Hackney Today under fire from Eric Pickles and rivals for Mayor of Hackney post

Is this the end of the Town Hall’s ‘Pravda’? Photograph: Claude Crommelin

Eric Pickles’s ultimatum to Hackney Council expires today.

The Conservative Local Government Secretary had given the Labour-run Town Hall until today to say why the Government should not take action to curtail its publication of Hackney Today. 

A Hackney Council spokesperson said: “Hackney Council has sent a submission to the Secretary of State that outlines in detail the financial, legal, and community benefit case for retaining fortnighly production of Hackney Today, and explaining to him in the strongest possible terms why he should reconsider his position and withdraw the threat of Government direction concerning Hackney Today. We await his response with interest.”

Hustings clash

Pickles’s renewed pressure on the Town Hall came after candidates vying for the post of Mayor of Hackney queued up to pour scorn on the fortnightly council-produced freesheet – branded a ‘Pravda’ by opponents after the infamous Soviet propaganda sheet.

At Sunday’s mayoral debate at the Arcola Theatre, organised by the Hackney Citizen, Liberal Democrat panellist Tony Harms said Hackney Today only published only “good news” and platitudes rather than genuinely useful information, while the Conservatives’ Amy Gray said closing the paper would be “the first thing” Conservative mayoral candidate Linda Kelly would do if elected.

Independent candidate Mustafa Korel said the Town Hall could make better use of its website to publish public information, and the Green Party’s Mischa Borris called on the council to support the independent local press.

However, Mayor Pipe defended Hackney Today, saying it only existed because of a legal requirement stipulating councils must publish public notices in a paper that appears at least fortnightly.

Mayor Pipe added: “We are stuck with the system we have because that is the national law.”

At the Citizen’s hustings event last weekend: (from left) Chair Dr Ben Todd, incumbent Mayor of Hackney Jules Pipe, Liberal Democrat panellist Tony Harms, Conservative panellist Amy Gray, Independent candidate Mustafa Korel and Green Party candidate Mischa Borris. Photograph: Hackney Citizen

Eric Pickles has sent formal letters to five London boroughs – Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest and Greenwich – triggering the first legal steps the Secretary of State can now take to require compliance with the Publicity Code for local authorities under the new Local Audit and Accountability Act.

The code sets a range of provisions in relation to local authority publicity including the frequency, content and appearance of taxpayer-funded news-sheets. This includes limiting publication to prevent competition with local newspapers and obliging councils to be cost effective and objective in any publicity material they publish.

Mr Pickles said: “Localism needs robust and independent scrutiny by the press and public, and municipal state-produced newspapers suppress that. Town Hall Pravdas not only waste taxpayers’ money unnecessarily, they undermine free speech.

“I have given written notice to councils most clearly breaching the Publicity Code, noting that Parliament has passed new laws to tackle this abuse. We are prepared to take further action against any council that undermines local democracy – whatever the political colour.”

‘Financial sense’

A Hackney Council spokesperson said: “As stated by government, Hackney Council conforms to every aspect of the code except for the clause on frequency of publication.

“Publishing Hackney Today fortnightly is the most effective way for the council to communicate with its diverse mix of residents, both in terms of value for money and reach.

“Publishing it less frequently would actually cost the council more. It’s estimated that moving to a quarterly publication would result in the council having to spend at least an extra £100,000 a year to cover the cost of paying for statutory notices in local newspapers and printing and distributing materials currently included in Hackney Today.

“Latest MORI [opinion poll] research found 71 per cent of Hackney residents feel well-informed about council services, 16 per cent higher than the national average, and Hackney Today is stated as the most used and most trusted source of information on services.

“We have told the Minister many times that we will cease fortnightly production of Hackney Today as soon as he ends the costly and outdated requirement on councils to place statutory advertising in a local newspaper. As for claims that council newsletters compete unfairly with local press, no credible evidence has ever been presented to back this up – as concluded by a government
select committee.”

The spokesperson added that a breakdown and explanation of the cost of producing Hackney Today was  available on the council’s website.

Election fever

Hackney will go to the polls on 22 May to elect the borough’s Mayor and councillors.

Incumbent Mayor Pipe is standing for a fourth term. The other candidates are Linda Kelly (Conservative), Simon de Deney (Liberal Democrat), Mischa Borris (Green Party) and Mustafa Korel (Independent).

Elections for the European Parliament, which are held in a London-wide constituency, will also be taking place on 22 May.