The letter expresses concern about council publications competing with local media for readers and ad revenue, and the possibility of government withdrawing its advertising from local media.
It is a response from the NS to recent comments by Winterton about the important role local councils can play in helping their local businesses to grow and prosper.
In the letter, Lynne Anderson, NS communications director, said an increasing number of local councils across the UK are "actively competing with local newspapers for readers and advertising revenue", which is causing "real damage" to these local businesses at a time when they are meant to be helping them to come through the recession.
The letter goes on to say, as well as being important local businesses and employers, local newspapers are vital to the functioning of any healthy local democracy, scrutinising the effective operation of local authorities, examining how council taxpayers' money is spent, and holding elected representatives to account.
The letter quotes from the Digital Britain report, which said if council newspapers operate in a way that makes local media unviable they would be "against the public interest" and invites the Audit Commission to undertake an inquiry into the practice.
The NS has requested a meeting with Winterton to discuss the issues.
_1.jpg)
.jpg)