High Peak Liberal Democrats
Eric Pickles, Communities and Local Government Secretary has announced that local councils are to face a crackdown on the publication of free newspapers and magazines which threaten the viability of independent local press, it was announced this week.
The rules around council publicity have been too weak for too long allowing public money to be spent on frivolous town hall propaganda papers that have left many local newspapers looking over the abyss - weakening our free press - or to use 'hired-gun' lobbyists that operate in the shadows to bulldoze special interests through.
The proposals published today will close off these inappropriate practices and make sure that councils focus taxpayers' money on where it should be spent - protecting frontline services.
Note from your webmaster
While I was editing the article on the proposed reduction of social care for adults by Derbyshire Council I received Issue Number 7 of "Derbyhire First" from Derbyshire County Council and so I welcome this announcement from the Eric Pickles, Communities and Local Government Secretary.
This sixteen page tabloid contains 42 full colour photographs, excluding the 64 photographs of the individual County Councillors. Ten Conservative County Councillors are featured in these photographs and many of the headlines are in Tory Blue.
While I appreciate that the County Council must communicate with the community in these hard times times a simple factual newsletter would be adequate accompanied by more use of Press Releases to our excellent local media including the free press.
Derbyshire County Council should publish the cost including design, production and distribution of Derbyshire First and tell us how many hours of social care this would pay for..
Printed (hosted) by Prater Raines Ltd, 98 Sandgate High Street, Folkestone CT20 3BY
Published and promoted by Barrie Taylor on behalf of High Peak Liberal Democrats all at Daleside, Linglongs Road,, Whaley Bridge SK23 7DS and by Richard Salmon, Derbyshire Liberal Democrats on behalf of Stan Heptinstall (Liberal Democrats) both at 9 Walnut Road, Belper DE56 1RG.
The views expressed are those of the publisher, not of the service provider.
Website designed and developed by Prater Raines Ltd, with modifications by High Peak Liberal Democrats