IT’S not often we praise a councillor for injecting a dose of commonsense into debate (or for anything else for that matter). But we do today.

Last month we asked Dorset County Council and the Borough of Poole for details of all the roads where street lights are being switched off to save money.

Both refused on the grounds that police had advised them not to because of safety issues. Following our appeal, the chairman of DCC, Cllr John Wilson intervened to get the decision by County Hall chiefs overturned. We wait to see if Poole, whose justification was a classic example of bureaucratic speak, follow suit.

Despite the Freedom of Information Act, it is still incredibly difficult to get certain information from some very defensive and secretive public bodies. The police and NHS are among the worst offenders. Cllr Wilson’s very sensible intervention is a massive step in the right direction.