Victory for Gunnersbury campaigners

The decision comes a fortnight after the leisure chiefs allegedly drew up plans to scrap minutes of the private meetings, sparking outrage among the park's neighbours.

It follows revelations - denied by both councils - that members had been considering plans to build posh homes in the park to raise £10million towards its much-needed regeneration.

However, a council spokeswoman said the new open-doors policy would not begin immediately as it would take some time to make the necessary changes.

Bela Cunha (pictured), of Lionel Road North, Brentford, who had launched a legal challenge to make the meetings public said: "After four and a half months of trying desperately to continue to hold meetings in secret the councils have been forced to accept defeat. Gunnersbury Park is very important to our community and the debate on its future should be aboveboard and open to scrutiny.

"We live in a democracy and councils cannot arrogantly take it upon themselves to make decisions in secret and believe they can ignore with impunity those who elected them."

Brentford councillor Matt Harmer, who sits on the regeneration board, said: "The councils decided to meet in private without asking any members of the community and that's only been overturned thanks to a legal challenge by residents."