Council Leaders Respond To Wimbledon Guardian Strike


Letter to Newsquest boss from South London council leaders

Mr Gary Kendall
Managing Director
Newsquest (London) Ltd.
Floor 10, Quadrant House
The Quadrant
Sutton
Surrey
SM2 5AS

Dear Mr Kendall

We are writing to express our concern at the recent announcement by Newsquest regarding your restructuring, which we believe will lead to a reduction in locally based reporters and to a serious erosion of your important role in holding elected local politicians to account.

As council leaders in South London boroughs, we very much value the contribution to debate that comes from our local newspapers.

Although we do not always agree with them on every issue, we have also found your reporters to be both independent and challenging of our councils where required.

Your reporters do a vital job in covering local stories of interest to residents across south London and to lose this local link would be disastrous.

I do hope you will think again about your plans and do all you can to protect your excellent service across South London.

Due to the importance of this issue, we will be placing this letter in the public domain.

Yours sincerely, 

Cllr Stephen Alambritis

Chair, South London Partnership

Leader, Merton Council

 

Cllr Kevin Davis                                                            Cllr Ruth Dombey

Leader, Kingston Council                                          Leader, Sutton Council

 

Cllr Tony Newman                                                           Cllr Lord True

Leader, Croydon Council                                               Leader, Richmond Council

June 29, 2015