By Carole Dennett
The IW Observer is in an unexpected dispute with the BBC’s Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) after raising concerns about the neutrality of a recent article. The Island’s Local Democracy Reporter, Rufus Pickles, is employed by Newsquest, which owns more than 200 UK titles including the IW County Press, but the role is funded by the BBC. LDRS stories, which can be used by all registered news outlets, are required to meet BBC standards of political neutrality, especially during the sensitive pre‑election period.
Last week the LDRS published a story claiming eight Isle of Wight Alliance councillors had received “over half a million pounds” in allowances and expenses “over a three‑year period”. The councillors themselves were left to clarify that the level of payments reflected cabinet responsibilities. The article did not explain that many other councillors also receive Special Responsibility payments on top of their £10,800 allowance, nor why a three‑year period was chosen when this council has served five. It also did not mention that the previous administration had claimed even more over a comparable period. The average annual allowance for the eight councillors named was £20,800 – below the adult minimum wage for a full‑time job.
It later emerged that a Cowes Conservative activist, Cllr David Walters, had publicly claimed credit on social media for prompting the story, including the three‑year timeframe, raising further concerns about neutrality. County Press editor Lori Little, who manages Mr Pickles, said, without apparently recognising the irony “he doesn’t exist just to write what councillors think he should write,” even though the piece originated from a town councillor who is openly political.
Our concern is not the figures, which are publicly available, but the framing. People with responsibility are routinely paid more than those without it. In our view the piece does not meet the political neutrality required of a BBC‑funded service, so we did not publish it.
Newsquest is supposed to ensure LDR stories comply with BBC rules – but locally they appear to be unconcerned when they do not.
We have also raised the issue with the BBC, who are not prepared to comment publicly.
As the election period continues, this newspaper will uphold our commitment not to publish negative campaigning material and to be fair to all those standing for election – even when material funded by BBC licence‑fee payers is not.
IW MPs also concerned
We asked the Island’s two MPs if they thought the article raised neutrality issues – both said it did.
Joe Robertson (IW East), a member of the Shadow Culture, Media and Sport team, said he was raising the issue of political neutrality at all levels, including the LDR Service, with the BBC’s new Director General.
Richard Quigley (IW West), who has not claimed any council expenses since his election to Parliament in June 2024, was even more direct: “No reasonable politician expects favourable coverage in the press,” he said, “but we should expect fairness. The recent article by the LDR would, I argue, be unfair if written about any councillor of any party.
“The alternative story could easily have been ‘Councillors work for less than minimum wage’. This sort of reporting does nothing for the Island’s reputation and nothing in terms of attracting people into local politics.
“This isn’t the only example of the LDR apparently chasing clicks rather than offering balanced journalism.”