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.

Sunday Mercury
Carl Woolery of Birmingham complained that an article about his company, Schools Support Service, was inaccurate. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The matter was resolved when the newspaper agreed to publish a positive article on the work being implemented in Midlands schools to improve discipline; including that being done by the complainant’s organisation.

Staines Informer
Marwan Mesmar complained through his solicitors Wright Son and Pepper that an article had inaccurately contended that the General Optical Council had found him guilty of failing to refer a client to a registered medical practitioner, and of informing him that he had debris in his left eye. (Clause 1)
Resolution: The complaint was resolved when the newspaper published a correction.