A NEW committee set up to manage Musselburgh Racecourse after its predecessor body was mired in controversy has conducted more than half its business behind closed doors.

Musselburgh Racing Associated Committee (MRAC) was established by East Lothian Council last February after the British Horseracing Authority threatened to pull the course’s licence to race over concerns about its governance.

Relations between members of  predecessor body Musselburgh Joint Racing Committee were described as “festering”.

It was made up of four East Lothian councillors and three members of Lothians Racing Syndicate (LRS), the latter representing racing interests.

But the two factions were described in an independent report as having “considerable mistrust, weariness, resentment and bitterness”.

Staff under the previous committee threatened to strike and there were claims of a lack of transparency surrounding their meetings and decisions.

The independent report by Pinsent Mason was branded commercially sensitive by East Lothian Council, which refused to publish it until an investigation by the Information Commissioner led to a redacted version being made public.

In February last year, the council replaced the old  management committee with MRAC,  giving the council a 4-2 majority over LRS.

However,  MRAC has held only four public meetings in council chambers in Haddington Town Hall since it was set up, with 19 of the 31 items of business on the agenda heard in private.

On each occasion, the council has cited Local Government (Scotland) Act 1973, paragraph six, which allows it to exclude the public for “information relating to the business affairs of particular persons other than the authority”.

East Lothian Council said that it “looks to ensure that, as far as possible, committee matters are progressed in public”.

A spokesperson added: “The MRAC often considers matters in public session.

“As with other committees, some reports may require to be held in private should they contain exempt information.”

Reports which have been withheld from the public include the current year’s budget, financial reviews and racecourse general manager’s report.

East Lothian Council is currently looking for a third-party operator to take over the running of the racecourse, which is on Common Good land.

The hunt for a new operator is currently out to tender with hopes an appointment will be made before the end of this year.