SOCIETY OF EDITORS: An issue that goes to the heart of local democracy and the role of a free press.

From the Society of Editors to Bill Heaney, owner/editor of The Dumbarton Democrat

Chief Executive Peter Hessett; Chief Comms Officer Amanda Graham; Council leader, Martin Rooney.

Dear Bill,

We are writing to seek your insight on an issue that goes to the heart of local democracy and the role of a free press.

The Society of Editors has become increasingly concerned by reports suggesting that, in some areas, journalists may be experiencing difficulties in accessing council meetings or securing meaningful engagement from elected representatives. In a small number of cases, there have been indications that reporters have been refused entry or that councillors have been discouraged from speaking to the media.

While these reports are not uniform and do not appear to be widespread across all authorities or parties, they raise important questions about transparency, accountability, and the ability of the press to scrutinise those in public office.

It is a fundamental principle of our democratic system that elected representatives are open to scrutiny and that journalists are able to report freely on matters of public interest. Local journalism plays a vital role in holding power to account, informing communities, and ensuring that decision-making is conducted in the open.

We are keen to understand the current picture more clearly. In particular, we would welcome hearing from members about:

• Any recent difficulties accessing council meetings, briefings, or public forums
• Instances where reporters have been refused entry or accreditation
• Recent situations where councillors or council officials have declined to engage with the press, or have been advised not to do so
• Examples of good practice, where councils are working constructively and transparently with local media

This is not about singling out any one authority or political party. Rather, it is about building a comprehensive, evidence-based understanding of how access and engagement are working across the country.

If you have relevant experiences to share, please do get in touch with us at office@societyofeditors.org. All information will be treated with appropriate sensitivity.

Your input will help us assess whether there is a broader trend emerging and, if necessary, to make informed representations in support of press freedom and open democratic processes.

Thank you, as ever, for your continued support of the Society, and please feel free to contact our team with any further queries or matters you would like to raise.

With best wishes,

Dawn Alford
Chief Executive
Society of Editors

Reply from Bill Heaney: West Dunbartonshire Council must be among the worst offenders in this regard. For the past five years, I have been denied access to their comms team led by Amanda Graham.  Ms Graham and the Chief Executive, Peter Hessett, claim that I interrupted a council meeting while it was in session. I didn’t. I approached the Provost (chairman) during the lunch interval to ask that something be done to improve the audio system. The press and public had great difficulty hearing what was being said. They also had similar difficulty identifying who was speaking because of where they were placed in the public gallery.  The then SNP leader of the council said loudly that I should be banned from their meetings because I was connected to the Labour Party (I am a former Special Adviser to the First Minister). Several officers, including Amanda Graham,  flocked across the chamber towards me. I admit to telling Amamda to “bugger off.” Not loudly but quietly. Those present then made their way out the door without incident. What then transpired was that I was told the comms team would not be speaking to me from then on. I would not be allowed to ask questions, and if I had any, I would have to take my place with the public in the queue or make a Freedom of Information request, which could take weeks if not months to answer. When I tried to contact the council, my emails went unanswered.  They make no response to this day, although I remain on the media list for press releases. Questions are verboten. I have been shut out of meetings and not invited to cover civic events. They have even personally smuggled a witness out of an education committee meeting to deny me taking photographs. I have been told by the new Provost that my situation would not be reconsidered. Asked for examples of my misdemeanours, I was told I had, on one occasion, spelt someone’s name wrong and they were angry about that. Even though they told me there was nothing wrong with the audio, I have been informed that the council spent £52,000 having it repaired or replaced. It still does not work properly. I have been a journalist for more than 60 years and have an unblemished record, although I have been responsible for holding politicians to account on numerous occasions. I have been recognised for my work, having won the award of Scotland’s Weekly Newspaper Journalist of the Year three times and been highly commended in the UK-wide press awards and other competitions.  I have worked for senior people in the Scottish, English and Irish I am a life member of the NUJ and the Society of Editors, and I continue to own and produce The Dumbarton Democrat (democratonline.net), a news and features platform, which has a daily average viewership over a month of between 15,000 and 20,000, confirmed by Microsoft.