WITH all the talk about Wikileaks, I would like to say it’s not only national secrets that are a problem but also local ones.

For instance, when I asked Horspath Parish Council about prices quoted to drain the new burial ground, certain councillors did not like it and decided in future all discussions about prices would be done behind closed doors with the public excluded.

At the end of both the October and November council meetings, councillors held another meeting (with the public excluded) to discuss prices for some tree work.

I have made a Freedom of Information request for details of these meetings, including prices, and who quoted them.

I have been told that as the information I requested was about a closed meeting, councillors would need to meet and decide if this information should be released.

As far as I’m concerned, if they were talking about spending taxpayers’ money, then I, along with everyone else, has the right to know about it.

If not then how are we to know if our money is being spent in the correct way?

KEITH BROOKS, Gateley, Horspath, Oxford