The oldest professional body for journalists in the world has welcomed the government’s decision to take further action against Waltham Forest Council over its town hall freesheet. 

For more than six years, the Chartered Institute of Journalists (CIoJ) has rallied against tax-payer funded newspapers for harming local independent press and being used for 'propaganda' purposes.  

The department for communities and local government (DCLG) warned the council last week legal action could be taken in a matter of weeks if their bi-monthly Waltham Forest News (WFN) is not restricted to quarterly by January 1 2015. 

Waltham Forest resident and CioJ member Janice Shillum Bhend campaigned against the launch of WFN and argues its publication has cost taxpayers' millions. 

She said: "We at the CIoJ are only too aware of the damage that these ‘Pravdas’ have caused to local journalism, journalists and indeed local democracy throughout the UK.

"It is more than time councils were controlled and prevented from using our council taxes to tell us only what they want us to hear. 

"Waltham Forest's exercise in vanity publishing has cost residents in excess of £3million over the last six years."

Secretary of State Eric Pickles has refuted the council's argument it is the most "cost effective" way to publish statutory notices and given them 14 days as of September 25 to respond. 

A council spokeswoman has said they are "considering the Secretary of State's latest letter and will respond accordingly."