Karen Whitefield hits out at Government over newspaper ad cuts

Jul 8 2009 by Colin Paterson, Airdrie & Coatbridge Advertiser

MSP KAREN WHITEFIELD reckons plans to cut public notice advertising from local newspapers fly in the face of a bid to make governments more transparent.

And the Airdrie and Shotts member says some residents could be discriminated against if a Scottish Government project designed to make all public notices available only on the internet is approved.

The cost-cutting scheme would mean local authorities could avoid shelling out to have information relating to issues like planning applications and roadworks published in the Press.

Under the plan, a Public Notices Information Portal would be created - but only residents with internet access could visit.

Labour believe newspapers could lose out on vital advertising worth £10 million although Holyrood officials think the move could save councils almost £3 million per year.

The decision would leave the estimated 40 per cent of people in Lanarkshire who don’t have an internet connection struggling to find public information on what is happening in their area in relation to certain council matters.

And the future of some struggling local newspapers could be put at risk as a result of the drop in advertising revenue at a time of deep recession.

A change in legislation is needed for the scheme to be rubber-stamped but a number of MSPs, including Ms Whitefield, have signed a petition aimed at bringing the matter back to the debating chamber.

“I believe that this is a wrong decision by the Scottish Government,” she told the Advertiser.

“Local newspapers are very well-read and they are usually the first place local people will turn to see if there are any planning applications that affect them.

“Many of these people do not have access to the internet so the new system of publishing such notices online will actually discriminate against them.

“At a time when we are all trying to make government more transparent, it seems strange to me that we are about to make accessing information more difficult.”

She added: “I also feel strongly that this decision will have a devastating effect on local papers.

“It is estimated that the removal of these notices will result in a loss of £10 million in advertising revenue. This could put many of our local papers at risk of closure.”