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Written by Gordon Neish
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Wednesday, 30 December 2009 11:50 |
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Similar proposal reversed in England in Wales
THE SCOTTISH government has announced an eight-week consultation which could allow councils to advertise public notices online rather than in local and national newspapers.
This would mean that people who do not have access to the internet would be denied access to vital public information.
Ministers say the scheme would save millions of pounds while opponents say the move would be anti-democratic.
A similar proposal was made in England and Wales. The Killian Pretty Review had recommended in its final report last November that the obligation to advertise planning applications in the local press be removed from local authorities, saying the £15m saving would give them more flexibility to engage with communities.
The move was fiercely opposed by the Newspaper Society who campaigned against any possible changes to the rules.
An announcement from Westminster last week said: “Following consultation …the government has decided not to change current arrangements for certain applications to be advertised in newspapers.”
Councils use public notices to bring to people’s attention information they are legally required to publish, such as intended action such as road closures, construction, licensing and planning developments. Other notices inform people of changes to services, such as refuse collection on public holidays.
However, the Scottish government is proposing to publish all public notices on a single website.A consultation on the change will run until February 12.
Finance Secretary John Swinney claimed that the change would save councils up to £6m per year and “improve communication and dialogue with the public.”
He added: “While it will be up to councils to decide the best mix of advertising to use in their area, I would expect to see immediate savings.
“With the way that people use media constantly changing, this is the most effective way to give out public information in the 21st century.”
Paul Holleran, the National Union of Journalists’ Scottish Organiser, said: “It is essential, for reasons of democracy and public engagement, that public notices continue to appear in the local press.
“The financial impact of losing public notices is potentially massive at a time when advertising revenues are already falling and there are huge changes taking place in the industry.”
A Scottish government spokeswoman said: “This is a consultation that has been launched, it's not a decision that has been made.”
After saying that online advertising would be an alternative to press advertising, she continued: “Obviously this would be more cost-effective and allow councils to make savings. The way people use the media is constantly changing and we need to make sure councils are able to use the most effective way to give out public information.”
Argyll and Bute MSP Jim Mather told the Standard: “In a constituency like Argyll and Bute, with many older people who do not use the internet, it would make sense to have a slower migration to the use of a new public information notices web site from local papers – although public notices will still be accessible in libraries and other council buildings.
“In the meantime, I stand ready to help our local print media manage their own migration to the digital age that some are already embarked upon.
“This is what I did when we ran a major consultation session with the Scottish Daily Newspapers Association and I would welcome the chance to do the same for the Argyll and Bute media to see how they can work more closely with communities and commercial sectors, including the public sector, and help boost the local economy and ensure that we have a vibrant and profitable local media.
“Experience tells us that those, who simply try to block new developments, will do nothing other than undermine the long-term competitiveness of every business in Argyll and Bute, which would extremely foolhardy in these challenging times.”
To have your say on the consultation visit the Scottish Government’s website – if you have internet access!
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Last Updated on Saturday, 06 February 2010 15:16 |
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