Gower meeting held behind closed doors
A meeting about the future of a town's Victorian landmark went ahead in private, despite a last-minute attempt to open it to the press and public.
St Georges and Priorslee Parish Council in Telford held an extraordinary meeting to discuss whether to take on responsibility for refurbishing the Gower School House, which was built in 1873.
Councillor Ian Fletcher opposed holding the meeting behind closed doors, saying their decision would have a “real effect and impact” on residents of the parish, but chairman Richard Overton said the Gower Feasibility Study under discussion contained commercially-sensitive information.
He added that the public would be involved in the consultation after their decision.
The 1960 Public Bodies (Access to Meetings) Act gives local government organisations the power to exclude the public from meetings when confidential business comes up, for example relating to commercial contracts.
Cllr Fletcher’s motion, to refrain from enacting it, was defeated by six votes to four.
Introducing the motion, Conservative Cllr Fletcher – who represents the Priorslee ward – said: “I don’t think we should exclude the press and public.
“The decisions we take will have a real effect and impact on the residents of Priorslee and St Georges.
“I really think it would be better if it was discussed in the open.”
However, he acknowledged that the document included “financial figures, which normally aren’t discussed in public”.
Labour’s Cllr Overton, whose St Georges ward includes the Gower Street building, said: “There’s commercial sensitivity in these documents.
“There’s also the fact that, whatever happens, it will go to the consultation.”
Parish councillors then discussed recommendations made by St Georges and Priorslee’s Parish Plan Committee at an earlier meeting on October 1.
According to the EGM agenda, these cover project plans and financial model, community consultation and timescale.
Known locally as The Gower, the grade II-listed building was initially a cottage hospital, but converted to a school shortly after opening and closed in 1960. It has since housed youth clubs, and is owned by Telford and Wrekin Council and managed by volunteers.
