A government minister has raised concerns about the effect local press cuts have had on the reporting of councils dominated by a single political party.

Margot James, minister for digital and creative industries, has shared her fears about regional journalists not having “time to investigate” local authorities.

In an exclusive interview with business magazine Punchline Gloucester, she has also reiterated the government’s support for the industry – saying she hopes her colleagues can “act in time” to help it.

Ms James spoke with Punchline editor Mark Owen at the magazine’s office during a visit to Gloucester for the opening of the UK Digital Retail Innovation Centre.

Margot James with Mark Owen

The MP for Stourbridge told Mark: “A big part of local democracy accountability is through the local press, whatever form that takes. But local papers have had to let people go, they now have two or three people producing what was once done by 20 or more.

“They don’t have time to investigate. Simple reporting of council meetings is fine, but it’s having that time to investigate is where accountability comes from. It’s so important, especially in the areas of the country where it is so safe for one party or the other.

“In my constituency, one of the nearby councils has had a 90 per cent Labour council for decades and there are those in other parts of the country that are the other way around.

“Either way, it’s a bad thing for democracy, because nobody is holding them to account.”

She also touched on the review led by Dame Frances Cairncross into the future of news provision in the UK, which recommended in February that the BBC local democracy reporting scheme be expanded, as well as the establishment of a publicly funded Institute for Public Interest News.

Ms James added: “We are coming at the problem from a number of perspectives, In terms of the protection of publishers, on and offline, we have set up the Cairncross Review. That will lead to support for more quality content and the BBC democracy reporting service is helping too.

“There was a recommendation to get the competition and market authority to look in to the digital advertising market, to get a fairer share of the rewards dealt out to publishers.

“My hope is that we can act in time because the erosion of the traditional publishing industry and local news reporting and local papers is carrying on apace. And it is a challenge to keep up with these developments and that is my one worry that by the time we get it right it may be too late.”

After her visit, Mark said: “It was a great honour that the minister decided that the one interview she would give to the local media during her trip to Gloucester was with us.

“Punchline has been championing the business community in Gloucestershire for 12 years and this shows the growing standing we have in the county that the government minister chose to speak to us.

“We started out as a niche publisher exploiting a gap in the market and have grown consistently in the years since and it was really interesting for us to hear her opinions on the industry as we look to expand.”