Council's East Riding News under threat?

THE GOVERNMENT is set to implement a clamp down on "frivolous town hall propaganda papers" according to early reports from the BBC.

Communities Secretary Eric Pickles (pictured) has indicated plans to restrict council newspapers which he claimed threatened the viability of the independent local press and had led to public money to be spent on "frivolous town hall propaganda".

Under proposed changes to be announced today (29th September 2010), town halls would be allowed to publish such municipal newspapers, containing only factual information, four times a year.

We wait to see what the implications for this will be for the local council monthly newspaper. East Riding News as previously reported on HU12 is distributed every month to 148,664 homes at a total cost of £573,277 in 2008/09. The majority of this cost was offset by advertising revenue amounting to £556,228. It is this kind of advertising revenue which Government says should be going towards supporting the local independent press.

The current September issue of East Riding News is reproduced as a Scribd document (any difficulties viewing this? Please let us know) at the following link:ERN Sept 2010
More information at the Department of Communities and Local Government.