Regional newspaper editors are claiming a culture of official secrecy is entrenched through Britain’s public services.

They say that local government, police, schools and health authorities all cite data protection as a convenient excuse not to release information previously readily available.

Or they shelter behind press officers who block access to decision-makers and information, unless it suits their own purposes.

A survey shows that editors believe the courts are still over-ready to make unnecessary reporting restrictions, but are prepared to hear newspaper challenges.

There is scepticism about local public bodies’ state of readiness for the public’s freedom of information rights next year, although some public authorities have been discussing preparations with the local press and editors are planning training, investigations and reader information campaigns.

Regional newspaper editors’ were responding to the Newspaper Society press freedom survey, launched as part of Local Newspaper Week’s press freedom theme.

David Newell, director of the Newspaper Society said: “The Newspaper Society, regional newspaper publishers and editors have campaigned hard on press freedom and the public right to know, but they and their readers still face secrecy problems.

“This ongoing survey aims to establish what editors identify as their main difficulties, so that we can tackle them as an industry.”

The Society asked editors of regional and local daily and weekly titles what they felt were the greatest obstacles to reporting.

The recurrent theme was of excuses and exploitation of more recent legislation, rightly or wrongly, from data protection and human rights to cabinet style local government systems, as justification not to provide information to the press and public.

A few note that no win no fee ‘try ons’ have become another aspect of the chilling effect of the libel laws.

In addition to industry lobbying, editors’ responses indicate that this must be followed up by their own constant and robust challenge, through the courts if appropriate, to maintain their titles’ day-to-day coverage of local life.

The results are being analysed for a report later in the year.

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