Waltham Forest council is gearing up to fight the government over a ruling it cannot publish its free newspaper every fortnight.

The council was ordered last week by Communities Minister, Marcus Jones, and the Department for Communities and Local Government (DCLG) to stop printing Waltham Forest News twice a month.

The paper is failing to adhere to the Local Audit and Accountability Act 2014, which restricts councils to publishing a newsletter only four times a year.

The local authority is one of just three nationwide still refusing to get on board with government guidelines.

It is spending around £440,000 a year to print 23 editions of the newsletter, but insists it saves taxpayers’ money by not paying to instead publish statutory notices in a local paper.

The council has now confirmed it is intending to appeal orders made by the DCLG and will respond to the department later this month.

A council spokesperson said: “We can confirm that we have received a letter from the DCLG, giving notice of a proposed direction.

"We will be responding to this letter by 15 December, as requested by the Department.

“The Council will again outline why Waltham Forest News – which reaches all 97,000 households in our borough – is legally compliant and provides the best value for money for local taxpayers.

“The government continues to insist that we pay to publish statutory notices in a frequently published newspaper.”

Hackney and Newham councils, the only other local authorities still breaking rules on newsletters, have also been ordered to limit publication to four times a year.

Luton council agreed to publish its “Lutonline” paper quarterly in July, while Tower Hamlets council stopped sending out its weekly freesheet after the government intervened.