Fife Council has reaffirmed its commitment to the development of a single online location for local government information notices despite the Scottish Government abandoning necessary legislation earlier this year.
The move would have taken notices out of newspapers and placed them in an online Public Information Notices (PIN) portal.
The proposal drew widespread opposition and Labour, the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats backed a Courier campaign against the plan, pointing out that millions of Scots do not have access to broadband internet and would be deprived of access to information that affects their daily lives.
In March, the government said it was not proceeding with the legislation as the proposals would not have had sufficient parliamentary support.
Finance secretary John Swinney said then, “Scotland’s councils identified a need to cut spending on public notices, which currently cost around £6 million a year.
“The purpose of this legislation, which government began work on in 2006, was to give councils the option of using a more effective way of improving communication with the public and deliver increased value for money.”
He added, “However, we consulted fully and widely on the issue and it is absolutely right that we have listened and considered our response carefully.
“As a minority government it is incumbent on us to build consensus, and in this case that has not been possible.
“Given the strength of views expressed, we have decided not to proceed with the legislation.”
Fife Council had agreed to participate in the project and has now agreed to continue.
In a report to the policy, finance and asset management committee, executive director Michael Enston said that the CoSLA (Convention of Scottish Local Authorities) leaders’ group had considered the situation and had affirmed commitment to the introduction of the PIN Portal.
This would be at no additional cost to councils, subject to funding being made available.Evidence collectingIt was also agreed to build evidence supporting the benefits of the PIN Portal and to lobby the government for legislation once operational experience shows that there is sufficient evidence to support the case.
Mr Enston told councillors that the council spent £300,000 advertising public notices in newspapers, although because the portal had to be paid for, the real saving from using this only would be around £120,000.
Council leader Peter Grant said he had seldom seen Scotland’s 32 councils as united on anything as they were on the desire for the PIN Portal and this was something that went across all political allegiances.
He said, “Fife Council is going to have to spend a lot of money on advertising, money that could be put to better use.”
Councillor Brian Poole said he was concerned that “large numbers” of people did not have access to IT and would therefore be excluded.
He said, “The vast majority of people seldom go onto the internet to access information.”