AMID spurious claims from county council bosses that the Northumberland Gazette provides news coverage for the whole of the county, copies of the Hexham Courant will no longer be sold at leisure centres under council control.

After withdrawing dozens of copies of the Courant from the reception area of Prudhoe Waterworld at the end of last year, as of this week, the council has also decided not to stock the paper at Hexham’s Wentworth Leisure Centre.

Instead, visitors to the Wentworth have reported being handed free copies of the Gazette , which normally carries a £1.25 price tag.

It follows a public backlash prompted by the council’s decision to use the Gazette for the publication of statutory notices relating to the Tynedale area, including vital information for communities on road closures and planning matters.

Mayor of Hexham, Coun. Trevor Cessford, has called for answers.

“I want to know who is responsible for making that decision,” he said.

“I think it’s disgraceful. It’s not detrimental to the leisure centres to have the Courant on sale there. When I used to go to Wentworth I used to pick up my copy there.

“It makes no sense. It can only be vindictiveness –there’s no other answer I can think of.”

It is also understood that all local newspapers which have traditionally been bought in to the libraries and tourist information centres across the county, for use by members and visitors, will be withdrawn from next month.

“A review of the provision of magazines and newspapers has been ongoing for two years and as a result many have already been removed or reduced across a number of sites across the county, not just in Hexham,” said a council spokeswoman.

“In these times of austerity we have to look to provide services in different and more cost effective ways. These new ways of working are protecting library services across Northumberland.”