Time runs out for Reform UK press ban debate

Council leader Mick Barton said the motion could be heard at the next meeting instead

A debate on Nottinghamshire County Council's decision to ban a number of local journalists did not take place as planned.

Reform's council leader Mick Barton implemented the ban on the Nottingham Post and its online arm Nottinghamshire Live in September following a disagreement about a story it had published.

Broxtowe Alliance councillor Teresa Cullen brought a motion titled 'supporting a free press in Nottinghamshire' to a full council meeting at Oak House on Thursday evening.

However she said she was "disappointed" the motion was not discussed after the meeting over-ran.

'Being silenced'

The motion asked the council to "reiterate support for freedom of the press, particularly for local media outlets" and "commit to engaging with journalists and answering questions on council business, regardless of whether one likes what is being asked".

Cullen asked the council to bring a debate on flooding - which lasted an hour and 40 minutes in total - to an early close but this was rejected by Reform and Conservative councillors.

Broxtowe Independents councillor Steve Carr agreed with Cullen, adding that it would be "completely unfair" if their motion was not heard.

"This is now purposefully being run over to prevent our motion being heard which is a most contentious motion against the Reform leader," he said. "We are being silenced."

The chair, Reform's Jan Goold said the suggestion was "utter nonsense".

Cullen later proposed that standing orders be suspended so the meeting time could be extended but this was voted against by Reform councillors.

The Beeston Central and Rylands councillor said after the meeting: "It speaks to the whole point of the motion that they don't like to be criticised.

"It will come to the next full council and I will keep going with this because it is a really important issue.

"I appeal to the Reform councillors to do the right thing and repair this relationship."

'Not a problem'

The authority said it would stop sending press releases to the publication, invite them to council events or give interviews. The ban will only be lifted in emergency scenarios.

Also included in the ban are BBC-funded journalists who work at the publication as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

Council leader Barton later said the interview ban only related to himself and not other councillors.

Speaking after the meeting, he said: "We can't control the time. She [Cullen] put an amendment forward to extend it but I've got an awards evening to go to and I've been here since 7am.

"They can bring it to the next full council meeting, it's not a problem," he said.

On the ban itself he added: "I have had a chat with a couple of their reporters and hopefully we can get something sorted in the next few weeks."

According to the Post, an article written by its agenda editor, external Oliver Pridmore prompted the ban.

Barton accused the newspaper of "consistently misrepresenting our policies, actions or intentions".

The Post's senior editor Natalie Fahy said the ban was a "direct attack on the free press and our ability to hold elected members to account".