Public notices vital to democracy
We are backing an industry project to highlight the importance of public notices in local newspapers.
JPIMedia, who publishes this newspaper, has joined forces with other newspaper companies to back the digital portal to be launched to promote public notices to our communities and enhance local democracy.
In the meantime, public notices with key information that has an impact on a specific community can be found in the local newspaper where they are most relevant every week
The digital initiative is being funded through £1 million from the Google News Initiative.
The project will see the creation of a common online portal containing public notices published by regional and local newspapers across the UK.
The importance of public notices will be highlighted on local news websites, harnessing local media’s massive online audiences.
This will improve people’s access to and understanding of important information.
Public notices routinely cover areas such as planning applications, construction, transport links, roadworks, licensing changes and more.
The Online Public Notices Portal will be fully searchable by postcode, type of notice and keyword and, in addition to operating as a standalone site, and will operate within around 800 local news media websites right across the country.
The portal will also deliver notifications to users who have signed up to receive alerts about particular types of planning notices, or notices relating to a specific geographic area.
The project highlights our important role in keeping local people properly informed, and a determination to work with local councils to improve engagement with public notices.
JPIMedia’s head of community content Neil Pickford
said: “The publication of public notices in local newspapers, and on their associated websites, is a key element of local government transparency.
“Laws which ensure that public notices have to be published in a regional newspaper mean that members of the public have a far greater chance of learning about plans for their town, village or city.
“Public notices contain vital information about planning applications and developments, licensing applications, road closures and much more.
“They are a vital part of the democractic process and we are fully behind plans to make people more aware of the importance of such statutory notices.”
A steering group of local publishers has been tasked with appointing a development partner for the Online Public Notices Portal and overseeing its delivery. The plan will see the launch of the portal in the summer 2021.
But in the meantime, pick up a copy of this newspaper every week to see the public notices which have an impact on your community.
‘Public Notices are a vital part of the democratic process and we are fully behind plans to make people more aware of the importance of such statutory notices.’