PRESSURE is mounting on Northumberland County Council to reverse a controversial decision which is depriving communities across Tynedale of information which has an impact on their daily lives.

Statutory notices featuring crucial information on road closures and planning matters in Tynedale have been withdrawn from the Hexham Courant and are now being published in the Northumberland Gazette – a newspaper which only serves the north of the county.

The move has prompted a public outcry, with Hexham’s MP Guy Opperman branding it an attempt at press censorship.

“This is a decision taken to punish the Courant , which is clearly losing revenue for daring to challenge NCC in the paper,” he said in an online blog post.

“Sadly this is the sort of madness that we see every night on the TV with Donald Trump banning everyone from the BBC to CNN from his press conferences.”

Well over 600 people have now signed a petition calling on the council to reinstate public notices in the Courant with immediate effect.

Cross-party support has also come from Hexham Town Council, where members unanimously agreed on Monday night to write and challenge the county council’s decision.

County councillor for Hexham East, Coun. Cath Homer, said: “I completely see why people would think it was an accounts decision but when you see tens of thousands of pounds spent on putting a councillor’s face on bin wagon hoardings it’s really hard to take on board.”

Having lived in Hexham all his life, county councillor for Hexham Central, with Acomb, Coun. Terry Robson admitted he’d never bought a Northumberland Gazette .

Coun. Derek Kennedy, county councillor for Hexham West, has called for the issue to be debated at Tuesday’s meeting of the county council’s west area committee.

Parish councillors in Allendale have also pledged their wholehearted support to the Courant , while members of Broomley and Stocksfield Parish Council unanimously agreed to question the council on its decision, in writing.