Wiltshire Council backs down over Melksham News censorship

Wiltshire Council has reversed its controversial decision to cut communication with the Melksham News, marking an end to an unprecedented act of censorship.

The council severed ties with the Melksham News in October last year after the newspaper published an article questioning the council’s public notice advertising policy and preventing the issue being debated in a council meeting.

The move was widely criticised by councillors, members of the public, and national media, including Private Eye magazine, which branded the decision as “spiteful bullying.”

The council’s actions raised serious concerns about press freedom, accountability and local democracy. It is believed to be the first time that a local council in the UK has ever cut ties with a local newspaper.

Last month, representatives from Wiltshire Publications, the parent company of the Melksham News, met with council officials, including chief executive Lucy Townsend in a meeting that Wiltshire Council requested be off the record. Following the meeting, the council announced it would resume engagement with the newspaper.

Joe McCann, operations manager at Wiltshire Publications, welcomed the meeting but expressed ongoing concerns.

“While we were pleased to meet with representatives from Wiltshire Council and thank them for their time, we remain deeply concerned about the circumstances surrounding their decision to cut off communication with Melksham News. Local journalism plays a critical role in holding public bodies to account.

“This meeting, while constructive in some respects, felt more like an attempt to move past the issue without fully acknowledging the damage caused or providing transparency about their decision-making process. The public deserves a council that is accountable and transparent.

“We will continue to press for clarity on what led to this decision and what steps are being taken to ensure such actions are not repeated. A free and independent press is essential to upholding local democracy, and we remain committed to ensuring our community has access to the information it needs and deserves.”

The council claimed the decision to cease communication was due to “unbalanced” reporting by the Melksham News. However, the newspaper raised concerns that the move undermined transparency in local government, evaded scrutiny and potentially sought to control the flow of information.

Since the meeting, the newspaper has questioned whether political influence played a role and whether the decision originated from some members of the council’s Conservative group.

Seeking further clarification, Melksham News posed the following questions to Wiltshire Council:

1. Can the council clarify the process and criteria used to decide to re-engage with our publications, and whether this process included a review of the original decision to cease engagement?

2. In the council’s original reasons for ceasing engagement, you urged us to adopt a more “professional and balanced reporting style.” Could you clarify what specific changes, if any, you have observed in our publications since then? Given that our reporting style has not changed, how does this align with the initial decision to cease engagement?

3. In the council’s original reasons for ceasing engagement, you criticised us for not including full quotes from Conservative representatives in our article on public notice advertising. How can this criticism be explained as not politically motivated, particularly considering that the full quote from the council was included, and in the context of upholding editorial independence?

4. What criteria does Wiltshire Council use to determine whether to engage with local publications?

5. Was there a formal review process to assess whether our publications meet those criteria before the decision to re-engage?

6. Will the council put any measures in place to ensure that future decisions regarding engagement with local publications are based on transparent and objective criteria?

7. Does the council intend to address any reputational damage caused by the decision to cease engagement with our publications?

Responding to the questions, Wiltshire Council’s CEO Lucy Townsend said, “We were pleased to be able to meet with Wiltshire Publications and have a constructive discussion. Whilst we might not agree with each other on all points, it was important that everyone was able to have their say and share their views.

“The council wishes to draw a line under this matter and move forwards positively together. We maintain good relationships with over 50 media outlets nationally and value the important work the media does in holding local government to account. Following our meeting, we look forward to working more closely with the team at Wiltshire Publications.”