Fenland Council withholds information on Wisbech High Sreet Programme from the press and public

Fenland District Council has elected to withhold the latest information on the National Lottery Heritage Fund (NLHF) Wisbech High Street Programme.

Speaking to members of the Cabinet at their meeting (February 3), council leader Councillor Chris Boden said: “Members are requested to exclude members of the press and public from the second part of the report: pages 19-32 on the basis that it contains information about the financial affairs of Fenland District Council and third-party organisations.

“Furthermore, the public interest consideration has been applied and it is considered that the need to retain the information as exempt outweighs the public interest in disclosing it.”

The Cabinet voted unanimously to exclude the press and public from the second part of the report.

Cllr Chris Seaton said: “Chairman I think in the interests of the Cabinet and because there are such significant changes within this report, I’m going to propose that both parts of this report go into exempt closed session.”

Following a unanimous vote to exclude the press and public entirely from the agenda item, the meeting which was being streamed live on YouTube was then terminated.

There has been continued positive progress with the NLHF Programme for Wisbech High Street through September to December 2021 with ongoing property projects, new property improvements starting on site and some larger projects nearing completion.

However, following today’s decision by the Cabinet members the people of Wisbech will have to wait a little longer to find out any more details of their High Street regeneration.

The next meeting of Fenland District Council Cabinet is on 24 February 2022.