A PETITION bearing the names of almost 2,700 people calling for the restoration of public notices in the Hexham Courant was presented to Northumberland County Council on Wednesday.

Editor Colin Tapping handed over the petition, backing the Your Right To Know campaign, at County Hall in Morpeth.

The scale of the public outcry, along with cross party support from local councillors, added to the pressure on the county council to end its practice of publishing notices relating to Tynedale only in the Northumberland Gazette.

“I am heartened by the extent of the support across all local communities for this campaign,” said Mr Tapping.

He said the council had been presented with officially recognised figures and data which clearly demonstrated that the Courant had one of the highest, if not the highest, penentrations of any local newspaper in the country.

Yet the council’s chief executive, Steven Mason, still insisted no newspaper had a significant presence in the west of the county.

Mr Tapping said he was alarmed by council leader Coun. Grant Davey’s admission that the decision to transfer public notices to the Northumberland Gazette was made by officers, without any reference to elected members.

And he said he was surprised at the mis-use of purdah to postpone a decision until after the May elections.

“The court of public opinion has delivered its verdict, and the council leader has a duty to intervene in this issue.

“Easily available access to public notices clearly matters to people and local communities. And they have sent out the clear message that those notices should be in the Courant .

“This issue strikes at the very heart of local democracy and accountability.

“The council leader and the chief executive can not hide behind the spurious cloak of purdah to avoid what the public have asked them to do.

“This issue will not be swept under the carpet. The weight of public opinion will not allow that to happen.”

At a full meeting of the county council on Wednesday, it is expected Coun. Davey will be pressed to intervene and restore notices to the Courant .