Kent County Council anounced yesterday that it is to axe its internet TV channel Kent TV.

The council had fought a running battle with the Kent Messenger over how much public money was being spent on it.

After a series of freedom of information requests were blocked, the weekly title took its case to the information commissioner who ordered the authority to disclose the figure.

The channel was originally set up in September 2007 as a pilot project with March 2010 always earmarked as the point at which the trial period was due to come to an end.

It employs ten people, around half of whom are journalists.

Kent County Council leader Paul Carter said in a statement: "Kent TV has proved itself to be a brave and bold innovation and we have learned a great deal from it. It has provided a source of practical, useful information for residents."

But he added: "We are living in different and difficult economic times compared with when the pilot was launched in September 2007. In difficult times our spending has to be prioritised. We have therefore decided that Kent TV will not continue when the pilot period ends in March 2010."

Liberal Democrat opposition leader Trudy Dean said: "This is the right decision but it is unofrtunate that it has taken since last September to reach it and as a result the council wasted another £400,000 extending the contract.

"Community TV has to come from the community and Kent TV never did that. It was a top-down and the viewing figures were just not good enough to attract the revenue and sponsorship that was needed."

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