'Public notices tell you of changes that impact your lives - removing them will leave communities shrouded in secrecy' - Star Comment
Editor Mark Drew explains why keeping public notices in newspapers matters
The newspaper industry today launches a concerted campaign on the issue of public notices. That may sound like a dry subject, but it is one that should concern every one of us.
Ministers have launched a consultation on licensing reform. That includes a proposal to remove the statutory requirement for alcohol licensing notices to be advertised in print in local papers.
We believe that will shroud local communities in secrecy.
Put simply, if a pub near you wants to extend its opening hours, create outdoor seating or put on live music you will know nothing about it until it happens.
And this could be only the start of it.
The Government is hungry for growth at any cost. It talks of getting rid of “red tape” or stopping the “blockers”. It appears to believe transparency and scrutiny are an inconvenience, an annoyance.
Public notices are published in newspapers on issues of pub licensing but also planning and major roadworks. They allow communities to know what may be impacting on their lives and to respond accordingly. They can also be found on the Public Notice Portal, a free-to-use website supported by the newspaper industry.
Pub licensing applications may be the first to go. And then you can be sure that planning issues will be next. Applications for green field housing, or factory units, or a new supermarket, which are all currently in the public domain, will be decided by officials with the rest of us left in helpless ignorance.
We should stress again that we are a big supporter of pubs. We want them to be successful and to grow. But the public deserve to know when developments are planned.
That is our democratic right, and that is why it is essential public notices remain, in print and online, for everyone to see.
