County Council cover up bad news

12.00.00am GMT Fri 2nd Nov 2007

Tory-run Herts County Council has been assessed as no more than 'adequate' (the second bottom rating) in two recent inspections - yet you would not have heard anything about either of them if you relied on the county council's press department for information.

The inspection of children's services was rated adequate, with key parts of the service rated inadequate, yet only the blandest of press releases was issued - which didn't even mention the ratings given, merely suggested you look at a website the next day.

Liberal Democrat county councillor Malcolm Cowan, who unearthed the lack of a clear and open news release said: 'Not surprisingly, only a handful of Herts newspapers reported the devastating news.'

'At other times, even minor news items are the subject of press releases, often accompanied by glossy pictures. Here is a major inspection which may have very significant effects on Hertfordshire, and which has already led to an extra £1million being spent on an action plan to help recover the situation. Why was this major story so hushed up by the Tories?'

The inspection of the Youth Service was equally damning - and no press release at all was issued. All this from a press department of 27 staff.

County Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, deputy leader of the 14-strong Liberal Democrat group at County Hall said: 'This is quite appalling. The council-tax paying public of Hertfordshire have a right to be properly informed. The Press Department should acknowledge bad news as well as good. We ought to see the results of these inspections in the next issue of the council's Herts Direct publication which is delivered to every household in the county, but I won't hold my breath.'