City of York Council plans to reduce number of newsletters

City of York Council is looking at producing its Your Ward publication, which is currently issued on a quarterly basis, every six months instead as part of cost-cutting measures at the authority.

It has pledged to make more use of the internet and social networking sites such as Twitter and Facebook to keep people informed instead, but the council’s Liberal Democrat group claimed this could lead to elderly residents and those without computers missing out.

The quarterly Your Ward newsletters provide details about ward committee meetings, which will still be held four times a year, and other local information.

The council’s 2010/11 accounts showed printing these newsletters cost £30,733.32 last year.

“This proposal reduces the amount of information given to people about the work of the committees,” said Lib Dem councillor Nigel Ayre.

“It clearly undermines their viability and will inevitably lead to a decline in the number of people attending the meetings.

“Using the internet is a good way to advertise ward committee meetings to some people, but there are many elderly residents who like to attend meetings, but do not have access to a computer, so Twitter and Facebook will be of no use to them.

“The council needs to reduce costs, but it shouldn’t be doing so in a way which excludes people from the decision-making process.”

Your Ward will be incorporated into the council’s Your Voice newspaper twice-yearly as the authority’s neighbourhood management unit looks to save £60,000 in 2011/12.

Coun Julie Gunnell, cabinet member for corporate services, said: “Coun Ayre hasn’t mentioned how his party’s cut to ward committee budgets in February would have impacted on local democracy, had Labour not stepped in and reversed it.

“Your Ward was previously a way of providing information which was quite expensive for taxpayers. We want to move forward in the ways we communicate and engage with residents.”