KINGTON Town Council's two-year long practice of withholding the draft minutes of its meetings from local press representatives until they have been confirmed at a later meeting has now been ended - though by no means by a unanimous vote.

Councillor Ros Bradbury's proposal that the council should follow the previous practice of sending draft minutes to the press before they are confirmed received just six votes.

But three members voted against the proposal, and three abstained, after hearing Town Mayor Councillor Robert Hussey urge: "I propose we send draft minutes to the press so that they have it straight from the horse's mouth immediately".

Defending the role of the press, he added: "For the press to be restricted is not right."

Nor could action be taken against individual councillors talking to the press, he said: "We can do nothing, it is the freedom of the press."