Tory local government spokesman says Audit Commission got it wrong on council papers

Conservative local government spokesman, Bob Neill, has claimed the Audit Commission’s investigation into whether council newspapers are a valid use of resources did not tackle the core problem of how they compete with local papers.

He said some council publications were "clearly anti-competitive" and added: "Councils need to keep their residents informed about the frequency and scope of local services, but there is no case for branching out into weekly newspapers with entertainment listings and sports reviews.

"Labour's weakening of the rules on town hall publicity is not only wasting taxpayers' money, but is now starting to erode a free press. Shutting down genuine local newspapers will harm the cause of localism by undermining robust local accountability," Neill said.
Via the Newspaper Society