Two more MSPs have joined the opposition to the Scottish Government's plan to allow councils to use an online portal rather than newspapers to let people know about issues affecting their area, including planning applications and road closures.

Ministers claim it will save local authorities £6 million annually.
But Margaret Mitchell, Conservative MSP for Central Scotland, said too many people – possibly 75 per cent in some areas – would be unable to find out the information being posted on the site.

She said: "There are concerns regarding how many people without access to the internet will access the notices – it is estimated that only one in four people in the Falkirk area have access to the internet."

Mrs Mitchell also added that although Scottish Conservatives wanted to encourage savings in public spending, the move could be a financial hardship for newspaper groups.

She added: "We remain strong supporters of The Falkirk Herald as part of the local newspaper industry. The removal of public information notices from local newspapers could cause a loss of up to £10 million in advertising revenue which would be a massive blow to an industry where the future of many operators is already questionable.

"Therefore it is imperative that the Scottish Government commit to continue using newspapers, such as The Falkirk Herald, to advertise public notices as a matter of urgency, firstly to ensure that as many people as possible can view them and secondly, to provide continued financial support to Scotland's newspaper industry."

Her comments were echoed by Central Scotland Lib Dem MSP Hugh O'Donnell. He said: "Local papers are at the heart of communities and are vital for communicating with the public, whether in large towns or small. If a notice is published online it is unlikely that people will stumble upon it, therefore defeating the purpose of a public notice.
"The SNP Government should be committed to our local newspapers to ensure they continue their important role.

Read full story in The Falkirk Herald