Today sees Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, sign into law new rules banning councils from forbidding citizens and journalists from reporting council proceedings in blogs and on social media.
This marks a victory in our long-running campaign to open up democracy at the local level. Andrew Allison, our former National Grassroots Co-ordinator, wrote a crucial report for the TPA in October of last year that provided the Government with enough evidence to drive through the changes.
These changes are great news for taxpayers, as democracy should never live behind closed doors. The Government is to be congratulated for making local government a more transparent, open place.