After the more juicy items at Wednesday’s finance committee were discussed I took the opportunity to nip off a few minutes early to catch up with a council contact.

I’m told that after I left, Mary Draycott – until then quiet as a mouse – decided to open up.

“Now that someone has left,” she began, gesturing at my empty seat, before discussing some issues surrounding De Montfort Hall.

This is the same person who stood for leader. We can safely assume that an “era of openness” would not have been very high on her agenda had she succeeded…

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