A worrying attack on press freedom elsewhere in Wiltshire

Concern over local accountability as Wiltshire Council cuts off communication with Melksham News.

Melksham Independent News is a fiercely independent newspaper that delivers a free publication fortnightly to 13,000 homes across the town and they have been going for more than 40 years.

As a direct comparison they are very much like our sister publication Swindon Link as they concentrate on good positive news from the area.

In an unprecedented move Wiltshire Council has sent them written confirmation saying they will no longer be engaging with the publication.

According to Melksham News the row between the publication and the local authority began after an article was published questioning the council’s public notice policy.

“Wiltshire Council’s decision to stop engaging with the Melksham News is deeply troubling,” said the newspaper’s operations manager, Joe McCann. “Local newspapers like ours are essential for holding public bodies to account and ensuring transparency in local government. By cutting off communication, the council is evading scrutiny and potentially controlling the flow of information, which is not just a concern for us as journalists but for the public as well.

“This sets a dangerous precedent, where councils can silence critical voices instead of addressing legitimate concerns, ultimately undermining local democracy. This is an unprecedented move for a local council.”

Wiltshire Councillor Jon Hubbard, who represents Melksham South ward, said, “I am deeply concerned and disappointed by the recent correspondence sent to Melksham Independent News, stating that Wiltshire Council will no longer correspond with the newspaper until they approve of the coverage provided. This kind of stance sets a dangerous precedent and threatens the principles of a free and independent press, which plays a vital role in holding local government to account. I sincerely hope that this decision is not politically motivated, as it would undermine the trust between the council and the residents it serves.

“The press should never be expected to tailor their coverage to meet the approval of those in power—it is their duty to provide fair and accurate reporting to the community. I call on Wiltshire Council to explain why such a step has been deemed necessary and to reaffirm its commitment to transparency, openness, and constructive engagement with all media outlets. Our community deserves nothing less.”

Ian Drew, Melksham News’ editor, said, “Wiltshire Council’s actions are unprecedented. In this newspaper’s 40+ years of providing news for the local community, we are not aware of any other council anywhere in the country that has done something like this.

“As a family-owned newspaper, we have always been committed to providing the community with reliable and balanced news. For over 40 years, we have a proud record as a trusted source of information, giving a voice to local people and holding local authorities to account. Despite Wiltshire Council’s decision, we will continue to strive to carry out this work.”

According to Wiltshire Council no review of this decision looks likely in the short term.

Cllr Richard Clewer, Leader of Wiltshire Council, said: “Wiltshire Council welcomes being held to account by the press and responds to over 1,400 media enquiries annually. We expect both positive and negative coverage from the media and we welcome robust challenge. However, we also believe that it is important to provide a balanced picture in any coverage so both sides of any story can be covered fairly. In this case we are not being held to account fairly or reasonably.

“Wiltshire Publications has undertaken an ongoing campaign for over two years to put pressure on the council to advertise statutory notices with them. We have consistently provided the same answer to their queries and yet despite our clear communication that we will re-evaluate our approach following the Government's review of relevant legislation, they continue to present a negative narrative – because we have chosen not to advertise with them.

“While it might cost less to place an advert in their publications, it would not save the council money and would be more expensive overall. We would still be required to advertise statutory notices in other publications to ensure we reach a wider audience and meet our legal obligations. This does not represent value for money for residents and would not lead to any cost savings for us.

“Their reporting has not been impartial, as it has failed to include balanced quotes from council representatives, which would have demonstrated that the picture they present does not tell the full story. Two of our councillors provided comments on their recent story and these comments were not included in the article because it did not fit with the narrative of the story; these comments would have given a more balanced view.

“Wiltshire Publications’ approach culminated in the council submitting a complaint to the editor urging them to adopt a more balanced reporting style.

“We advised we would not engage with Wiltshire Publications until we felt an effort was made to adopt a balanced position and requested they address these points with us.

“It is disappointing that rather than work with us they have chosen to publish a further article which again misrepresents our position.

“While we are not responding directly to them, they are still able to access our press releases which are published on our website and through our social media channels. However, we respect their right to take the approach they feel is most effective for them. At this time, we do not feel it would be appropriate to review our position.”