SNP Climbdown on Web Notices

The SNP Government at Holyrood has climbed down over its plans allow local councils to put public notices online instead of in newspapers in response to a strong Labour campaign.

Led by Pauline McNeil MSP and strongly supported by Highland MSP David Stewart, the move was overwhelmingly supported by MSPs, who backed a motion calling "on the Scottish Government to withdraw the Local Authority Public Information Notices (Electronic Publication) (Scotland) Order 2010.

Ease of access to statutory notices, job adverts etc. is a vital aspect of local democracy and ensuring public notices are carried in local newspapers are one of the most important ways of ensuring that. This is especially the case in the Highlands, with the well documented issues about poor internet services.

The internet is a great resource and we need to press the case for access to high-speed broadband for all across the highlands. But not everyone can or will use the web and you’d think the SNP would be aware of the issues with web access in the North. Just like the broken promises over the by-pass, the SNP Government don’t seem to care much about how their policies impact in the Highlands.

This also is great news for local newspapers like the Courier, Strathy and Nairnshire which are already facing significant challenges because of the recession and who stood to lose vital revenue under the SNP plans.