Pay the Guardian!

I read with interest the front-page article ‘Council’s newsletter costs £440k’ in last week’s paper - £440,000* of council taxpayers’ money, which the council insists is saving taxpayers’ money by not paying publish statutory notices in the local press.

So, I have a suggestion for both the London Borough of Waltham Forest and the Guardian newspaper.

Why doesn’t the council pay the Guardian an annual fee of £396,000, say, for publication of the council’s statutory notices in the local press?

That’s a further £44,000 saving for the taxpayers of Waltham Forest and £396,000 that goes directly to the local economy, also following the council’s Economic Growth Strategy to ensure ‘Waltham Forest’s economy thrives’ to quote the council.

Simply, the council should stop breaking the law and help Waltham Forest’s local paper the Guardian.

Imagine if every resident flouted PCNs, planning and building control and fly-tipped and when held to account, told the council they should be allowed to break the rules?

David Wolstenborough via email

*The original figure printed in last week’s Guardian of £440,000. Waltham Forest Council dispute this, saying it is £125,000, but the government’s own website says last year’s expenditure on the “paper” was £370,000.