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Latest resolved complaints dealt with by the PCC

The majority of complaints made to the Press Complaints Commission, which raise a possible breach of the Code of Practice, are resolved directly between the Commission’s staff, editors and complainants.

These are either settled to the express satisfaction of the complainant following some remedial action by the editor or are not pursued by complainants following an explanation or other response from the publication.

Below are summaries of the latest complaints involving the regional press which fall into the first category.

Express & Echo
Jayne Cann of Honiton complained that her children had been identified in a photograph that also depicted a man who had been found with child pornography on his computer. (Clause 6)
Resolution: The matter was resolved when the editor agreed not to use any images of the complainant’s children with the man in question in any future edition.

Gloucester Citizen
A woman from Gloucester complained that the newspaper had harassed her husband and intruded into both his and her privacy by the actions of its reporters. She also complained that a journalist from the newspaper had taken photos of her husband as he collected their daughter from school. (Clauses 3, 4, 6)
Resolution: While the complainant remained unhappy at the newspaper’s action – particularly after an article was published about her husband – the matter was resolved when the Citizen agreed to delete the photographs which had been taken outside her daughter’s school.

Enfield Gazette
Cllr Michael Rye, Leader of Enfield Council, complained that a series of articles on the conversion of the former TXU Energy building contained inaccuracies. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a statement from the complainant outlining the council’s position on the TXU.

Bath Chronicle
W M Vowles of Bath complained that a clarification which was printed following the publication of a letter from him was in itself inaccurate. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a further letter from the complainant.

Solihull News
Angharad Lynch, Communications Manager of Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council, complained that an article was inaccurate when it stated that the Council was investigating a restaurant over claims of food poisoning and that this was confirmed by its Head of Environmental Health. In fact, the press office confirmed that informal contact had been made yet an official investigation had not taken place. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a clarification on the matter.