Confusion over ban on press at Oxford council inquiry on Lord Mayor (From thisisoxfordshire)
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Confusion over ban on press at Oxford council inquiry on Lord Mayor
9:30am Wednesday 9th January 2013 in News
Alan Armitage
LEGAL chiefs at Oxford City Council have been unable to substantiate claims a standards hearing held in public would breach data protection laws.
The Oxford Mail asked for clarification from the council after it announced a standards committee meeting to discuss allegations against Lord Mayor Alan Armitage would be held in private.
Mr Armitage is being investigated after claims he made inappropriate comments to a schoolgirl at an event in June last year.
City council spokesman Louisa Dean had earlier claimed: “The standards committee has been asked to consider this particular matter in private as information disclosed to and discussed by it could lead to the identification of individuals.
“It would not be in the public interest to make these discussions public, and could constitute a breach of the Data Protection Act.”
But when asked for clarification about which clause of the act the legal team was referring to, the council was yesterday unable to provide a response.
The standards committee meeting is due to take place at 10am on Wednesday, January 16.
The Oxford Mail has challenged the decision to exclude the press and public.
