As reported in the Herald last week, MSP David Whitton was joined by Des McNulty and other Labour colleagues in a motion to defeat SNP proposals that council advertising be done online — on the basis that such a move would be undemocratic.

Tories, LibDems and Greens backed the Labour motion pointing out that the switch to online advertising would mean people without the internet would not see notices about important issues such as planning and licensing applications, road closures and bin collections.

Former journalist David Whitton said: "Local councils have a duty to ensure that communities are properly informed about important decisions and we also need to protect good local journalism.

"This plan will take vital revenue away from local newspapers and it is deeply undemocratic because large numbers of people don't have access to the internet.

Des McNulty added: "I believe local councils have a duty to ensure that residents are properly informed about important matters that affect them and get a chance to put forward their views.

''If it's in the local paper it is much more likely that people will see it."

Mr McNulty welcomed the fact that Johnston Newspaper Group's divisional managing director, Michael Johnston, had attended the Parliament debate to express his concern and highlight the consequences for local newspapers and the threat to local titles.

Mr Johnston said: "All of us at the Herald, and across the local newspaper industry, are extremely heartened that the Scottish Parliament has recognised the Government's plan to remove public information is a fundamental attack on local democracy in Scotland.

"The change is unnecessary and not in the public interest given the lack of public trust in state funded websites, their low usage, Scotland's poor broadband penetration, particularly in the West, and, equally importantly, the poor take up of broadband, particularly by the most vulnerable and excluded sections of Scottish society.

"Now that MSPs have voted by a massive majority against this half-baked proposal, I hope Government ministers will recognise the will of Parliament and scrap it."

Mr Whitton accused SNP ministers of betraying local newspapers and damaging local democracy, criticising MSP Gil Paterson among others.
Mr Paterson, who has confirmed to the Herald that he wants to keep public notices in local newspapers, said: "It was the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA) who asked the Scottish Government to give local authorities the choice whether to advertise online or in the local press due to crippling budget demands.

"What Mr Whitton's motion was about was to stop consultation with the authorities and the public over the issue.

"It's deliberately misleading to suggest to the public that the Scottish Government is not supportive of local newspapers.

"But to expect a consultation to be axed midway through is totally ridiculous and undemocratic. I could not support a farce of a motion that said that the public should not be consulted."

Mr Paterson said he had not changed is personal view that newspaper advertising is value for money.