GREENWICH: Councillors blast 'propaganda' paper Greenwich Time (From News Shopper)

GREENWICH: Councillors blast 'propaganda' paper Greenwich Time

12:00pm Wednesday 3rd February 2010 in

• Skip social links
• Print
• Email
• Comments(3)

"PROPAGANDA” freesheet Greenwich Time was slammed by opposition councillors at a full council meeting.

Conservatives have called on the council paper to be scrapped, while Lib Dems are demanding a consultation on its future.

Last month we spoke to a host of MPs, councillors and others in the borough who were all highly critical of the paper, labelling it “propaganda”.

And at a council meeting our article was quoted by Conservative councillor for Eltham North Dermot Poston in a written question to council leader Councillor Chris Roberts.

He asked: “How does the leader of the council react to Clive Efford’s criticism of Greenwich Time not having ‘freedom of speech and information’ and Nick Raynsford’s view publications issued by local authorities ‘should maintain strict impartiality on party political matters’?"

Cllr Poston also asked: “Isn’t the publication of eight different photographs of the local Labour politician in an earlier edition of Greenwich Time excessive – especially when it never contained a single photograph of any opposition councillor?”

In his written reply, Cllr Roberts said the paper adhered to the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity.

He said: “This requires strict impartiality on party political matters as identified by Nick Raynsford and the avoidance of providing a platform for MPs in their party political work as cited by Clive Efford.”

However, Cllr Poston told the meeting Greenwich Time was politically motivated and most people in the borough gave it the thumbs down.

He said afterwards: “Greenwich Time is a political news sheet which has dedicated itself over the years to supporting Labour in a way which is, for a council, totally undemocratic.

“Having eight photos of the same Labour councillor in it is something which goes on all the time.”

He added: “News Shopper is very alert to anything which goes on in the borough that’s politically interesting and doesn’t have an obvious axe to grind.

“But Greenwich Time is dreadful in that regard. It just promotes one point of view.”

During a motion at the meeting on Greenwich being awarded Royal Borough status, Tory councillor Nigel Fletcher asked why, when Greenwich Time covered the story in its “souvenir” issue, instead of a picture of the Queen it used one of Cllr Roberts.

He also asked why a supportive comment from the Conservative party had appeared in all other local media but was ignored by Greenwich Time.

Cllr Fletcher told News Shopper: “It’s not just about that one issue but it’s a very good example that it’s committed to undemocratically exclude all opposition voices.

“This completely vindicates our commitment to scrap it.”

Lib Dem councillor Cllr Paul Webbewood has now called for a consultation over the publication’s future.

He said: “I think the council needs to be very careful when it starts putting things such as TV listings and football results in.

“After the election I’d like to see a few months of consultation with people on how it could change and if it should continue.”

A spokesman for Greenwich Council said: “Greenwich Council has a duty to provide residents with details of how they can access the services we provide and opportunities we provide. Greenwich Time is one of the ways in which we do this.

“It also provides a cost-effective way of advertising council homes on a weekly basis as Greenwich Time is the only paper which is both produced in the borough and delivered to all households in the borough."