A REVIEW some backers said would have made the county council more transparent and could have changed times of meetings was rejected.

Labour councillor Laura Price, who represents Witney South and Central, asked councillors to back a review to ensure the county council is ‘embracing openness and transparency’.

Meetings between senior councillors and council staff are often held in informal and private chats, much of the time as a way of formulating policy.

But county council policy is approved in open meetings the vast majority of the time, unless it relate to an individual member of staff or contractual details with companies.

The county council holds all of its meetings during normal working hours. Monthly council meetings attended by all councillors begin at 10.30am on the second Tuesday of the month and usually run on until 4pm, with a lunch break included. Other committee meetings tend to either begin at 10am or 2pm.

Judith Heathcoat, the deputy leader of the county council, said the review was ‘not practical’ and that anything resulting from it could have led to inconvenience for some members.

Many county councillors also serve as district or city councillors across Oxfordshire – but most of the meetings at district councils or at Oxford City Council are held in the evening.

Lib Dem group leader Richard Webber said the use of pink papers – which are marked as confidential for council staff and councillors – were used in ‘almost every agenda’ at Oxfordshire County Council.

But Conservative Nick Carter labelled the claim 'nonsense'.

The county council voted against the motion, with 27 councillors in favour and 31 voting against it.