By Else Kvist Tower Hamlets Council claims the �400,000 shortfall in advertising revenue suffered by its newssheet East End Life will be covered by existing council savings. It comes after Tory opposi
Tower Hamlets Council claims the �400,000 shortfall in advertising revenue suffered by its newssheet East End Life will be covered by existing council savings.
It comes after Tory opposition councillor Tim Archer said a budget report had revealed that the council paper's advertising revenue was down by �396,000.
Cllr Archer, who has called for the "council propaganda paper" to be scrapped, said the shortfall would need to be paid for by council taxpayers, who he says are already paying on average around �10 a year for the 'free sheet'.
A council spokesman said: "We can confirm that any shortfall will be met within existing efficiencies and savings. There will not be any extra cost to the council taxpayer. The figures forecast are a worst-case scenario and an aid to forward planning."
The Labour-run council claims East End Life costs taxpayers �118,000 a year. The rest of its �1.56 million cost, it says, is covered by advertising income.
But a newspaper investigation found that public-sector organisations paid a total of �980,000 to advertise in East End Life, making the true cost to the public purse �1.1 million a year.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here