ANOTHER week, another Witney Town Council meeting closed to the press and public.

Last week, councillors excluded the Witney Gazette and residents from an important meeting about the Langdale Hall.

It later emerged that councillors had asked officers to investigate the value of the public hall, with a view to selling it to fund the renovation of the Corn Exchange.

This Monday evening, the council held another important meeting behind closed doors, this time to discuss the future of sports facilities.

Members of the leisure and recreation committee heard a presentation about shortfalls in the town’s sports facilities.

It is thought the final draft, which will be made available in September, could recommend investing thousands of pounds in improvements. But the council decided to “manage the expectations” of the public about future developments and not allow them into the meeting.

We understand that some commercially-sensitive material needs to be discussed in private. This includes negotiations over the price of work, where keeping bids secret is sensible to avoid businesses undercutting each other or the council losing out.

But the phrase “commercially sensitive” is being used far too often by the council to exclude the press and public.

It should go without saying, but perhaps town councillors need to be reminded that council meetings should be kept open to all, whenever possible.

If discussion heads in the direction of sensitive finances, the meeting can be closed – briefly – to the press and public, before being reopened.

To close off the entire meeting gives the impression, whether accurate or not, of the council being secretive – again.