The London Assembly today urged the Mayor to urgently write to Newsquest Group to express concerns on staffing changes and restructuring at the Group, which will threaten the quality and long term survival of local papers in south London. Newsquest’s local newspapers are popular and regarded as useful sources of local information by local communities. London needs quality local newspapers to ensure democratic scrutiny, accountability, and an informed and active citizenship. Val Shawcross CBE AM, who proposed the urgent motion said: “It’s deplorable that the quality and future of some of our most valued local newspapers could be put at risk by Newsquest’s decision to make severe cuts. “I’m particularly concerned about the impact this move could have on the working conditions and pay of those who remain in place, and it’s staggering that a business of this stature is still failing to pay some of its staff the London Living Wage. “The Mayor should be fulfilling his duty to address these concerns by writing urgently to Newsquest.” Stephen Knight AM, who seconded the urgent motion said: “London local newspapers are vital for ensuring that people are kept informed about what is happening in their local community and that politicians in town halls across the capital are held to account. “Plans by Newsquest to cut back on staff, pay and conditions will not just hit journalists but also the quality of Newsquest valued newspapers. It is a misguided and retrograde step which Newsquest’s owners must reconsider.” The full text of the urgent motion is: “The London Assembly is alarmed by the current threats facing the quality and long term survival of local newspapers in south London owned and run by the Newsquest Group. We understand that severe cut backs and restructuring will dramatically reduce both the numbers of reporters and editorial staff, and severely compromise the working conditions and pay of those who remain on the following newspapers: The Croydon Guardian, Sutton Guardian, Epsom Guardian, Wimbledon Guardian, Wandsworth Guardian, Balham and Tooting Guardian, Mitcham and Morden Guardian, Kingston Guardian, Surrey Comet, Elmbridge Comet, the Richmond & Twickenham Times and the News Shopper - for Lewisham, Greenwich, Bexley and Bromley. The populations served by these papers are large - Croydon alone for example is home to over a third of a million people, it covers 3 Parliamentary Constituencies and one London Borough Council. Under Newsquest’s proposals, this huge geographical area would be covered by just one reporter. It is difficult to see how this would work on a practical, let alone efficient, level. Newsquest local newspapers are popular and regarded as a useful and interesting source of local information by the communities they cover. We are therefore surprised that Newsquest seem to be seeking to undermine this. London needs quality local newspapers to ensure democratic scrutiny, accountability, and to encourage an informed and active citizenship. Further to these concerns, we also understand that some staff, including qualified journalists, are being paid less that the ‘London Living Wage’ – which takes account of the high cost of living in London and is calculated as the rate of pay at which it is possible to adequately maintain an adequate quality of life here. We call upon the senior management at Newsquest to adopt the ‘London Living Wage’ and pay staff a liveable salary. Finally, we are alarmed to learn that in future, staff producing these papers may be based outside of London. It’s difficult to understand how any publication registered as a local newspaper could be written and produced outside the city it serves. Such a move would be detrimental to the development and economic growth of London. Furthermore, we understand that some staff may be expected to work remotely and alone, without physical access to office facilities or support from colleagues. This proposed decimation of staff, pay and conditions cannot fail to be detrimental not only to staff themselves but also to the quality of Newsquest products and we believe that this is a misguided and retrograde step. Recognising the Mayor’s duty to promote social development and economic development, as well as his declared objective of increasing the adoption of the London Living Wage, we call upon the Mayor to urgently write to Newsquest expressing the concerns raised by the London Assembly and seeking assurance for the staff of Newsquest." Notes to editors:
The urgent motion was agreed unanimously at a meeting of the full Assembly today.
Val Shawcross CBE AM who proposed the urgent motion is available for interviews. Please see contact details below.
The webcast is available here.
As well as investigating issues that matter to Londoners, the London Assembly acts as a check and a balance on the Mayor.
For media enquiries, please contact Lisa Lam on 020 7983 4067. For out of hours media enquiries, call 020 7983 4000 and ask for the London Assembly duty press officer. Non-media enquiries should be directed to the Public Liaison Unit on 020 7983 4100.