Gareth Davies: What our tribunal victory means for council transparency Bureau of Investigative Journalism reporter Gareth Davies explains the implications of a recent freedom of information ruling Councils across Britain may have to share more information about investments made with taxpayers’ money after the Bureau of Investigative Journalism won a year-long battle for the public’s right to know. A regulatory tribunal ruling, hailed by the Public Accounts Committee as a “victory for taxpayers”, has found against Thurrock Council’s attempt to keep confidential how it invested huge sums borrowed from hundreds of other local authorities. The council’s controversial investment plan, which involved borrowing £1bn from the public purse for secretive deals in green energy, was first revealed by the Bureau last year.