THE chief executive of Northumberland County Council this week rejected overwhelming pleas from the public and his own elected members across West Northumberland to restart publication of public notices in the Hexham Courant .

Steven Mason said the Courant’s approach to the ‘pilot’, which entails publishing local notices in the Alnwick-based Northumberland Gazette , with a negligible readership in West Northumberland, had created a potential political issue, prompting allegations of censorship by the council.

As a result, he said he had decided to delay any review of the ‘pilot’ until after the council elections on May 4.

Meanwhile, council leader, Labour’s Coun. Grant Davey, made it clear councillors had not been involved in the decision at any stage.

“This is an officer decision and is nothing to do with councillors,” said Coun. Davey.

“This is part of a budget which has not come to council, and even if it had, we’re in purdah and I can’t comment.

“You need to speak to Steven Mason, who I believe has written to you.”

When asked further questions, Coun. Davey advised he would be contacting the council’s legal department to seek advice on being “pressed” for a comment by the Courant during purdah.

“As soon as I hang up the phone from you I will be contacting the council’s legal team to advise you’re pressing me for a comment during purdah which, as a journalist, you know you’re not supposed to do.”

The term ‘purdah’ is used across central and local government to describe the period of time before elections when authorities must not issue any publicity which may influence voters.

However, this is often mistakenly viewed in local government as a period of time when communications have to shut down completely.

This is not the case.

In reality, councillors continue to be free to talk to the media and issue information for publication as long as they do not use council resources to do so.