I can't find the paper now (from a next door neighbour as my wife had thrown it away!) but I do remember that it had the headline 'Pay more taxes, receive less services' on its front page. On page 2 & 3 under 'Focus on Borough Finances' it provides a calendar of the lamentable financial situations reported and a spotlight on the social services. On another page it reports of the substantial pay increases to councillors from something like £1,700 to over £11,000 and from around £2,500 for the council leader to about £19,500. (Not unreasonable in itself as the previous rates were miserly but another act of arrogant defiance in view of the financial and service shambles that they must accept responsibility for).
The point here is that the Informer is doing its best to report on what is really going on and it puts the R&T Times to shame. Criticism of their editorial covering up is fully justified.
Is it pure coincidence that the social services paid for a front cover advertisement that hid the front page headline? Unfortunately, many people throw away immediately if the front page doesn't grab the attention.
Another regrettable fact is that many do not receive the Informer, especially in the Whitton area and few newsagents sell the Informer. As the Richmond Comet is a total waste of space and really a Kingston paper masquerading under a Richmond title, it would be a great service to the Richmond Borough for the Informer to be available to purchase alongside the R&T Times everywhere, rather than the Comet. Perhaps they could expand their letters page as well and take on the R&T Times - who get way with it due to no real competition.
Eve McGowan will then reach the wider and interested audience that her excellent reporting deserves. |
