councillors, once again violates public rights, human rights, democratic processes etc. The secret meeting practice is highly abusive and extremely dangerous and manipulative, setting a precedent to continue violating democratic principles. Better to be truthful and state ‘there are times when secrecy must be upheld. Councillors can adhere to totalitarian methods to support the mayor and ever-present cronies’.
