The government has issued a final notice to Waltham Forest council over the frequency of its tax-payer funded freesheet, rejecting the authority's reasons to continue publishing fortnightly. 

Communities and Local Government secretary Eric Pickles has warned legal action could be taken against the authority and several others in a matter of weeks if it continues to flout the law.

In April, Mr Pickles took action against what he described as the 'Town Hall Pravda' after writing to the council's chief executive Martin Esom reminding him to restrict its fortnightly freesheet Waltham Forest News to quarterly. 

The Local Audit and Accountability Bill, introduced in March, is designed to stop taxpayers’ money being used to promote political parties and safeguard an independent local press.

Now, Paul Rowsell of the DCLG has responded to Mr Esom by rejecting the council's argument 23 copies a-year of WFN is the 'most cost effective' way to meets its duties in publishing statutory notices, and says declining readership in local newspapers does not "sufficiently outweigh" its continuation twice monthly. 

As a result, the letter states: "The secretary of state proposes to direct the London Borough of Waltham Forest to comply as soon as practicable and in any event by no later than January 1, 2015 with the publicity code having been approved by a resolution of each House of Parliament."

The council must respond within 14 days. 

Minister Kris Hopkins said: "Frequent town hall freesheets are not only a waste of taxpayers’ money but they undermine the free press. 

"Localism needs robust and independent scrutiny by the press and public.

"Councillors and political parties are free to campaign and put out political literature but they should not do so using taxpayers’ money.

"This is the 11th hour for 11 councils who we consider are clearly flouting the Ppblicity code. 

"They have all now been given written notice that we are prepared to take further action, should it be necessary, against any council that undermines local democracy – whatever the political colour."

Many councillors and residents have described the controversial freesheet as 'Labour Party propaganda', with Conservative vice-chairman Bob Neill MP describing its continued twice-monthly publication as "pathetic and absurd".

The council has been approached for a comment.