Secretive reports being withheld from the public have prompted Colchester Council's own staff union to take action.

Council workers' union Unison claims some confidential council reports may have "stepped beyond the guidelines" which enables the council to ban the public from parts of meetings.

Intervention from the District Auditors Office is being sought by Unison.

Leading councillors yesterday (Thursday) backed the call for more open government and debate on the issue.

Unison will cite council reports about a possible private-public partnership deal for services at Colchester Cemetery and Crematorium, but they want all confidential reports using section 12a of the Local Government Act to be considered.

Unison branch secretary Chris Parkin said: "The Local Government Act allows certain sensitive issues to be discussed confidentially. Concern is over some reports that may have stepped beyond the guidelines and excluded the public from the debate."

"Staff are concerned the public have been excluded from proposals to pass this particular service into the private sector. As residents we should all have the opportunity to comment on council proposals that will affect us."

Labour group leader Tim Young today said he thought Unison was "premature" over the issue of the cemetery as talks were at very early stages.

Mr Young said: "I think there are a number of things I would be more than prepared to discuss in public, and that debate may well happen. We should discuss things in public unless there are very good reasons not to."

Conservative group leader Nigel Chapman said he knew little about the cemetery issue but added he thought more could be discussed in the public arena.

"It is a difficult balance to get right. We are a public body and so everything should be open, but at the same time we are also an employer," he said.

Council leader Bill Frame said: "Our policy is to be as open as possible in all activities.

"But there are times when confidentiality for commercial or personal reasons has to be enforced."

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