KENNET District Council does not trust its members to keep confidential minutes secret, it was revealed at its full council meeting on Tuesday.

Coun Bill Cavill had asked that all councillors should be sent confidential minutes of the council's human resources committee, because they were being asked to approve them sight unseen at full council meetings.

The meeting was told by human resources committee chairman Coun Dominic Campbell that the minutes were only being circulated to members of the human resources committee because there had been a leak of confidential documents in the past.

This is thought to refer to the leak to a freelance journalist of information that chief executive Mark Boden was receiving a 20 per cent increase in salary at the time that five senior managers were being made redundant.

Coun Cavill said: "I was told that if I wanted to see the minutes, I could come and pick a set up from the council offices, but they should be sent out to all councillors as we have to approve them."

Leader of the council, Coun Chris Humphries, told Coun Cavill that a set of minutes could be sent out to him if he wished. He added: "We want to keep tabs on these documents so that, if there is a leak, we can find out where it came from."

Coun Clyde Hoddinott, chairman of the council's overview and scrutiny committee, said the limited circulation of the minutes made it difficult for his members to do their job.

Coun Humphries said this had not been raised before and it would now be considered.