OPPOSITION leader Cllr Brian Robinson has had a run-in with the Forest of Dean District Council over what is an ‘exempt’ item and why ‘certain councillors’ can mention it but others cannot.

He claimed it was one rule for some and another for others when the row erupted at the latest full meeting of the authority when they were discussing commercial investments.

The council held secret meetings last year which involved all elected members where an investment in a shopping centre in Worcester was discussed.

However, it became public knowledge after it was leaked to the media and put out over the internet.

A leading Cabinet member said their current practice of keeping whatever behind the scenes work they were doing on new inward investments plus negotiations they are having about the long-running Five Acres project, involving the former

Gloucestershire College in Berry Hill, under wraps so that ‘commercial confidentiality’ is kept due to the authority’s business reputation being ‘shredded’.

FULL STORY IN THIS WEEK’S FORESTER